So recently my 2001 V6 5spd has been quite hard to shift into 1st gear, making me dread coming to a complete stop....I does it off and on, but has been happening more often overall. A note of interest, though, is that it WILL shift when I turn the engine off and pump the brake. Anybody have any guesses as to what this issue is? I'd much rather hear its a clutch issue rather than a tranny, cuz I won't be going anywhere for awhile if the latter is shot!

 

Have you adjusted your clutch lately? Because if you have not it will make it harder and harder to shift as the clutch wears and the clutch pedal will engaged lower and lower.

 

I'm guessing you're referring to the maintenance adjustment in the owner's manual, the little pull up and push down on the clutch thing. I have tried that but it hasn't helped. I replaced the clutch about a year and a half ago, but it does get beat up on....I really hope it isn't the tranny.

 

It sometimes takes a good amount of adjustment to get it shifting good. Where does your clutch engage right now? at the top, near the middle, or at the bottom?

 

Eh, I'd say closer to the floor half of the total clutch travel range.

 

If its near the floor then you need to adjust it out more till its at the middle. The clutch should be engaging right before half way be fully engaged well before the clutch is fully out. If it is engaging at the bottom you might not be getting it fully disengaged and this can cause hard shifting.

 

How do you adjust it that much if its fully stock? Just lift up on the pedal then push it down less or what? Thanks for the help btw much appreciated.

 

You just have to keep adjusting it till it feels good and engages well. Just doing that one time is normally not enough adjustment to make it good. Like my roommates car he had never adjusted it and I did it 12 times till it we had it engaging well.

 

Ah I see.....Well I'll give that a try then and see how it works out. At least adjusting it won't f*** it up any more than it already is.

 

Yep can't hurt to do that a few times and see how she is. Just put in first gear motor off of course, then pull up the clutch pedal hard and then slowly push it all the way to the floor. Do it a few times say 3 and then go drive it and see how she is. Do it till you get it how you like and its fully disengaging at the bottom, and fully engaged when the clutch is all the way out. That would be my starting point.

 

Sounds good to me man. Thanks

 

something else to try, i did this to mine the other day to adjust it and it fixed all my clutch issues. just turn the car off, push in the clutch all the way, then let your foot slide off the clutch letting it spring up. do this twice and restart the car. drive it and see how things feel, repeat the process if needed. at first it will feel noticeably different but it will self adjust as you drive it.

 

Where do I find a walkthrough on clutch adjustment? I don't have an owners manual...

 

http://www.corral.net/tech/drivetrain/clutcha.htm