I'm having an intermittent problem with 1st and 2nd being difficult to engage fully into gear, and I'm hoping someone can lead me in the right direction to a fix. The car is a bone stock 2001 Z06 with around 40,000 miles.

It only happens when the vette is at a complete stop and I try to put it into 1st gear and it will not engage. I've gotten pretty good at knowing when it hasn't engaged because initially I wouldn't realize it was fully in 1st gear and it would pop out. The only way to get it into first when this is happening is to put it into a different gear first (say 2nd), let out the clutch slightly and then try to put it back into 1st and it will usually go.

I used to be able to just put it into 2nd gear, however now 2nd gear is experiencing the same problem as 1st! I think this is because I had taken to starting in 2nd gear since 1st was giving me so much trouble. Now I have to put it in one of the other gears briefly to get 1st or 2nd to engage fully.

My initial guess is there is a problem with the synchros for 1st and 2nd. Car is still under extended warranty and it's at the dealer ship now. However they just called back and are trying to tell me this is a problem with my clutch!!! Which conveniently is not covered under warranty of course. I fail to understand how the clutch would be responsible for 1st and 2nd not engaging, but yet not cause problems with engaging any other gears.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

My 99 does about the same thing. I put it in 1st and if it is not all the way in it pops out with a thud. If I start to let the clutch out and push it more into first it engages and works fine. Did you ever find out any answers? thanks, Paul

 

Hey me too!! 98 with 45k miles. Only does it in first and from a stop. Seems kinda funky going in to gear, but will pop out and sounds like its my first day with a stick.

Anybody tell us what's wrong???