1st Gear Difficult to Engage Options

[jkb944t]

Wow, what a wealth of information! Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

I already reinforced the clutch tube so I sure hope it is still good but I will check. Since reverse is very easily engaged I think that would rule out the clutch since it would affect both 1st and reverse.

To clarify, when I engage 1st it never grinds it just binds (like it is blocked) if I don't pull very hard to the left and pull down hard on the shifter. This most likely does point to a shifter adjustment although I thought I did it right.

Jeff B

One clue as to the cause either being the transmission or the clutch cable tube system would be, how far off the floor does the clutch pedal rise before the club starts to engage?

I believe that it engages fairly high like shown on Dr. Evil's very helpful trouble shooting info. I will certainly verify it this weekend.

Jeff B

[djway]

Wow, what a wealth of information! Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

I already reinforced the clutch tube so I sure hope it is still good but I will check. Since reverse is very easily engaged I think that would rule out the clutch since it would affect both 1st and reverse.

To clarify, when I engage 1st it never grinds it just binds (like it is blocked) if I don't pull very hard to the left and pull down hard on the shifter. This most likely does point to a shifter adjustment although I thought I did it right.

Jeff B

One clue as to the cause either being the transmission or the clutch cable tube system would be, how far off the floor does the clutch pedal rise before the club starts to engage?

If that is the case then next recheck your linkage and adjustment if that’s not it…

I believe that it engages fairly high like shown on Dr. Evil's very helpful trouble shooting info. I will certainly verify it this weekend.

Jeff B

[jkb944t]

I didn’t have too much time this weekend to work on the 914 but I did readjust the shifter linkage. I think it made a slight improvement for engaging 1st gear but it still blocks me out sometimes. I am beginning to think that this just may be a normal issue occasionally with the 901 transmission as Dr. Evil and Dr.914 mentioned. It always seems to go into 1st without any issue if I am downshifting into 1st while the car is rolling.

Adjusting the shift lever just slightly did make a huge difference in the feel from 1st to 2nd gear. Previously it was very easy to nick the reverse gear if you weren’t careful. Now it feels so much better and more positive going into 2nd gear.

I checked my clutch and it was engaging a little on the low side, so I made an adjustment to improve it somewhat. I think the clutch cable is fairly new but I don’t have any more adjustment available now. I observed no movement of the clutch tube at the firewall or down in the center tunnel. Since it has not ever had any issue with grinding the gears I think the clutch is working correctly.

I’ll have to get some more seat time before I can confirm the results of the weekends adjustments but it does appear that it is significantly improved.

Jeff B