So I was driving over to our local mall today, doing a few customary pulls along the way and nothing notable happened. I went to heel-toe 2nd to pull into a parking lot and it wouldn't go, I was like ah, this happens once in blue moon, I will just go back to neutral and then back to 2nd like the other couple times that ever happened. It felt just like when the tranny isn't lined up just right to go into reverse or 1st from a stop. I then pulled into the parking lot and proceeded to try 1st gear, no taco, then 3rd, 4th, 5th, and reverse...same thing. I was completely locked out of everything but neutral so I figure something is jacked anyhow I will just push a little harder in 1st so I can pull over and call a tow truck. It finally goes in without really pushing that hard, no grinding at all and drove normal but then it wouldn't come out of 1st very easily but would now go into 2nd with effort.

I get out and inspect the shift linkages thinking maybe something popped off, everything was fine. I got back in the car turned it off and called a friend of mine to tell him I am not going to make the races tomorrow and I am going to call a tow truck to have the car towed over to Cobb Plano. While on the phone I was fiddling and walked the shifter through all of the gears with the engine off just fine. Started it up again and it was like nothing had ever happened. I drove cautiously around the mall parkway for about 15 minutes just in case I would need to get a tow and didn't get stuck on the highway. After that I went on a 20 mile spirited run to see if it was just a fluke or not and nothing. It is like it never happened...

I came home bled the clutch, greased all the linkages, and checked the tranny level. Everything looks tip-top. I am leaning towards a binding linkage or a stuck shift fork. Anyone had this problem or have any ideas?

 

Did the clutch pedal feel different at all?

 

Not sure if the x has the same type of tob as the 8/9, but if it does I'm guessing the TOB clip popped off.

 

The only thing that felt different was for some reason 3rd knotched a bit more than usual which has happened before on cold days. The clutch only felt different for like 2 shifts afterwards... I tried calling you but you didn't pick up, I think I may have the wrong number.

The way it felt, I would agree. It felt like something was still engaged, not like something was trying to engage. There was nothing but resistance and once past it everything was fine. Very odd, I have had clutches fail before, transmissions fail (automatic and manual) and I have never had lockout like this.

 

New number last spring: 214-701-4164

Want me to take a peek tomorrow morning?

 

TOB popped off a few times on my IX.

 

Thanks but I will be heading out at around 6am. I am thinking the same thing. Something universal failed to take all 5 gears out. The only part that puzzles me is when I pushed into 1st-5th it just didn't go, no grinding or anything at all.

 

if the tob popped off your clutch pedal goes to the floor and doesn't come back up. its very very obvious that something is wrong when that happens. the 8/9 is the same design as the X.

if a clutch spring broke, or the pressure plate is failing, it can keep the clutch engaged even when the pedal is depressed... if thats the case then you wont be able to put it in gear without rev matching. with the car off it will going into every gear no problem though. you can usually feel it in the clutch pedal as well.

 

Wouldn't you experience grinding with it as well?

 

Not necessarily, it could just be locking you out. Think ACT high RPM lockout, only at all RPM's.

I am beginning to think its a clutch disc issue, not a TOB issue. It may just be dislodgeing, then reclilping though; my IX did this. I really don't think that would happen on a stock setup though.

 

It could be a spring failure in the clutch disc, I had that issue 3 times with a comp stg 4 in my old evo 8. It had the same symptoms as the op. I know kracka had some type of issue with a comp clutch like this during a roadtrip if I'm not mistaken.

 

Autocrossed 10 laps today with some nice shifting and there was no problem at all. I am starting to think for some strange reason when I bled my brakes I somehow managed to get some air in the CMC. I thought about when I bled it lastnight there was a little pocket of air but I assumed it was the motive bleeder, then today I thought about it and I don't recall seeing any air entering the reservoir when I bled the clutch.

My buddy in his Civic today showed me something interesting, which is why I thought about it harder. He just only SLIGHTLY depressed his clutch and he was completely locked out of all gears as well. One can hope I guess.

 

Well apparently what caused this was a failing CMC. Not many OEM CMC's have gone out on stock clutches that I have heard of. I think I have launched my car maybe once since I have owned it and I usually start very conservatively at autox. Who knows why things happen, I am just thankful it happened at a convenient location and not in rush hour traffic or in grid lock.

 

Going for a warranty replacement or taking the opportunity to upgrade?

 

I have no warranty, Lewisville Mitsu denied my car due to my mods long ago. I am too lazy to remove all of my bolt-ons, not to mention I don't have any OEM parts to put on in the first place to satisfy their stupid warranty. Besides with the Master Technicians putting brake pads in backwards, I will stay with KevinD.

I would like to upgrade the CMC but it seems the only really upgrade out there is the Evo 8/9 CMC and I cannot afford that right now. I am going out on a limb already doing the clutch at the same time. I am getting the ACT 6-puck, resurfaced OEM flywheel, Torque Solutions motor mounts, and another OEM CMC with the AMS ring. I know, so many say it doesn't work, I read several posts today saying such, even AMS stating it "not guaranteed to prevent the unit from breaking all the way"

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/7456018-post4.html

Knowing that, I will do it anyhow based on KevinD and Richard's feedback that they haven't had one fail after doing this. Also, in my research, I found that Mitsu had a recall on the stock CMC, seeing as how my car was one of the first '08's I am somewhat convincing myself I had a bad one. I have never been happy with my clutch feel, even after you and I removed the restrictor. Some days it felt just soft and some days firm. Almost to the point I am curious if the cold notchiness I have still was maybe due to it. I won't know until it is put back together...

That being said, if you can think of anything else that should be done while they are in there, let me know. In the end, I know KevinD knows what he is doing, I cannot say the same for the guy at the dealership.