[spinn]

My brothers car has a manual trans problem. The shifter will not go into any gear cold. When hot it shifts into gear. When it is off it shifts into gear cold. I have checked the fluid. It is new and proper level. I checked the clutch master and slave, and bled it to be sure. Thinking the plate was not disengauging from the flywheel, or that the master didnt have enough force to. Nothing replaced but it seemed the linkage was working. If I leave it in gear over night, start it, I can drive away. If I stop it will not go back in first till warmed up. If this was the synchro, would it not go into gear cold , engine off, like it does? The clutch holds and will stall the vehicle. I am not the trans master , but this has me . Any ideas on what this could be?

Now that it is cold it has become a serious problem. Warm it drives real nice.

[prostreet6t9]

Which trans? What oil are you using now?

[spinn]

It is a 5 speed FWD. Dextron 3 ATF was changed, and is what the manual calls for. That is what was in it before too.

[C-10]

Binding pilot bushing or bearing.

Oiled down clutch disc.

Not enough throw for the pressure plate.

Pressure plate partially collapsed.

[spinn]

Yes that was my guess. Thinking the slave was short or plate had the fingers pressed in after 100k. I checked the clutch fork travel in the inspection hole under the battery, when I bled the system. For 6 inches of travel it needed .5 of fork movement. It checks good. That does not account for bent or sunken fingers on the pressure plate.

Looks like Im going in, because you cannot diagnose further without opening it up.

No inspection cover.