1st and 2nd gear hard to get into when hot.

Anybody have this issue?

3rd-5th is fine. This was not the case before the swap.

I'm using a spec clutch shimmed, xschop's shifter and adjusted it as per Clark's garage. I even tweeked for hours to see if it would help, but no luck.

I'm using fresh swepco fluid as well.

Thoughts? I'd hate to think its a bad first and second....

Aix, if your front shifter lever barrel is worn/football shaped it will cause this problem in 1,2 and 5,R

Once you've checked/repaired, make sure the trans lever on the trans will go into 1,2 by the lever it self to rule out any linkage problems.

xschop wrote:Aix, if your front shifter lever barrel is worn/football shaped it will cause this problem in 1,2 and 5,R

Once you've checked/repaired, make sure the trans lever on the trans will go into 1,2 by the lever it self to rule out any linkage problems.

Are talking about this:




Thanks for your input.

Yes, the stud inside the longrod....

One way to fix, with cap head screw and thrust washers. There are other ways too.

I had the same problem. I changed from Swepco to Redline 75W90NS and added half an ounce of friction modifier for the LSD. The fluid switch made a big difference. I have no idea what it shifted like prior to the conversion.

Actuallly, if that's a pic of your shifter, it looks like yours has already been done...

aixgelo78 wrote:

Are talking about this:




Thanks for your input.

Please describe the difficulty in obtaining 1st and second.

I have a problem in that I have to tug hard to shift from one to two, I have a short shifter kit.
Nylon bush for ball is new. Geometry is correct as per manual. Using Swepco oil.

I'm using an Xschop transmission mount, could the shift rod be binding/touching?
What size bolt is used to make this repair?

Thank you for all the replies.

***not my picture, I stole that online***

Granted it was about 2 years ago since I last drove the car, I do not recall having this problem shifting. It's something that is pretty hard to miss when buying a car.

Rob, I will check the shifter tomorrow... thanks again for your input and I will chime in and let you know.

The problems are as follows:


>from neutral to first, when hot, you have to almost place pressure on it, wait half a second then shove it into first. This sucks in stop and go traffic
>shift from first to second is not smooth, but requires force
>to shift into reverse, you will have to go into first gear first then into second
>I followed the clark's garage write up, but found the shifting to be more difficult. The smoothest shifts are when the shifter leans towards the driver's side slightly. This is how I am going to leave it for now.


I talk to my friend who is a trans mechanic.
He said there is a possible issue with the fluid. When cold its smoother, when how, the fluid changes and makes it more difficult.

He also mentioned that the grinding into reverse is the clutch not fully disengaging. He advised me to adjust the clutch rod some more, but Im concerned that Ill be pushing the slave cylinder in slightly.

I am concerned that all this is caused by SPEC and their shim. This has been the only major change. xschop's short shifter and trans mount was installed later and the problem stayed the same.

When I had a shifting problem I went to home depot and rented a video inspection camera and stuck it in the bellhousing to see what was going on. It might give you an idea on how far your throwout bearing is to your pressure plate fingers. My problem was the adapter plate bolts came loose and threw the shaft out of alignment causing it to bind on the pilot bearing.

Ok, no issues with the shifter....

Do you mean the issue has resolved ? If not, what brand slave do you have? At the same time my fluid was switched to Redline the slave was swapped from an unknown generic purchased from Greg Sloan to a GM factory C5 slave. Something made a difference because it got rid of the difficulty shifting into first and second gear.

Arthropraxis wrote:Do you mean the issue has resolved ? If not, what brand slave do you have? At the same time my fluid was switched to Redline the slave was swapped from an unknown generic purchased from Greg Sloan to a GM factory C5 slave. Something made a difference because it got rid of the difficulty shifting into first and second gear.

The problem is still there....Unfortunately I got the slave from Sloan.... so that may be part of my problem. I will try redline fluid as well, but swapping slave cylinders is not on my short list.

Appreciate your input.

I have a sloan slave also, my 1st and 2nd are stiff to engage. Clutch pedal feel is not smooth, kind of sticky. This is spoiling this really nice car.
Do not relish the work to change the slave, any quick fixes/good ideas? Pull engine or pull transmission and TT?
Guess I could do the fifth gear swap again, use the correct gear this time.

Once the transaxle is removed you can rotate the TT 180 degrees to clear the dog ears then slide it back. That allow enough room to do what you need. When you compare the two slaves the difference is obvious.

fliermike45 wrote:I have a sloan slave also, my 1st and 2nd are stiff to engage. Clutch pedal feel is not smooth, kind of sticky. This is spoiling this really nice car.
Do not relish the work to change the slave, any quick fixes/good ideas? Pull engine or pull transmission and TT?
Guess I could do the fifth gear swap again, use the correct gear this time.

Lube the clutch rod.... My clutch pedal was sticky as well once hot, to a point of it getting stuck. I placed molly grease inside the rubber boot of the clutch rod to master cylinder and it made a world of difference. I found that Sloan's reinforcement plate was causing the misalignment of the clutch master cylinder.

On the 1-2 shift. Ill def try the fluid first. I don't have the energy to pull the trans. I got it to a point that it is smother, by playing with the adjustment on the trans.

It does make a "nice car" a little sour to drive.

What are you guys using to replace the missing foam on the shifter. Im getting a lot of heat through there?

I got new foam. It can easily be installed from inside the car with the shifter removed.

aixgelo78 wrote:

What are you guys using to replace the missing foam on the shifter. Im getting a lot of heat through there?

Foam peanut sponge with a slit in the center shoved into the hole. Cheap and effective.

Awesome, got one of those in the garage now from tile work. Lol, so simple, but yet so ingenious.

944-LT1 wrote:Foam peanut sponge

Hah! Nice! You sure that's not a fire hazard?

Rich

Rich L. wrote:

944-LT1 wrote:Foam peanut sponge

Hah! Nice! You sure that's not a fire hazard?

Rich

Hope not! Its been there for the last 8 years though.

Tranny fluid won't fix the problem. I have run both redline and swepco (currently) with the latter being only slightly better when hot. Not sure why anyone would use tranny fluid with lsd modifiers as they just make the clutches slip more. At least that is what I have read.

Good luck.

Marc

marc a wrote:Tranny fluid won't fix the problem. I have run both redline and swepco (currently) with the latter being only slightly better when hot. Not sure why anyone would use tranny fluid with lsd modifiers as they just make the clutches slip more. At least that is what I have read.

Good luck.

Marc

Because it chattered without it.

Arthropraxis wrote:

marc a wrote:Tranny fluid won't fix the problem. I have run both redline and swepco (currently) with the latter being only slightly better when hot. Not sure why anyone would use tranny fluid with lsd modifiers as they just make the clutches slip more. At least that is what I have read.

Good luck.

Marc

Because it chattered without it.

Right. No offense intended. Street car??

None taken and yes it is a street car. I thought the plates would be worn but apparently not. They chattered like hell on take off from a stop and a 90 degree turn.