Manual Transaxle Hard To Shift Into Gear
- Verify/duplicate customer concern. If customer concern can be duplicated, proceed to step 2 .
- Perform the following input shaft spin down test.
- Set parking brake and place vehicle in neutral.
- Start engine and allow vehicle to idle.
- Gently move shifter toward reverse gate and continue to move shifter until a light grind/rattle can be heard.
- Once grind/rattle noise is observed, depress clutch pedal and note the time required for grind/rattle noise to stop. Normal spin down time (time required until grinding noise stops) is approximately 3 seconds.
- If noise stops (input shaft stops spinning) within approximately 3 seconds, the clutch disc/pressure plate and clutch hydraulic system are not the cause of the hard to shift into gear or grind into gear concern. Proceed to step 3 .
- If noise does not stop within 3 seconds, inspect clutch pedal travel and clutch fork travel as described below.
Clutch Pedal Travel Measurement: Measure clutch pedal travel according to the CLUTCH HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS in CLUTCH MANUAL AND HYDRAULIC . Pedal travel should be between 117-137 mm (4.6-5.4 in). If clutch pedal travel is not between 117-137 mm (4.6-5.4 in.), check for:
- Carpet or floor mat under pedal.
- Faulty bushing/damaged pedal.
Clutch Fork Travel Measurement: Measure clutch fork travel according to the CLUTCH HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS in CLUTCH MANUAL AND HYDRAULIC . If clutch fork travel is less than 10.80 mm (0.43 in.) check for the following: (the first four steps/bullets require master/slave cylinder replacement.)
- Fluid leak in the hydraulic system.
- Damage to the front dash.
- Air in system.
- Damaged master/slave cylinder.
- Master/slave cylinder improperly installed.
If pedal travel and fork travel are OK and clutch hydraulics are functioning properly, check for:
- Bent fork.
- Damaged pressure plate and/or clutch disc.
- Attempt to verify the hard to shift into gear concern with the engine Off.
- If concern is not observed with the engine Off, check for:
- Damaged blocker ring, blocker ring teeth rounded off
- Burnt blocker ring/blocker ring friction material debonded.
- Oversized blocker ring (can check with feeler gage for clearance between blocker and gear).
- Missing circular spring.
- Worn or damaged shift fork pad/bushing.
- Synchronizer sleeve tooth points damaged.
- If concern is observed with the engine off, check for:
- Shift cable retainer clip loose/missing.
- Damaged/kinked shift cable.
- Damaged shift tower components.
- Shifter assembly damaged/broken.
- If concern is not observed with the engine Off, check for: