goodcase Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 My bro's saturn has been having a problem. He is having problems shifting gears. He drove me home after school today and we turned a corner and he couldnt get it into 1st gear. He reved, put it in neutral and let the clutch up. The only way he could get it in is if he put the clutch in and forced it into gear. I have some knowledge of cars. So I got when we got home started to do my thing. I pushed the cluch and and to my suprise it was very easy. I didnt have to use muscles to push it in. I could let my leg go limp and it would go in. So im thinking that this is all caused by a loose clutch/clutch pedal. Is there any way that we would fix this at home? Or is it an expensive mechanics job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalledChaos Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 well my clutch seems to be the same way, it wont let me go into 1st gear unless im pretty much at a dead stop.. other wise i stay in second gear.. so i unno what to tell you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrench Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 If it has hydraulic clutch linkage, it may be low on fluid. If so, it has a leak and will need to be repaired. It could also be a bad pressure plate. You should get it checked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mthibadeau Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Chances are very high he's just low on fluid. Easy fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodcase Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 My bro and I checked the fluid. and the resivoir was pretty full. We got it towed to the mechanics. He can look at it on monday the 23rd. So we will know then. Im willing to be its the clutch cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹ Posted January 23, 2006 Subscriber¹ Share Posted January 23, 2006 well i had my clutch changed in summer. but it is hard for me to get into first gear too. it was very easy after the fix, but only after a couple of week it got worse. now is winter so at start its very hard to get into first (i go into third then first, or second third, this seems to move gears and makes it easy to get in) but even after some driving, it is still hard to get into first. is that not normal and should i check it out? all the other gears are fine and the pedal seems firm enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freakz Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 its probably just a loose clutch cable... get the car manual out and find where to tighten it... you shouldnt be driving in first anyway... its pretty much only for standing starts. also, turn the car off and try put it in first without the clutch.. if that is easier then you know its your clutch thats the problem otherwise it could be your gearbox.. first is probably gated, the gate might just need some lube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj6ross Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I have experience in driving manual transmissions on three completely different cars almost weekly. First is a 1989 Saab 9000 Turbo- Shifts into all gears perfectly, except Reverse. At a dead stop you have to pretty much push as far right as the stick goes then wiggle it down to Reverse. Otherwise everything else is great. Second is a 1993 Dodge pickup (V6)- Only shifts easily into first at realitively low speeds. Like below 10 mph. All other gears fine, and my dad told that I should only use first gear in this truck at Stop signs/Stop lights etc... (New clutch with only about 7,000 miles on it ;)) Third is a 2004 Mazda 3 - This thing shifts perfectly into every gear at anytime. Although I tend to stay away from shifting to first while going over 10 mph just because the thing coasts and drives/takes off fine from 2nd gear with a 10mph head start. All the cars are 5spd transmissions also. And the differences would be the Saab is just old technology compared to either of the other two cars. The Dodge being a 3 ton pickup has a different type of clutch and the Mazda totally has some sort of sporty clutch in it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 My camaro had the same problem. I had to slam it into all 5 gears and later down the road, my clutch exploded. lol. Might wanna go get that fixed before you have to buy a whole new clutch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodcase Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 you shouldnt be driving in first anyway... its pretty much only for standing starts. It was a corner, we stopped because it was a stop sign, then proceeded to go, and it wouldnt go in. Got it fixed, it was the clutch control assemby? It cost around 600 labour and taxes in. But it drives fine now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ0943 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 its either clutch master cylinder, clutch slave cyliner or sychronizers in the transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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