Can't shift smooth...

[FasterThanLight]

My 'teg is a 5-spd manual, and in the last two days of driving it has become difficult to shift into any gear. It doesn't matter if the car is moving or not. The car has 90K miles, and I don't know whether or not it has had a clutch replacement. My two guesses are:
1. The clutch is not disengaging fully. If the thing is out of adjustment, I would think the clutch pedal would feel sloppy, but it doesn't. Every other time I've noticed the clutch out of adjustment(on other cars) there is "play" at the top of the clutch pedal's range of travel, where pressing the pedal isn't moving the clutch.
2. The clutch needs to be replaced. This is the option that I hope is not true, for obvious reasons. However, it would make a good opportunity to upgrade.

Help!!

[ebpda9]

yeah a misadjusted or bad clutch could cause the tranny not to shift smooth, but from what i know it could be the shifter cables too

[FasterThanLight]

it makes sense to me that if the clutch cable isn't pulling the throwout fork enough, that would give me the problem i'm having. i've never noticed any slippage or burning clutch smell, so now i'm reasonably sure that's all it is- misadjusted. i need to buy the helm book, i think...

[ebpda9]

i had the same problem on my automatic, and after honda replaced my cable it went smooth. i guess some of those wires in the cable came apart and they were rubbing inside the "shirt" of the cable causing the lever to move very hard

[blind34_1]

your throwout bearing could be causing some trouble, thats my current problem. the clutch wont fully disengage and it goes crrrrrrrrrrunch. There are also some sorts of bushing or something in the shifter housing that could be getting you trouble. My suggestion: go buy a B&M short shifter and replace the whole lot.:)

[Mushroom]

Difficulty shifting into any gear? Sounds like it could be a problem with synchro. Is it as difficult to get into gear if you double clutch? If DCing helps, than maybe the clutch is okay and the sync is going.

[FasterThanLight]

well... no, it doesn't grind when i try to put it in gear. the synchros are definitely trying to work as best they can, i think that's why i can get it into gear at all. i'm hearing a "scratchy, whirry" noise when i depress the clutch partially- that sounds like a clutchfork bearing, but i don't know what the inside of my car looks like... i've not seen the helms book, and i haven't worked on anyone elses' teg... i think i might pay to get this diagnosed, then decide if i want to fix it or not... hrrm

[FasterThanLight]

damn it! i still haven't fixed my problem and i just realized it's been two months since i've driven my car...!!! i'm so pissed!

[ChrisCantSkate]

Originally posted by FasterThanLight
well... no, it doesn't grind when i try to put it in gear. the synchros are definitely trying to work as best they can, i think that's why i can get it into gear at all. i'm hearing a "scratchy, whirry" noise when i depress the clutch partially- that sounds like a clutchfork bearing, but i don't know what the inside of my car looks like... i've not seen the helms book, and i haven't worked on anyone elses' teg... i think i might pay to get this diagnosed, then decide if i want to fix it or not... hrrm
sounds like it might be the throwout berring, and stephan, gsr's arnt cable shifters like preludes and accords

[ebpda9]

yeah the bearing is the next best thing to look at. is that the hydraulic tranny then ?

[ChrisCantSkate]

yup, hydro tranny

[Kyle]

Does the clutch go to the ground when you press it with no resistance?...

[FasterThanLight]

nope... there is as much resistance as there has ever been. it feels like the clutch isn't engaging very forcefully... i can tell it starts to engage around when the clutch pedal is halfway off the floor, but the car doesn't really start to go until the pedal is to the veeeery top of it's travel. it's my assumption that the hydraulic clutch is self-adjusting: is that true?

my gut feeling is that the clutch is worn, the car has 90K miles and as far as i know, the original clutch. i think no matter the cause of the problem, i'm going to upgrade to a stiffer clutch, and a lightened flywheel. i intend to 'charge the car within the year, so that should make up for any loss in inertial momentum of the rotating assembly. anyone have a recommendation for a specific clutch/pressure plate assembly? also, i'm considering one of the comptech flywheels here. (http://solar.innercite.com/comptech/drive1.html) (you'll have to scroll down the page to see them) i'm thinking the all-steel one is the better way to go as it can be resurfaced normally?

any help is greatly appreciated...