Shifting/Clutch Problem????

[domingo79]

Ok, here it goes...My Protege5 has about 65,000 miles on it and I just had synthetic oil put in it. Today, I was waiting for a parking space and had the clutch all the way down with the stick in nuetral. When the space became available I tried to put the car in 1st and it would not budge. I have not had any problems with it since I bought it in December of 07, this is first time I have had any problems with the car. Anyway, the only way I could get into 1st is by turning the car off, putting in 1st, and then turning the car back on. And then, with clutch all the way down, the car would move forward a little (as if I was letting off the clutch just a little and giving it just a little gas)? It shouldn't move at all because the clutch is all the way down and I was not giving any gas. I was able to get the car into the space but it just didn't sound good while doing so. It didn't sound like the gear was grinding, more like a "squishy" rattling? Sorry, can't describe it any other way! Upon parking, I tried to shift gears with the car on again and the shifter just would not go into gear. I tried again and finally it would go into 2nd or third initially and then it would go into first, but it was still very weird sounding. Finally I decided to drive it home, hoping it wouldn't totally crap out on me. It sound very weird but I reversed and put in 1st (still sounds weird) and then moved forward until I came to a stop sign where the car shook a little and stalled. I then started the car again (already in first) and proceeded forward again with a little more squishy rattling, but then after about 20 feet, it shifted and ran fine? I drove it about 5 miles to the house with no shifting problems. When I got to the house, pulled in the drivway, and put it in nuetral, I did notice a minor rattling noise which seemed to come from under the engine somewhere that defintely was not there before the incident in the parking lot, but no more problems putting it into gear or weird noise. Any ideas of what could have happened or is happening?????

[Action Jackson]

Paragraphs please!!!!

You might have to shift it into 2nd then back into first sometimes. This problem usually happens with the reverse gear.

Just use 2nd gear to start. There's plenty of torque.

[yangsui]

Sounds like the clutch is not completely disengaging when you push in the clutch pedal. Ie. the engine still turns the transmission even when you push in the clutch pedal. Shifting into first is hard because you're trying to mesh a shaft rotating under power to a stationary shaft.

I say check your clutch fluid level. I believe the clutch fluid is just the same as the brake fluid and they share the same reservoir. Top it up if it's low and see if the problem goes away.

Beyond that, it's likely a more serious problem with worn/bad clutch spring or throwout bearing. Take it into a shop.

This is a long shot but the best case scenario is jut that your floor mat bunched up in the foot well and is preventing you from pushing the clutch pedal down all the way.

Good luck!

[maxchao]

Yes the clutch and brake share the same reservoir for P5.
Can it also be air get into the clutch line? I guess the easiest to do now is just bleed the clutch line, and watch out for any leaks. Otherwise, yea take it to a shop.

Josh

[gsmooth]

I was going to post this exact same problem. It happens every so often.
I also noticed that when the car has been running a while that its tougher to put into gear. Is this because the fluid gets too thin???

I recently had a caliper replaced and they had to bleed the brake lines. I haven't checked if the fluid level was topped up properly.

going to go do that now... =) hopefully thats all it is.

aside from that I'm not sure what it could be.