This is a hit and miss, sometimes problem. About every 5 to 10 stops, I have a notchy or extremely hard time getting into first gear. By hard, I'd have to muscle it into gear (I'm not a small guy) if I really wanted it to go into gear. The closest description of this resistance would be like trying to shift you car into first without depressing the clutch. Releasing the shifter, then going into revese or second eases this problem. Of course, this problem has yet to surface for the dealer.

A breif history: I had some problems with grinding on a first to second shift. The fine folks at Sterling Acura (Austin, Texas) treated me like royalty. In no time flat, they had broken down the trans and found the first and second gear syncros trashed. As I have only 18,000 miles, it was covered under warrenty. These gents are a true pleasure to deal with! Upon picking the car up, they advised me that the gearbox would be a little tight. Ever since, getting into first is a radom experience. I am concerned as this has almost gotten me rear ended more than once and I fear the trans is just tearing itself up in the process. Master, slave and fuild seem fine. Fuild replaced about 6 months ago and bleed with no prior evidence of this hard shifting problem.

Any thoughts or advise?

 

Either:
1: shift into 2nd first and then into 1st.
2: slowly let the clutch out while pushing gently into 1st. When the clutch starts to engage it should slip right in.

Either way I wouldn't worry about it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TypeRTexan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any thoughts or advise?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually, yes.
Don't try downshifting into 1st untill you are virtually standing still, unless you are willing to (and good at) revmatching (heel-toe, bliping the throttle, etc.)
As I understand it, 1st gear has a dual (cone) synchro.

Consider those guys at Sterling to have done you a big favour (GK reference).

 

If you burnt out two synchros at 18k, I would look at your driving as a factor....

In any case, first gear has a lockout so it cannot be engaged unless you are under 10 mph (I believe it's ten) unless you rev match.

If you are having problems, I would put it in neutral and release the clutch, then push it in again and it will go in with no problem.

 

A good rule of thumb is to only go into first when you are standing still or on an uphill incline.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B2FiNiTY &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A good rule of thumb is to only go into first when you are standing still or on an uphill incline. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That's how I play it....but some people would rather go against the grain so to speak.

 

For the record (and to hopfully get to the bottom of this), I am at a full stop (think a red light) when this occurs.

As to the driving style, I have averaged about 90K miles on my clutches over the last 26 years and have never roached a set of syncros...

 

Like I said, try neutral, clutch out, clutch in, 1st. See what happens.

 

i have the same problem and it started right after my rebuild thats why im just gonna get a itr tranny.

 

this happens to me once in a while and I am easy on my car(if that matters) and I have talked with others and they say it happens occasionally as well. I wouldnt sweat it it also happend on my 00si I think its a honda 5 speed thing,although my 03 si seems to be fine

 

I've heard maybe a dragging pressure plate? Any thoughts?

 

I had this similar problem, GM Synchromesh "fixed" it....for now.