I have another loosely related thread, but I've solved most of the issues related to that one and I'm not getting any answers about this problem in that thread.

My car recently had a Competition Clutch Stage 2 installed and I'm having problems with the clutch not disengaging when the car is cold. For the first shift on a cold morning, you basically cannot get the car into second gear at all. And when you pull it out of first gear there is resistance and a pop like you aren't using the clutch. The only gears that this creates a problem in are 1st and 2nd. 3rd gear is always still easy to shift into even when you can't get into second.

Once the car warms up, this issue goes away. This is even true just letting the car idle for 5 minutes or so to let the engine warm up. So whatever is getting warmed up by the engine's heat is getting warmed up enough to fix this problem.

Things that have been checked:

• Clutch pedal adjustment is fine, adjusting it anywhere on the spectrum makes no difference for this problem
• The transmission and synchros were checked over when the clutch was put in. No wear at all. My mechanic said it looked brand new
• The clutch was bled when the new clutch was put in
• The clutch is past its break-in mileage

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? It seems like an issue somewhere in the hydraulic system somewhere to me, but I haven't been able to find any answers.

 

I've got this problem fixed now. In case anyone else has this problem, it turned out it wasn't the clutch not disengaging. It was something in the transmission not getting lined up right that made it feel like it wasn't disengaging. Switching to a different fluid (amsoil) fixed it and made the shifting tons smoother.

I'm starting to think the guy that did my clutch didn't put the right kind of fluid in or maybe he forgot to refill it after taking it for a drive, because it really was a huge difference just from the fluid change.

 

i have the same issue but i'm running amsoil already!

second gear will either feel like it's trying to pull the shifter against a wall, very similar to the lockout you get if you try to go from 5th to reverse or pull into reverse while rolling forward.

veryyyyy occasionally second will feel like it grinds like 1-2 teeth before it "locks in". third will do the same but it only feel like one tooth

 

Is it at high rpm? Or just normal driving?

 

normal driving, like 2.5-3k rpm

 

Notice anything in the fluid? Start simple and work your way up. If I were you I would check the shifter cables first.

 

Any easy way to check them? I have solid base and underhood bushings, fluid was changed ~3k miles ago with amsoil, nothing weird in it

 

Not really. I had a similar problem and one of the cables was binding. That fixed my problem. Are you doing this when the trans is cold?

 

it happens most when the transmission is cold yes. i get the same hard shift into second sometimes when going from 3-2 (~2k rpm third -> 3k rpm 2nd) when slowing down before a turn. i usually notice it on my way back from lunch at which time i've been driving for 10-15 min and the transmission should be warm enough for normal driving

the times i notice it most are first thing in the morning when the transmission is cold, when leaving work when the transmission is fairly cold, but it's ~20* warmer outside, and when i'm going to lunch during which the transmission is warm by the time i'm on my way home (and it still happens occasionally). in the morning it will also feel like the transmission is actively trying to prevent me from pulling out of first gear (similar to what was described in the first post) like the clutch isn't disengaged (even though i've got it all the way in)

 

Have you recently put a new clutch in?

If so,
Have you adjusted the clutch pedal properly? Is the line bled correctly?

 

new clutch, no not recently. it's an exedy organic put in by the previous owner, has ~35k on it, never been to the track or launched on it. adjusted clutch pedal again just yesterday, was bled ~10k miles ago when i did brakes

 

Did you ever resolve this Demon? I'm having a similar issue with 22k miles on stock clutch.

I replaced my tranmission fluid a few thousand miles ago with Redline MT-85 & bled the clutch a few hundred miles ago. Like you, I experience the problem mostly when the car is cold. I feel it the worst when going from 1st to 2nd.

When I changed my transmission fluid the car was on a very slight incline even though it was on 4 jack stands. I'm hoping that didn't cause the transmission to be slightly underfilled.

 

If the clutch has been changed then are the dowel pins all still present, was the wiring loom put back in its clips and not hanging in the shift linkage and what fluid was the tranny filled with? If the clutch has never been touched then it is probably a transmission problem.

 

Your issue in the cold is because of the Redline fluid. My experience with it is that it feels notchy when cold but like butter when it warms up. I use Amsoil and no issue in cold or warm weather.

 

Might have to give Amsoil a try. However, it seems everyone has a different story when it comes to fluids..

I'm definitely going to try some new bushings before I go with new fluid.