Transmission won't go into gear with the car on

[RadDsm]

I've done a lot of searching and tried everything I can find and think of.

When the car is off it goes into every gear just fine, but when the car is on it won't go into any gears.

It has a new ACT 2100 pressure plate with a Southbend kevlar disk and an Unorthodox 11lb fliywheel that was machined to the correct step height. It also has a new master cylinder and I've tried 2 different slave cylinders from NAPA. It's been bled thoroughly over and over and there aren't any air bubbles in the system.
The trans/bellhousing are all bolted on tight with no gaps, the shift fork is not bent, and the shift cables look fine.

Any other suggestions?
Are the NAPA slave cylinder rods maybe not the same length as OEM?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

EDIT: Thought I should add that the slave rod has been adjust even all the way out and it doesn't help.

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

Sounds like the clutch isn't disengaging to me. The slave cylinder canNOT be adjusted, only the master. As far as that flywheel being stepped correctly, what was the EXACT step height you told them to cut it to? It's gotta right around .609" for an ACT pressure plate, otherwise it will NEVER disengage properly. Ask the machine shop what they stepped it to.

 

[cookmeup272]

Yea it's a clutch disengagement problem. Check what he said as well as the master cylinder bring adjusted correctly

 

[RadDsm]

The machine shop said .600-.605.

Would that much of a difference cause me not to be able to get the car into gear?

Isn't the slave the one that is by the clutch pedal, or am I getting them mixed up?

 

[cookmeup272]

Your getting them mixed up. The slave is on the tranny

 

[RadDsm]

Ah ok, thanks.

So you you think the step height my flywheel is it, is causing the transmission not to go into gear?

 

[my dreamt dsm]

Could the car start in first gear? If so, are you having releasing issue if it does start in first gear?

 

[RadDsm]

I haven't tried starting it in first gear, but we got it in 1st once and just drove it around the long driveway. It did fine driving a short distance in 1st, but we never tried to pull it out of first while it was running.

Are you talking about the clutch having trouble disengaging?

 

[my dreamt dsm]

I was just curious if the car is able to start in first gear as instead of starting it in neutral.

 

[RadDsm]

I can always give it a shot. Start it in first with the clutch in or out?
What does it mean if it will or won't start?

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

Doesn't mean anything. Still means the clutch isn't disengaging. And YES, .009" is a LOT of difference when it comes to ACT pressure plates not disengaging properly. I suggest you take the flywheel off, have it measured and resurfaced at a shop that knows what the hell they are doing. Step it to .610".

 

[RadDsm]

Doesn't mean anything. Still means the clutch isn't disengaging. And YES, .009" is a LOT of difference when it comes to ACT pressure plates not disengaging properly. I suggest you take the flywheel off, have it measured and resurfaced at a shop that knows what the hell they are doing. Step it to .610".

The machine shop knows what they are doing, it was me who didn't know that it would be that much of a difference for the ACT pressure plate. I guess we'll have to pull it off and have them change the step height.

 

[domthebomb11208]

First i would make sure everything is adjusted correct.if that doesnt fix it Then i would say its a flywheel problem.

 

[twalters09]

I had the exact same problem a month ago, ended up being the shift for was worn to far, you can shin the pivot ball with 3/8" washes, I threw two behind it as a temporary fix until I got my new one, it worked fine after that. If its too worn it won't push the throw out bearing far enough into the pressure plate to let the tranny shift. Hope this helps, good luck bro.

 

[DSM-Hottie]

Matt just had this issue in his 2G Rad, his was his throw out bearing being installed wrong from what I heard and half of his pressure plate was busted. & you have done everything I would have suggested. Have you called Lucas?

 

[RadDsm]

I'm going to try to adjust the system just like Jack's video shows, and hope that fixes it.

Matt just had this issue in his 2G Rad, his was his throw out bearing being installed wrong from what I heard and half of his pressure plate was busted. & you have done everything I would have suggested. Have you called Lucas?

He isn't going to be able to tell me anything I don't already know, there are only a couple of things that could be causing the problem. I'm sure my pressure plate doesn't look like Matt's , his was obliterated.
Thanks for the thought though.

 

[DSM-Hottie]

Well it was just a suggestion

 

[RadDsm]

I thought I'd bring this one back up, I'm pretty sure the trans it gonna have to come back out.

What step height would be best this time? .610, or .612?

 

[romeen]

Not sure if you've seen this Chris but there's some good info.

RRE's Clutch And Flywheel Tech Info

 

[RadDsm]

Thanks a ton for that, Romeen. I haven't seen that article before.

I'm going to shoot for .610 and hope that solves the issue, I don't think there is anything else it could be.

 

[99 gst spyder]

where did you buy your act 2100 clutch from? i bought my 2600 act and disc from RRE and it was defect after all.

i had exactly the same problem and i've taken my tranny out 5 times just to get it to work.

trust me, i tried everything. bleeding to death and clutch pedal adjustment.

i've put the clutch in without resurfacing the flywheel. then i took it out thinking that i need to resurface the wheels. after resurface, it still wouldn't go in.

now this is the third time i've taken it out. . i then put the stock clutch back on and everything work (drivable), while i send the act plate and disc back to act.com (not RRE) and after i got the new pressure plate, i reinstall it the same way i did before, and guess what, it went right in. pressure plate could be defected.

so i took the tranny out about 5-6 times. it was a pain.

one thing. do not try to put it in first gear and start it up. i did that a couple times and jam my first gear. now my first gear is grinding and doesn't go in and it pops out.

my mechanic said if it goes in when car is off then installation should be correct but if it cant go in while car is on then it's clutch is defected.

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

where did you buy your act 2100 clutch from? i bought my 2600 act and disc from RRE and it was defect after all.



i've put the clutch in without resurfacing the flywheel. then i took it out thinking that i need to resurface the wheels. after resurface, it still wouldn't go in.



my mechanic said if it goes in when car is off then installation should be correct but if it cant go in while car is on then it's clutch is defected.

What made you think the clutch was defective? Did you have the flywheel resurfaced and stepped to .609"? Or did they just resurface it without measuring?

The flywheel has NOTHING to do with the transmission engaging a gear while the car is OFF. NOTHING is spinning inside the transmission, therefore, it will go into ANY gear,regardless of whether or not the flywheel is correct or not.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Was proper pedal height and pedal freeplay ever achieved with the new setup? If not, you're just pissin in the wind.

 

[RadDsm]

I thought I'd update this in case it can help anyone in the future.

Got the flywheel redone to .610 and threw in a new clutch fork and fulcrum ball for good measure, and it shifts just fine now.