Difficulty shifting into ALL gears

To start with, I have 65k miles on my 05 (MT obviously).

Gear oil level is fine.

Transmission was never abused - I always shift properly, rev match, etc.

This problem popped up fairly suddenly. That is to say, I went from not noticing a problem to having the below issues within about 2 weeks.

 

The car is difficult to shift into first and reverse, and when I do have those gears engaged, it feels like the clutch is partially engaged, even with the pedal fully depressed.

 

Upshifting is also difficult. I feel almost as though I'm driving a diesel truck, having to wait for the gear to "drop," blipping the throttle to rev match, then releasing the clutch pedal. Downshifting is practically impossible, but when it's necessary it can be done, but it takes a while, using light pressure on the shifter and holding the revs at an appropriate level to the speed of the vehicle (I'm not talking about just a blip!).

 

My research has led me to the following conclusions.

Sudden difficulty shifting into ALL gears makes me think it's not syncros.

Clutch was replaced with a SPEC clutch at ~55k miles, so I doubt that's the problem.

At this point I'm guessing the culprit is air in the hydraulics or a failing clutch cylinder.

 

Please agree/disagree/otherwise post anything you have to add.

 

Thank you in advance for your help!!

Do not have to rev match unless your on the track that what the break peddle is for.

I would take a look at the slave cylinder and clutch master cylinder.

 

If you are lucky, it is just low fluid.

My fluid level is fine - I've checked that already... At present I'm planning on bleeding the system to see if that helps. While I've got the IC off, I'll also check on piston movement and travel. Thanks for your help!

 

I don't have a break pedal, nor do I sell them

Bent clutch fork maybe so the clutch wont fully disengage.

any update

I am curious to see how this works out for you.

 

My tranny is having issue also.

i had a similar issue, but will probably be of ZERO help.

 

the little fork thing had come loose from around the shifter. it was a scary few days where id get stuck in 1st, pop out of 2nd, and generally not enjoy driving.

 

tightened that bolt and am much happier

Also, have you owned this since new? Is it possible that the tranny fluid has friction modifiers in it and they're what's causing the hard gear changes. That would be the first thing that I'd change out, especially if it wasn't done at the 30K and 60K maintenance intervals.

 

And it sounds like your pressure plate is taking a crap too so you may want to investigate that.

SBT

Thanks for the suggestions folks! I really don't have much of an update, other than to say that I've just gotten used to driving it this way.

 

I really do need to get to it and do something about this though, so I think the first step will be a gear oil change, then if that doesn't fix it a slave cylinder bleed/replacement.

Thanks for the suggestions folks! I really don't have much of an update, other than to say that I've just gotten used to driving it this way.

 

I really do need to get to it and do something about this though, so I think the first step will be a gear oil change, then if that doesn't fix it a slave cylinder bleed/replacement.

 

1) Change the oil

2) Change the shifter linkage bushings

 

And it sounds like it's still under factory warranty so that's all I would do (if that) before taking it to the dealership for warranty work.

SBT

broken spring in pressure plate?

all you need to do is raise your clutch pedal travel inside the driver's foot well. aftermarket flywheels are thinner than the stock dual mass, and therefore the shift fork needs to travel further to engage/disengage the pressure plate.

 

try it and report back.

+1 for pressure plate. Sometimes it was impossible to shift up from 5 to 4 at high speeds. After taking the 5spd apart (while installing the 6spd STi ), it turned out, that my pressure plate had more cracks. 05 USDM.

 

Have only 35k miles...so with 65K miles I would check that pressure plate for sure.

bump for an update

Another bump for update.

 

Interested in any other suggestions.

We have the same car,same problem,stubborn as heck to engage in all gears,slooow shifts:confused:

It's funny to see a reply to this today! Of course I'm sorry to hear that you're experience the same problem, 0to300. It's funny because I was just about to FINALLY post an update myself!

 

I just replaced the slave cylinder yesterday, working on the theory that the clutch wasn't completely disengaging. That being said, I've had no improvement. I really don't expect that the master cylinder is the culprit either, so now I'm left looking at my clutch.

 

At first, the clutch didn't chatter - for about 6 months after installation. After the chatter started, I had about 6 good months (guessing, maybe less) of trouble free operation. Then it suddenly got rapidly worse.

 

My question to "y'all" thus becomes if there could be something wrong with the clutch itself. I just CANNOT believe that ALL synchros would go bad at once!

 

Another little tidbit I didn't previously mention: When I'm in neutral, clutch pedal to the floor, and apply force on the gear lever toward first gear, before I'm even in first, the car will move forward when on a flat surface.

sounds like your clutch, it's basically not fully disengaging the clutch... check pressure plate as well and anything else that has to do with the clutch?

UPDATE - PROBLEM MOSTLY SOLVED

 

Keefe,

 

Thanks for that suggestion. I had previously thrown out the idea of adjusting the clutch, having read in countless places that it was "self-adjusting." After your post, I thought through it logically, and realized that you must be correct - the clutch isn't fully disengaging. That being the case, I thought that there must be a way to back it out more, some kind of adjustment. Indeed there is. I did some searching, and found some information regarding the rod that goes through the firewall to the master cylinder and its adjustment. People said to do it gradually, but I seemed to need a lot of adjustment, and I'm still not QUITE dialed in. I've pulled that rod out about 2.75 turns. The car shifts MUCH better, but like I said, it's still not perfect.

 

As to what would cause the clutch to "un-wear," I have only a wild guess. My thought is that the material of the clutch somehow expanded during the first few months of use.

 

BTW, I feel like a pretty big idiot for driving around a car with a jacked up transmission only to fix it with a few turns of a rod...

 

Best of luck to all of you still with issues!

so is this an adjustment that can be made to the stock clutch? I have noticed some similar signs with difficulty going into 1st at times, and a strange idle symptom sometimes with the clutch peddle fully to the floor.

 

Changing to Extra-S helped quite a bit with difficulty going into gear, and overall smoothness.

The adjustment is actually made "to the clutch pedal." I put this in quotes, because there's actually a rod that comes over FROM the clutch pedal to move the rod that goes through the firewall (the one you turn to make the adjustment). In other words, it doesn't really matter what clutch you have in the car.

 

There is a good diagram that can be found in this thread - you'll see what I'm talking about:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71531&highlight=clutch+travel+adjustment&page=2

 

Now to address your problem specifically, mattg, from what I've read it sounds like you might have to make the opposite adjustment that I've made. You'll want to screw that rod INTO the bracket. Is there a vibration when the clutch pedal is all the way to the floor? Does the car shift better if you don't depress the pedal all the way? From what I understand, either of these problems would support my theory. All that being said, I'd advise you to double check my math and read up on it yourself.

i am having similar problems as upsguy did, my car would go into any gear at all, i bleed the clutch revisor, bleed the slave cylinder, changed trans fluid. helped alot but still feel some resistance downshifting like he did, this is my last option before bringing it to subaru i am looking at the rod to adjust it but dont really no how to do this

It does indeed sound like you're having a similar problem. From reading your description, though, one difference seems to be that I was encountering grinding when trying to downshift, but it sounds like you're just encountering resistance. In any case...

 

The worst part of trying to adjust this rod is getting into the right position to find and adjust it. Something that might throw you off is that there's a shaft that runs from the top of the clutch pedal over to above the gas pedal. That's where you'll find this rod that needs to be adjusted. I'm pretty sure I once found a thread with pictures... I'll post again if I can find it.

 

Now then, once you've located it, there's a nut holding the rod in position that I want to say is either a 10 or 12mm. Loosen that nut, and then you'll be able to rotate this rod. The first few turns you should be able to do with your fingers alone. I would recommend doing only .5 to 1 revolution at a time so that you don't over-adjust. If after the finger adjustment you still need to go further, I'd suggest vice-grips. Once you've got it to where you need, be sure to re-tighten that nut to hold the shaft in place. I think it took me about 3 turns to get to where I needed to be. It sounds like your problem may be less severe, so again, go slowly.

 

Let us know how it goes!

I thought I had seen this somewhere. As promised, have a look here:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1896500&postcount=20