Clutch is sticky going into first gear

[andrewp1998]

This does not happen all the time. Dealer told me clutch s sticky but dont replace it. Car is a 2001 civic hx , with 151k.. They didnt have much else to say,

Fluid looks good , this has been happening the past yr or so..
What could it be?

Thanks

 

[SteveSRT8]

I know one thing, the clutch cares not what gear is selected.

If the trans is a bit balky about going into first and the clutch is releasing properly then the synchro is beat up...

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I know one thing, the clutch cares not what gear is selected.

If the trans is a bit balky about going into first and the clutch is releasing properly then the synchro is beat up...


True. I'd try bleeding the clutch, it resolved that problem many times going all the way back to my 1985 E-150. Assuming your synchros are good it might help. The fluid takes on moisture and as a result grinding and difficulty going into First and Reverse can happen.

 

[scurvy]

Excellent advice above. I'd also add to realign the shifter linkage & try a different transmission fluid.

What does the owner's manual say about MTF viscosity & specifications?

 

[JamesBond]

My '04 Civic EX occasionally refuses to go into 1st on the first try at a stoplight . I would change the fluid to see if it helps the shifting to 1st, and bleed the clutch for "fun."

Pennzoil Synchromesh works fine in the transmission and is available at most parts stores. Honda MTL is available at the dealer and is pretty cheap online, but I've never tried it. VOA's show that its very thin which makes me a little hesitant, but it probably works fine.

When you say the fluid "Looks good" are you talking about the fluid in the transmission or the clutch fluid in the little shot glass reservoir?

 

[randomhero439]

Change your clutch fluid.

 

[andrewp1998]

The fluid in the resevoir under the hood looks clear but has never been changed, I asked 2 mechanics to change it but they said your waisting your time..

Thanks

 

[JamesBond]

The fluid in that little shot glass reservoir is the hydraulic fluid used to operate your clutch. People may call it "clutch fluid" but the fluid in there is Dot 3 Brake Fluid. It may not get dirty looking but it does get old and should be replaced every few years for best performance. People may refer to this as "Bleeding your clutch."

Problems with the hydraulic clutch system can cause problems when shifting such as the car being stuck in gear, the clutch not releasing, the shifter being hard to operate or crunching when shifting.

Your problem may also be old worn out oil inside the transmission itself. You can not see this fluid under the hood, and can only access it by removing the drain or fill plugs on the side of the transmission. When this fluid is worn you may also experience difficulty shifting gears, or noises from your transmission. Changing this fluid would be known as "Changing your manual transmission fluid." This fluid is $10-15 per/qt. and you need 1.5-2 qts. The labor involved includes removing 2 bolts that are easily accessed from under the hood or under the car.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I used less than 1/2 quarts Walmart Supertech DOT-3 brake fluid to bleed my S2000 clutch.

 

[yonyon]

With the drive wheels safely up in the air (and this being FWD, the parking brake applied) have someone start the engine with the shifter in 1 and let it idle for a few seconds while holding the clutch pedal to the floor. If the wheels remain stopped you have a transmission problem. If they spin you have a clutch problem.

 

[andrewp1998]

Thanks for all the advice, so basically I can change the clutch fluid without having to crawl under the car, taking he bolts out and replacing the fluid?

Thanks

 

[andrewp1998]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
The fluid in that little shot glass reservoir is the hydraulic fluid used to operate your clutch. People may call it "clutch fluid" but the fluid in there is Dot 3 Brake Fluid. It may not get dirty looking but it does get old and should be replaced every few years for best performance. People may refer to this as "Bleeding your clutch."

Problems with the hydraulic clutch system can cause problems when shifting such as the car being stuck in gear, the clutch not releasing, the shifter being hard to operate or crunching when shifting.

Your problem may also be old worn out oil inside the transmission itself. You can not see this fluid under the hood, and can only access it by removing the drain or fill plugs on the side of the transmission. When this fluid is worn you may also experience difficulty shifting gears, or noises from your transmission. Changing this fluid would be known as "Changing your manual transmission fluid." This fluid is $10-15 per/qt. and you need 1.5-2 qts. The labor involved includes removing 2 bolts that are easily accessed from under the hood or under the car.



Thanks for all the advice, so basically I can change the clutch fluid without having to crawl under the car, taking he bolts out and replacing the fluid?

Thanks

 

[HTSS_TR]

You need to get under the car to loosen the slave cylinder bleeder screw, let the gravity do the work while you keep the clutch reservoir full with brake fluid. You can close the bleeder screw after using 8/10 of a pint brake fluid, then fill the reservoir to full level.

 

[cutter]

Originally Posted By: andrewp1998
I asked 2 mechanics to change it but they said your waisting your time..


They're very honest mechanics.

 

[JANDSZIRKLE]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
The fluid in that little shot glass reservoir is the hydraulic fluid used to operate your clutch. People may call it "clutch fluid" but the fluid in there is Dot 3 Brake Fluid. It may not get dirty looking but it does get old and should be replaced every few years for best performance. People may refer to this as "Bleeding your clutch."

Problems with the hydraulic clutch system can cause problems when shifting such as the car being stuck in gear, the clutch not releasing, the shifter being hard to operate or crunching when shifting.

Your problem may also be old worn out oil inside the transmission itself. You can not see this fluid under the hood, and can only access it by removing the drain or fill plugs on the side of the transmission. When this fluid is worn you may also experience difficulty shifting gears, or noises from your transmission. Changing this fluid would be known as "Changing your manual transmission fluid." This fluid is $10-15 per/qt. and you need 1.5-2 qts. The labor involved includes removing 2 bolts that are easily accessed from under the hood or under the car.


I had a similar issue with my ford ranger, was a bit "rough" shifting into 1st sometimes 2nd at times. Change the manual transmission fluid, drove it for few hundred miles now, rough shifting is gone. IF your mechanics refuse too do it, youtube it, its not hard too do, little patience helps as well.

 

[JamesBond]

You can bleed the clutch from under the hood. You will have to have a small wrench to open the bleeder valve, a piece of clear tubing from a hardware store, an empty bottle and some fresh DOT-3 Brake fluid.

Take the lid off of the shot glass reservoir before you open the bleeder and do not let the reservoir get empty! If it goes empty air will get into the clutch system and its difficult to get it out and you will be taking the bus until you do.

Look up real instructions on a Civic website, in a service manual or leave it to the pro's if you are unsure.

 

[Stag]

Here's another thought on your clutch problem. If when you say the clutch is "sticky", do you mean that it is hard to get into first gear when you are at a stop? It takes a lot of force or time for the lever to get into gear? If this is the case, with this kind of miles on the car you could have weak springs on your pressure plate, an unevenly worn/warped flywheel or clutch disk. In this case the clutch may not quite be releasing all the way in it's travel, still slightly touching in some area and not letting the transmission spool down to let the worn synchros to match speed. You can eliminate or minimize this while driving by shifting down into first BEFORE you have completely slowed to a stop. Of course this requires you to sit at the light or whatever with the clutch in; some drivers may be adverse to this.Don't worry, sooner or later you will need a new clutch.

 

[andrewp1998]

How did you fix this? Has it improved, what did you do?

Thanks

 

[andrewp1998]

Originally Posted By: Stag
Here's another thought on your clutch problem. If when you say the clutch is "sticky", do you mean that it is hard to get into first gear when you are at a stop? It takes a lot of force or time for the lever to get into gear? If this is the case, with this kind of miles on the car you could have weak springs on your pressure plate, an unevenly worn/warped flywheel or clutch disk. In this case the clutch may not quite be releasing all the way in it's travel, still slightly touching in some area and not letting the transmission spool down to let the worn synchros to match speed. You can eliminate or minimize this while driving by shifting down into first BEFORE you have completely slowed to a stop. Of course this requires you to sit at the light or whatever with the clutch in; some drivers may be adverse to this.Don't worry, sooner or later you will need a new clutch.


Yes, at times it is tough to get into first or reverse. Its happens once in a while, not every day. I could go days without a problem. I have drivin/owned a few clutch cars and never had a problem.

Thanks.. which clutch fluid do you recommend?

 

[andrewp1998]

It taked a lot of force or a few tries before I get it into first