[Alexander]

I got a new transmission about 5,000 miles ago, but BMW refused to replace my clutch as well. I was seriously pissed, because there was most likely damage to the clutch as well.

Anyways today I was at a redlight on a steep incline and I could not put the gear selector into 1st at all. I tried for about a minute of jamming the clutch in and out trying to force it in, so I had to ride the hell out of the clutch and start in 2nd.

WTF!!!!

Is my clutch going out, because I kind of feels like crap, downshifting to 3rd is especially slow the clutch hesitates.

My brother said that I might just need something adjusted. I live in the middle of no where and I won't be able to take the car in until at least 2 weeks.

What do you guys think?

[Healey3000]

[QUOTE=Aonarch;7306322]I got a new transmission about 5,000 miles ago, but BMW refused to replace my clutch as well. I was seriously pissed, because there was most likely damage to the clutch as well.

Anyways today I was at a redlight on a steep incline and I could not put the gear selector into 1st at all. I tried for about a minute of jamming the clutch in and out trying to force it in, so I had to ride the hell out of the clutch and start in 2nd.

Is my clutch going out, because I kind of feels like crap, downshifting to 3rd is especially slow the clutch hesitates.

QUOTE]

Hi,

It's really unfortunate that you could not replace the clutch. Did you have the option to pay for the clutch and have them install it? Anyway, water under the bridge, I suppose.

Did you try going to second and then to first? Gearboxes are known to sometimes balk when trying first, even on perfectly good units. If the clutch were not fully disengaging, when you try first (or any other gear), you will hear grinding and indeed have trouble engaging.

I'm not sure what you mean by the clutch hesitating when shifting to third. Does it slip? Does it engage slowly? It should not be gear dependent. Maybe the new gearbox is also defective (was it a factory reconditioned unit?).

If you can provide a few more details it may be possible to figure this out.

Regards,
Adnan

[Alexander]

[QUOTE=Healey3000;7306752]

Originally Posted by Aonarch

I got a new transmission about 5,000 miles ago, but BMW refused to replace my clutch as well. I was seriously pissed, because there was most likely damage to the clutch as well.

Anyways today I was at a redlight on a steep incline and I could not put the gear selector into 1st at all. I tried for about a minute of jamming the clutch in and out trying to force it in, so I had to ride the hell out of the clutch and start in 2nd.

Is my clutch going out, because I kind of feels like crap, downshifting to 3rd is especially slow the clutch hesitates.

QUOTE]

Hi,

It's really unfortunate that you could not replace the clutch. Did you have the option to pay for the clutch and have them install it? Anyway, water under the bridge, I suppose.

Did you try going to second and then to first? Gearboxes are known to sometimes balk when trying first, even on perfectly good units. If the clutch were not fully disengaging, when you try first (or any other gear), you will hear grinding and indeed have trouble engaging.

I'm not sure what you mean by the clutch hesitating when shifting to third. Does it slip? Does it engage slowly? It should not be gear dependent. Maybe the new gearbox is also defective (was it a factory reconditioned unit?).

If you can provide a few more details it may be possible to figure this out.

Regards,
Adnan

The tranny is new. The clutch is just slow to engage, like if you don't rev match and the RPMs automatically rise. This 6MT is a pain in the ass sometimes, it is so finicky. I did try going into 2nd and it worked... but I would try and put it into 1st with no luck. It has done this to be before with the old and new tranny, which makes me think that it's a clutch issue. There is no grinding or audible noises and it doesn't feel like it is slipping. It's so freaking weird! I've driven manual cars now consectively for 8 years now and have had clutches go out on me. Its not a good feeling and with 1,000 left on my warranty I'm seriously worried.

[Oulixes]

I had a similar problem that you have described on a non-BMW car with a manual transmission after it had a clutch replaced. The gears were hard to engage, most of all the first and reverse. The problem turned up to have been caused by the linkage between the gear shift and the transmission - when adjusted (one hour job), gear shifting worked OK.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by Oulixes

I had a similar problem that you have described on a non-BMW car with a manual transmission after it had a clutch replaced. The gears were hard to engage, most of all the first and reverse. The problem turned up to have been caused by the linkage between the gear shift and the transmission - when adjusted (one hour job), gear shifting worked OK.

That's what my brother said. I hope that's all there is, but then again I have 1,000 miles left on my warranty... I need a new clutch asap... lol.

[dreamingat30fps]

I have the same issue from time to time especially in the morning when the car is cold. However for me putting the shifter into second THEN first usually lets it go in fine.

[JuppiOne]

If you can't put in first, but be able to put in second, third etc... it doesn't sounds like its your clutch failing, if your clutch is failing, you will slip at any gear, and pretty much that is all that the clutch do, connect your engine to the tranny. this is more of a tranny issue, could be the throw out (or release) bearing, but since you have no issue in any other gear rather than first, that sounds more like a synchro issue to me.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by patrickch

If you can't put in first, but be able to put in second, third etc... it doesn't sounds like its your clutch failing, if your clutch is failing, you will slip at any gear, and pretty much that is all that the clutch do, connect your engine to the tranny. this is more of a tranny issue, could be the throw out (or release) bearing, but since you have no issue in any other gear rather than first, that sounds more like a synchro issue to me.

I hope not BMW is going to take a dump on me if so... I had my tranny replaced at 5,000 miles and I'm 22 so they probably will think that I street race or that I'm retarded.

[runrider]

It might be your CDV (clutch delay valve) that is causing the 'delay' you're experiencing. Its a hydraulic restrictor that limits how fast your clutch can engage or disengage. Run a search for cdv here, theres lots of discussion. As far as I know, our BMWs are the only cars on the road that use CDV's.

[runrider]

I also sometimes have to move the shifter into second before it will allow me into first, especially when its cold. It happens maybe once every thousand miles.