When I was downshifting from 2nd gear into 1st gear, the gears would grind. About a week later, when I shifted from 1st gear into 2nd gear, more grinding. Then I experienced the same problem downshifting from 3rd gear into 2nd gear. This happened over a period of about a month.

Now I can only start out in 1st gear or 2nd gear. Sometimes the shifter “hangs” and then goes into 1st after several attempts. The only way I can get into 2nd gear is to start out in that gear. I can shift into 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th without problem and downshift into them as well.

The clutch fluid was black so I replaced it until it was clear. But nothing has changed. I can’t figure out what is wrong or what to do other than replacing the clutch may reveal the problem.

 

Try this procedure first thing --Shift Adjust

 

Sounds like the clutch slave cylinder is about to go to me. Or it needs bleeding very badly.

 

I'll certainly give this a try. Thanks!

 

If adjusting your shifter doesn't solve the problem try the following.

1. Car on level ground.
2. All brakes off.
3. Clutch pedal all the way in.
4. Transmission in first gear.
5. Rev the engine and hold at 4,000 RPM for about 10 seconds.

If the car tries to move, the clutch is not disengaging all the way.

If the car doesn't try to move, you probably have a problem with the 1-2 shift fork or synchronizer.

 

Thank you. I suspected as much as a result of my research, which is ongoing. The stock clutch master cylinder is not adjustable as well as the slave. However, I could have a bleeder installed but in that case, it seems I may as well replace the slave as well. Please correct me if I am in error with this line of thought.

 

clutch

 

That makes some sense to me as I suspect the clutch is not disengaging completely. That’s what it seems like to me, anyway. As far as the synchro’s go, I’ve never ground the gears before or forced the shift past the synchro’s when this problem began to occur. After a few gentle attempts, I began shifting from 1st gear directly to 3rd gear. I quit downshifting to 2nd or 1st altogether. Can the synchro’s just go out, for no apparent reason?

 

They usually wear slowly and would just be one or the other..not multiple ones simultaneously.

Still sounds like clutch to me. It's a fun one to change

 

any chance it's the 'skip shift' selenoid?

Has there been any work done on the tranny? Can you get to and check the 'skip shift' selenoid' to see if it has come loose?

Try unplugging it (will get a code) and see if it makes a difference. If it does, consider installing a 'skip shift' eliminator -- lot cheaper than a clutch..

...

 

Skip shift solenoid has nothing to do with his problem.

All it does is tries to stop you from going to 2nd..but it does it in a way that it would make no sense for the gears to grind if it wasn't working right.

 

makes sense to me. I would be surprised since I dont abuse my baby in any way other trhan occaisionally starting out in 3rd gear instead of 1st gear when I first got it.

 

Have you tried the shifter adjustment?

 

No. I dont quite understand how to do it. Can it be done from up top? There doesn't seem to be much room to work with it. I'll give it a try. Any suggestions?

 

Yes, it is done from the top side and really isn't that bad of a job. The center consoled has to come out and the rubber cover around the shifter needs to be raised up out of the way. There are how-toos wrote up in the forum for changing the hazard flasher that explain in detail on removing the center consoled if you have never done it before. You can do a search on hazard flasher to find it. If you have a problem with finding it let us know and one of us can find it for you.

 

I fought the same issues for months. I bled that thing until I was blue in the face. Mined you this was a "NEW" LS7 clutch package. Finally ponied up and had the clutch torn down again. The "NEW" slave cylinder was leaking fluid on to my disc and destroyed it. Changed the slave, disc, pressure plate and all is well.

 

Can you tell me what the symptoms were? Was it similar to mine (can’t downshift into 2nd gear or 1st gear, or even up shift from 1st gear to 2nd gear). Or was it something entirely different?

 

03 in 1st gear, clutch pedal fully depressed, no brakes on, 4,000 RPM, No movement at all. Probably not clutch or slave. Asfar as 1-2 shift fork or synchro, 1st clutch adjustment indicates otherwise, see below.

 

I tried to utilize a logical approach here but failed to fully understand how to actually make an adjustment. I think I may have understood the basic concept but not what I could actually accomplish.

I removed the closeout boot and put the transmission in neutral. I engaged the neutral lock pin on the shifter and loosened the shift rod clamp bolt & mounting screws. Then I checked the shifter locator.

To simply tighten everything up at that point seemed ineffectual unless there was magic involved. I expressed as much to my friend who told me he knew what to do. I thought, when did he know? He sure didn’t know when I explained what we were going to attempt. Not knowing what to do, I relinquished possession of the tools to the more knowledgeable?

Wrong choice. Now not only is there grinding going into 1st & 2nd but 3rd as well. If that’s not bad enough, it pops out of 1st gear, 2nd gear and 3rd gear whenever I’m not expecting it. After it pops out of gear it grinds gears at any attempt to put it back or into the next one up.

So now it can be, among others, a scenario such as, start in 1st gear, pops out of gear immediately, grinds going back into 1st gear, grinds going into 2nd gear, grinds going into 3rd gear but slides into 4th gear without grinding at 15 mph. Not only was I embarrassed, I swore a lot and cursed his entire blood line, I was worried that my transmission might not make it home in one piece.

My friend said he adjusted the shift to what he thought were the previous position because of some marks he saw. I’m taking it apart again to do myself but first I need to understand what I’m doing. Is there anywhere I can find out what adjustments effect what gears and how. For instance, do I move it forward or backward to adjust…?

Oh, in answer to your question Eric, yes, I did!