Parked car rolling while in gear!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
From: Bristow VA
Parked car rolling while in gear!
Hey guys, I just bought my 98 6spd last week. I noticed during the test drive the parking brake was not working. I've already searched for the fix to that problem.
The real problem is my car rolls backwards in any gear. I saw it is recommended to park in reverse. Still rolls. And when I say rolls I mean like I have the clutch pedal depressed.
I don't understand why the transmission is not holding. Is the engine compression bad? 85k miles. Is the clutch slipping?
I understand the importance of the parking brake and will always use it once I adjust it, but I've never seen a car roll like this before. Any ideas?
The real problem is my car rolls backwards in any gear. I saw it is recommended to park in reverse. Still rolls. And when I say rolls I mean like I have the clutch pedal depressed.
I don't understand why the transmission is not holding. Is the engine compression bad? 85k miles. Is the clutch slipping?
I understand the importance of the parking brake and will always use it once I adjust it, but I've never seen a car roll like this before. Any ideas?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Ya, that does sound really easy to move when in gear. You should do a compression check.
I just fixed mine. The parking brake is a small drum brake inside the rear rotors. I machined the drum and then adjusted the star wheel until I could just get the rotors on. Then, I pulled it a few times and adjusted them again. I probably turned each adjuster 4 or 5 full turns to get it right.
You pull the wheel and the 2 bolts holding the caliper assembly onto the upright (suspension) then pull the rotor off and you'll see the parking brake. It's a fairly simple system.
Some people say back up to adjust it but that seems useless to me because I didn't see anything in there that would self adjust.
Peter
I just fixed mine. The parking brake is a small drum brake inside the rear rotors. I machined the drum and then adjusted the star wheel until I could just get the rotors on. Then, I pulled it a few times and adjusted them again. I probably turned each adjuster 4 or 5 full turns to get it right.
You pull the wheel and the 2 bolts holding the caliper assembly onto the upright (suspension) then pull the rotor off and you'll see the parking brake. It's a fairly simple system.
Some people say back up to adjust it but that seems useless to me because I didn't see anything in there that would self adjust.
Peter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
I would think that if your compression was so bad that the motor would spin without any resistance, it wouldn't run at all. I'm guessing the car isn't going all the way into gear, or the clutch isn't engaging properly. Any shifting problems while driving?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
From: Bristow VA
The only shifting issue I have is 1st gear needs to really be pushed in sometimes. I thought that I didn't put it in gear too, and made double/triple sure. Then I tried every other gear.
Then I searched here and saw that reverse was the way to go. Nothing.
Then I searched here and saw that reverse was the way to go. Nothing.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
In first or reverse the engine has enough compression to hold the car even on a steep hill in San Francisco. As Numb points out, if you had so little compression the car could roll, or a slipping clutch that bad, the car would be TOTALLY undriveable.
Also, if the car ws in gear, you would hear the engine being turned over as the car rolls, the whole drivetrain would have to be rotating (or again a clutch bad enough to not rotate the engine ... you wouldn't be able to get the car away from a stop sign.
I don't know what you're doing wrong .... but try this .....
Come to a stop (engine running). Put car in 1st gear.
VERIFY it is in 1st by slowly letting up on the clutch WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD.
Continue to SLOWLY release the clutch pedal until you stall the engine, and remove your left foot from the clutch pedal. DO NOT DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN TURN KEY OFF.
Don't touch the clutch or the gear lever. Don't touch the parking brake.
Stay in the car so you can apply brake in an emergency, and get someone to try and push the car (or do this test on a slope).
I GUARANTEE the car will not roll.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 220
Likes: 8
From: A little place called Macungie PA
I don't have the fix your searching for but just so you don't think your crazy I've had that problem before when the engine is hot in the summer. My in-laws live in the mountains (fun roads and hills) when I take the vette to visit them it's nice and warm by the time I park in their driveway and until it cools down it wants to roll a little in their driveway. (also a hill) I adjusted the parking brake and that holds it but just in case I also put a rock under the tire until it cools. My father-in-law makes fun of me a little bit but it's better than my vette ending up in the woods.
I should however note that when the vette does roll in gear it's not like I left it out of gear but more like it inches forward a very little bit at a time, you have to watch the wheel spokes to see it move. I've had the compression and rings checked by the dealer ('01 ring problem, follow-up) and the compression is good plus I only use about half a quart of oil in 3000 miles so I don't really think my problem is an engine compression issue, I just live with it since I've had this issue since new and the car still runs great.
Sorry this is long winded just thought I'd share.
I should however note that when the vette does roll in gear it's not like I left it out of gear but more like it inches forward a very little bit at a time, you have to watch the wheel spokes to see it move. I've had the compression and rings checked by the dealer ('01 ring problem, follow-up) and the compression is good plus I only use about half a quart of oil in 3000 miles so I don't really think my problem is an engine compression issue, I just live with it since I've had this issue since new and the car still runs great.
Sorry this is long winded just thought I'd share.
Last edited by SKF engineer; Apr 8, 2008 at 01:22 PM.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
From: Bristow VA
I just finished driving the car. I drove all the way down my street in first and stopped without touching the shifter. Pulled my nonworking parking brake out of habit, turned the car off, released the clutch and WEEEEEEE down the hill I went.
It makes no sound like it goes out of gear, I try jiggling and wiggling and pushing and if it aint in gear it aint going to get there. Guess I'll get that parking brake fixed soon!
It makes no sound like it goes out of gear, I try jiggling and wiggling and pushing and if it aint in gear it aint going to get there. Guess I'll get that parking brake fixed soon!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 407
Likes: 2
From: Mesquite, Texas
This might sound 
, but is there any way that the differential can be slipping so severely that the car rolls like this? If the engine's not spinning, and the clutch isn't slipping, the only thing left in the drivetrain is the diff.
Anyone?
, but is there any way that the differential can be slipping so severely that the car rolls like this? If the engine's not spinning, and the clutch isn't slipping, the only thing left in the drivetrain is the diff. Anyone?
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
I just finished driving the car. I drove all the way down my street in first and stopped without touching the shifter. Pulled my nonworking parking brake out of habit, turned the car off, released the clutch and WEEEEEEE down the hill I went.
It makes no sound like it goes out of gear, I try jiggling and wiggling and pushing and if it aint in gear it aint going to get there. Guess I'll get that parking brake fixed soon!
It makes no sound like it goes out of gear, I try jiggling and wiggling and pushing and if it aint in gear it aint going to get there. Guess I'll get that parking brake fixed soon!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,561
Likes: 448
From: Atlanta metro Ga.
I love these folks with their "no way that is possible" comments..
My FRC will absolutely not stay put with just the trans in gear.. Yes, my motor is very strong, 415HP with minor mods.. It's all about physics - this isn’t your 4 cylinder - 2800lbs daily driver.
Just make sure the p-brake works, or you will incur damage sooner or later.
My FRC will absolutely not stay put with just the trans in gear.. Yes, my motor is very strong, 415HP with minor mods.. It's all about physics - this isn’t your 4 cylinder - 2800lbs daily driver.
Just make sure the p-brake works, or you will incur damage sooner or later.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
From: Bristow VA
Try the same test as above in 1st gear, but then after free rolling, stop, clutch in, and start the car back up (not touching the shifter). The try to drive off to verify that it actually stayed in gear (as opposed to silently slipping out of gear). Also, does it only roll backwards, or does it do it forwards as well? Not sure if that means much, but I'm curious.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 288
Likes: 2
From: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
wow thats so surprising.... for your next magic show, park facing down a hill with the car in 1st as the car rolls down the hill, gently click the key into the on position and as the car fires up lay a patch of rubber.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
From: Ridgefield CT
For what it's worth, my dailey driver is an 04 6 speed GTO. On a reasonably steep grade in 5th gear it will inch backward tooth by tooth.This will not happen if I leave it in reverse. I believe reverse is the largest and strongest gear and should hold the car. Owner's manuals always say to put the car in reverse when parking on a grade.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 1
From: West Grove Pa
I have a friend who had a 98 cpe 6-speed-same thing happened to him. Slight incline in a parking lot. Went shopping came out and it had almost rolled into another car. He sold that car about 3 years ago to another friend of mine and he has had no problems at all with compression or burning oil. I learned from that to always use the emergency brake on my 6speed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 982
Likes: 18
From: Seattle WA
I tried mine on a hill yesterday. I pulled up to a curb and shut the engine off with the car in 1st gear. I put the clutch in and the car started to roll. I let the clutch out and the car immediately came to a stop.
I really hope this thread stays alive long enough to learn what could possibly allow the car to roll while in gear.
I really hope this thread stays alive long enough to learn what could possibly allow the car to roll while in gear.