When I put my car into first gear it makes a horrible grinding noise. If I'm rolling to a stop i can sometimes make it go into first with out the noise. Does this mean I have a bad syncro? if so how much is that going to hurt my wallet. If i have to put it in first from a stop is it better to slam it in or ease it in? Is this damaging anything else? is it possible that the clutch petal use needs adjusting? HELP!

Sounds like a synchro to me (assuming the clutch is properly adjusted). I wouldn't slam it in, I would wait a few seconds after pushing the clutch in before putting it in gear.

Ask Dr Evil and read the 42 page free pdf under his name on tranny repair and adjustment. Pelican Parts has a photo tech on replacing the bushings.

Basics. Do Not shift into 1st unless at full stop. Replace the worn out bushings on the linkage and rear firewall. (the PO of my car used garden hose for a bushing ). Rotate the linkage rod at the shifter until it doesn't grind anymore. Or overhaul. Hopefully it's all in the bushings and adjustment

tighten the nut at the end of the clutch cable 5-6 turns, see if that helped. Is the pedal very sloppy or does it have the correct amount of slack?

I actually drove my car from York PA to Baltimore MD with no clutch pedal I am proud of that trip, and I did it with minimal grinding.


check the easy stuff first

I can help your wallet, but if the band is bad, the teeth and slider are likely bad as well. The link for my notes are below.

In my experience there are two techniques to get into first in both 901, 914 and 915 transaxles. BIG ASSUMPTION!

The clutch is adjusted correctly. Even a healthy transaxle will grind if the clutch isn't releasing the plate enough.

If you're at a stop, depress the clutch to the floor and begin to shift into second gear. That engages the synchros, then smoothly shift into first.

Downshifting into first (from second) when coming to a stop is easiest when done when you're almost stopped. Immediately before you come to a halt ease it into first... I'm talking about RIGHT before you stop. It's hard to describe but works.

This is one of the reasons I rebuild first gear to include synchro-blocks in both directions. If the dog teeth are the first-gear slider are gone on first gear it'll need to be replaced... that includes the first gear dog teeth too and can be expensive.

You are not to shift into 1st until stopped, that is the basic thing about this. But his symptoms are sounding worse than little things, my article will walk him through ruling them out.

Thanks Everybody! I'll process all this and report the results (more than likely after asking some more questions). I hope I'll be doing this and not this

Good news...sort of...I think. Read over and halfway digested all the information provided. Got in the car today, put it in reverse, pushed the clutch all the way in and started the car. The car pushed back and the engine stalled. I put the car in natural started it and when I tried to put the car in reverse it crunched and grinded. 3 days ago the car shifted without problems 2 days ago it crunched a couple of times but never when I consciously pushed the petal all the way to the floor hard. Yesterday the grinding into first was the rule and only once or twice the exception. I'm hoping that the clutch just needs adjusting and that I didn't do too much damage to the trans while driving it home yesterday.

I am still somewhat confused on how to adjust the clutch. If anyone can clarify I would be grateful. Thanks again to everyone for all the help so far! This website is priceless and someday I hope to be about to give something back, but for now I'm about as green as my car

JAck up the car, put it on jack stands.
Get under the passenger side rear and locate the clutch fork with the clutch cable attached and have 2 11mm (7/16) wrenches in hand.

Unlock the two lock nuts and tighten the inner one to remove all the slack.

The clutch pedal freeplay in my opinion is different on each car, but shoot for about an inch or less of free play at the top of the pedal.

When you are pushing the clutch in (or someone does it for you) and you see the clutch fork hitting the transmission case....you need to replace the clutch.

Rich

Which end? I think/hope this is the problem

only one end to adjust....at the transmission

and try double clutching ..going into first as well AT A STOP ..1st is a pretty much just get ya roll`n gear JMO and dont sit at a light with your clutch to the floor again JMO ,,,its old! be nice to it ......have fun

It also sounds like your clutch cable might be on its last legs. Cable stretching is normal at the beginning but not later on. Cable starts to wear around the pulley.
I have broken two so I can speak from experience unfortunately! Not fun driving home in one gear!

I replaced my cable last month plus had the tranny fluid replaced with good syn oil and it shifts much better. I used to have to shift into second before going down into first to avoid grinding. Not anymore!

Rich -- I think you can thread it in/out at the clevis by the pedal board -- when installing my new one I had to experiment to get this correct.

However yes, the main adjustment is the double nut @ the TO fork

Clutch adjustment instructions are in the 31pages of tranz notes link in my signature, too. Check your clutch tube, too.

If he needs to adjust it on the front....he has other issues.

Rich

Am I missing something here ?
If the guy is a novice use terms he will understand.
Is there more than one inch of movement before resistance when you press the clutch pedal ? If so the clutch needs adjustment. Or possibly more.
Adjust the clutch cable at the transmission end.
As stated, on a un-molested car using two 11mm wrenches loosen the jamb nut from the adjuster and tighten the adjuster toward the pulley.
Correct adjustment is about 3/4" of "play" at the top of the pedals travel.
Too much play is like not pushing the pedal to the floor. This could be your only problem. If you are lucky.
Not enough play is like keeping your foot pressed on the pedal. It can cause constant clutch slipping and premature wear.
The other possibilities are a dis-located clutch cable guide tube or worn syncros.
The guide tube can come loose in the tunnel a couple of ways. Rust or poor assembly/fatigue. Both are bad but not terminal.
After these things are adjusted/checked and you still have difficulty you probably need the services of the esteemed Dr Evil.
Shifter bushings are the other possibility. That is another story.
And that's all I've got to say about that

and If you replace the cable, get a new pully with bushing from Mikey 914 rubber.

Hate to hijack but I thought the use of synthetic was bad for our trans? Jawaja porsche? ?" good syn oil"
80-90w only?

In our case, "play" how much the pedal comes back upward when you pull on it. Remember, there is a spring that pulls the pedal down toward the floor. So any free play in the pedal will be upward.

--DD

I started reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance today, and by the time I got to page 21 I realized I was kind of a D-bag for not fixing the worn out? clutch cable in my 914. I gathered all the lubes and cleaners and the new clutch cable and my jack stands and jacks and some from my neighbor as well. I took the floor mats and carpet out of the drivers side and then realized that this allows for a little more clutch travel.

I tried to put it in reverse and it worked so I got out the ramps backed it onto them and blocked everything up. I got under the car and the clutch cable looked brand new. I know that it could be fraying else where but I decided to just tighten it up and see what would happen. Unblocked everything and drove off the ramps. Everything felt pretty good.

Time to go for a short test drive. WOW! It drove like a totally different car. I think that the clutch may have been poorly adjusted for the whole year that I've owned the car. Before I thought that the car was just a 40 year old car with a driver that was relatively new to the manual trans game. It shifts great now. I'm sure this might not come as a surprise to some of the more experienced 914 drivers but if your 914s clutch action just doesn't seem very great, you owe it to yourself and your car to make sure its adjusted right... its pretty easy and makes a big difference. With out a good base line for how these cars are suppose to feel, I think I tend to assume that if its working its working right. Not so in this case. Its very possible the this whole theory will fall apart tomorrow on the Sunday drive I'm looking forward to taking but right now I'm pretty happy about it. As always, Thanks to everyone for all the expertise. I can't believe I waited a month to take care if this

I continue to be amazed at how much difference spending a day on all the little things can make to the overall character of a car. My son just took a 59 bus that went from a crusher-ready pile to a surprisingly civilized old car, just correcting all those little things. A tune up, valves, stopping some oil leaks, adjusting the clutch, brakes, the door striker plates, some lube in the locks and hinges, dash bulbs, heater flaps and cables, linkages, etc, etc. Night and day, it turned it back into a well-oiled machine with heat. And I think at the end of the day that's one of the major pleasures of owning any old car, fixing all the little irritants so it's a pleasure to drive it again.

It's amazing how little things make a big difference. I really think it's helpful to have get togethers, so the newbies can have their cars looked at by the old timers. 2 minutes of driving by an old timer would have given a list of things to adjust, which make a car much more fun to drive.

This sounds good.

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Photo from my "Sunday Drive" today. A standard South Walton photo op.

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I love that color! Your teener looks awesome!

Terry

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[quote name='JawjaPorsche' date='Dec 4 2011, 07:20 PM' post='1583392']
I love that color! Your teener looks awesome!

Terry

Thanks Terry! Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Have you had any snow up that way yet?

OK... Looks like things aren't going to be as easy as I thought. Clutch cable is back out of adjustment and it doesn't look like the adjustment I made at the back has moved. Back on ramps with the jack stands under the dounuts and the front tires blocked off. Looks like I'm going to attempt a clutch cable replacement. Cross your fingers and stand by for question. At least now I know how nice it shifts when its right.

Take care of it and it will take care of you! Glad to hear it is working out for you!

Richard

I would suspect the clutch tube in the tunnel until proven otherwise.

Just made a closer inspection and... Bummer . You suspected right. While I'm glad my trans. seems to be OK, Fixing the Clutch tube looks like its going to be a pain is the ass! Oh well, I guess you have to take the good with the bad. It is my understanding that the clutch tube is attached in 3 places, near the front, in the center and at the fire wall. Well the fire wall connection has broken lose. Click to view attachment Any tips has anyone done a thread on this type of repair? I also noticed that it seemed like I had rubber fuel lines in the tunnel. I don't think thats correct? I'm going to have a beer...