Can't get into any gear from a stop once car is warmed up
 

So I've been having problems for a little while now. It was always a bit notchy getting into gear even before modifications but it wasn't bad enough to warrant putting anything off. After replacing the clutch, I'd say in the range of 3k miles, I started having trouble getting into gear if the car came to a complete stop. This applied to all gears not just first gear. The only way for me to get into gear was to slide into first as I rolled into the stop and just keep the clutch down until traffic started moving again. If I didn't do that I'd have to slam it into either first or third which then allowed me to get into first no problem. That got old after awhile and because the problem was getting into all gears and not just first (figured it would be a syncro) I decided to replace the clutch. This fixed the problem again for about 2000 miles. Now it's back and I can't figure out what's wrong.

-Car goes into any gear fine when cold. Usually takes about 5-10 minutes of driving after warming up the car for the gears to get sticky. When the car is cold everything is very smooth.
-After the car is warm I can't get into any gear at all. If I do get locked out I can usually slam it into third which then allows me to easily get into first.
-This also applies to reverse.
-Changing the clutch fixes the problem for a couple thousand miles and then the problem returns. I also changed out to a slightly heavier flywheel the second time around.

put stock clutch back in
take it to the dealership

What fluids are you running in the tranny? What have you put in there to try and fix this?

It would be quite difficult to get back to stock considering all the work done

I'm not entirely sure but I do know I've had the differential fluid changed twice now. It made the shifting a lot smoother in all gears but never seemed to have any affect when it came to getting into gear from stock. Evasive Motorsports has done the fluid changes a couple times and they don't seem to understand what is wrong either.

Fluids have a pretty large impact on shift feel and smoothness, I'd probably call your shop and ask what fluids they've been using on the tranny flushes. There might be other fluid options that will give you a much better experience.

I believe the transmission fluid was Motul Gear 300 75w90. I've flushed it twice now.

ok. Then definitely your next choice is to find a good local dealership that doesn't flip too much crap about mods, and take it in.

I don't see that happening. I'm going to have to pay for this to be fixed myself
http://www.import-addicts.com/home/w...013/08/241.jpg

bleed the clutch hydraulic system and then adjust the clutch master to get the correct throw when hot. You can't engage gears as the clutch plate is dragging.

it sounds like the modifications are what is causing you problems.

i would bring it to stock levels (can probably leave your current clutch on there now) and see.

seconded.

I sent this over to Evasive to see if that could be the issue. Thank you.

Thirded.

I agree it's likely the clutch is dragging. A few things could cause this:

1- If the clutch pedal engagement is set too low, then there might not be enough pedal travel to fully separate the plates.
2- Air in the clutch hydraulic system (stated above).
3- faulty clutch (or somehow incorrect model installed).
4- faulty installation.

Definitely clutch related. Wheelhaus looks to be on the money with those suggestions.

What would have caused #1 and #2? Bad parts? Bad installation? Factory set issues?

Yes yes and yes. Although they're all pretty rare.

A lot of users feel the clutch engages too high in the pedal stroke and want it lower, closer to the floor. It's an easy pushrod adjustment behind the pedal. It's possible the locking nut wasn't tight enough and it moved, but its unlikely this would happen from the factory. I think the shaft might need to be disconnected from the clutch pedal arm to adjust it, but I'm not 100% on that..

Air may have been pulled into the line during install if the slave cylinder was over extended, leaked, or if there was not quite enough fluid was in the reservoir.

Clutches aren't terribly complicated, but do need to be precise. A good friend of mine purchased a Spec clutch for his A4 (back in '04 or '05) and it was installed by a reputable shop with lots of experience with Audis. After a few weeks it began slipping badly. He paid to have the clutch removed again, and it turns out the pressure plate was machined nearly 1/4" too shallow. The unit was brand new, but because this massive defect somehow slipped past QA, it couldn't produce enough clamping force. The factory admitted 100% fault and wanted to provide a new unit, but refused to reimburse the replacement labor.

^this

had similar symptoms on my 95M3. My other thought is the pressure plate.. if the fingers are weak it will cause the clutch to drag, heat *may* affect how much the fingers flex when the clutch is depressed.

OP, if you are sitting on flat ground in neutral foot on clutch, foot OFF the brake, if you try to put it into 1st, does it roll forward a little? If so, the clutch is dragging for sure.

It does roll forward! If I'm locked out trying to get into gear the car slowly lurches forward.

This will be the third time I'm taking it to Evasive just for the clutch replacement. They've already had ACT cover the first replacement under warranty but I'm still paying for labor. To what extent is the clutch dragging ACT's fault, Evasive's fault for poor installation, or just unfortunate problems that come with cars and I should expect to foot the bill a third time? I don't mind paying for the work to get my car working but I would be interested to know why I have to deal with this again.

Sounds like it's more an issue with the clutch master cylinder or the clutch slave cylinder, or air in the lines/needing bleeding.

If the hydraulics aren't disengaging the clutch enough, it will do exactly what your car is doing.

The fact that it gets worse when the car warms up is probably due to the extra drag from the cold fluid keeping the innards from spinning, allowing you to put it into gear, but once warmed up, the fragging clutch is spinning the innards which keeps you from getting it into gear when hot.

Once, I had a car that did this, and it was the floor mat which had bunched up under the pedal and didn't allow the pedal to be fully depressed.

I can confirm it is not the floor mat

Make sure the pressure plate was replaced along with the clutch disk. I like ACT but if two of the same units develop the same problem, it's time to ask them for a full refund and some help paying for the labor... Dirk is a reasonable enough guy but you may have to prove it's a problem with the hardware by going to a different brand.

Hydraulics could for sure be the problem though. Clutch hose could be expanding under pressure, air in the line, defective master or slave cylinder etc etc.

Have you tried pumping the clutch a couple times before going into gear? If that helps I would be looking at hydraulics.

Pumping the clutch hasn't seemed to make any difference

Hey guys, I was reading the following because it related to a rsx stage 2 clutch installation I had previously installed. I had the same issue with my rsx after a few months of driving it with the stage two competition clutch kit. I installed the flywheel, clutch disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing. So the issue was that a couple of moths later I felt a sudden partially clutch disengagement while fully pressing the clutch pedal. The gears were locked and if I tried to put it into a gear it would not go into the gear but would move the car forward while trying to push into 1rst. This indicates that the clutch is partially engaged or disengaged but not enough to grind the gears. The problem for me was the hydraulic system. First I bled the system and it solved the problem. A ewe weeks after the clutch master cylinder went out because of pedal adjustment issues. Finally I found out that the master cylinder will go out if the cylinder exceeds a certain pressure. I got the pedal adjusted after I replaced the clutch master cylinder.

I had warranties the clutch system and had installed the part twice so I knew that I couldn't have been the hardware. Adjustments are crucial. The pedal travel corresponding to disengagement of clutch or else you'll stress the clutch master cylinder. Haven't had a problem since last year august after that.


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Thank you. I'm switching over to a Exedy Stage 2 clutch now. Hopefully they'll check all the adjustments, travel distance, and master cylinder.

That's a shame. Which ACT setup did you have? Model # would be great.

ACT SB7-HDSS Clutch Kit

Evasive Motorsports refunded my clutch and put the credit towards an Exedy stage 2, bled the master cylinder and did the install all for free. It doesn't get much better than that. Hopefully it's fixed.

Not that it's the same issue.

But I made the mistake of doing the clutch pedal adjustment while the car was warm (late fall).

It was absolutely fantastic the pedal felt amazing.

Till later on that night and a cold start after the car had been off long enough to fully get cold, a couple hours from home.

Could barely get it into any gears, just barely got going and moving on the highway.

The next morning the amazing pedal feel was adjusted out.

WOW kudos to Evasive. You need to buy those guys lunch or a couple 12-packs for the whole crew! :popcorn: :cheers:

I hope people are reading this.

Nice to see that companies paid for your mistake in clutch adjustment.

Did the OP ever actually say he had adjusted the pedal?

I thought he posted he had in the ACT/Exedy thread, but I looked and he didn't. The fact that the issue only happened when warm and with multiple clutches leads me to believe this was his issue all along.

Yes Evasive said they had adjusted it but I don't know for sure.