Can't go into gear..., Is it my clutch or clutch cable? Options

[White_GTS]

I can't put my car into any gears at all. I drove my car today and 4 hours later I tried to go out with my and I reliazed that I was not able to put the car into first gear. It won't even push up or down. Seems like it is jammed. But the strange thing is I can put it into gear when my car is turned off. So when the engine is off I can put it into any gear but not when the car is turned on. So now my car is left outside of my house I have no choice to get a truck to drag my car back to Toyota. Any idea what it could be?

Thanks....

[blkGT]

doesnt sound like the lutch gone out. because then it would go into gear but wouldnt catch. it would just rev real high. sorry i have no suggestions

[White_GTS]

Anyone have any ideas???

[Neipas09]

Dood this happened to me!
I had this guy install my new clutch and when it was all put together i tried driving it out and it wouldn't go into gear at all when started. But if it was off it would go into gear. So i just shut it off and put it in gear and then started it up. I drove like 10-15ft in first gear and stopped and tried switching gears and it worked after that. I have no idea why it did that but its working now. Also you might wanna watch out for the stick not going into gear easily when you down shift. Every now and then i'll have to slam it into gear as hard as i can when i down shift cause it acts like its locked up or some ****. Also try pumping your clutch a sh!t load before you put it in gear, tends to work for me sometimes also. And check your clutch fluid!!!

[SpedToe169]

Sounds like the clutch is not disengaging (if it was worn out it would rev high and slip, totally different problem). There is no clutch cable, the pedal actuates a rod and a master cylinder (similar to the one for the brakes). This master cylinder has a hydraulic cable that goes to the clutch slave cylinder on the tranny. The fluid pressure caused by the movement of the master piston causes the slave piston to move and actuates the clutch fork which pushes on the clutch. There are a number of things that could go wrong. The master or the slave could be bad. If they are, you'll see them leaking brake fluid (thats whats used in clutch hydraulic systems) from around the pistons and/or seals. Second, the clutch line could be ruptured, again you'll see leaking fluid. Third, the clutch fork could be bent or broken. This isn't all that common but can happen. Theres no easy way to tell without taking everything apart, so eliminate everything else first. The last and most simple (and probably the most common) thing that could go wrong is that you could have some air in the system. The system has to be bled just like brakes. There is a bleeder screw on the master and one on the slave. Make sure you keep the resivor full while you bleed it, if it runs out you'll have to start over.

[Supersprynt]

Check your shift linkage. Its on the right side of the engine bay, towards the back, by the tranny. You'll probably have to move some stuff to see it. Linkage includes 2 roughly 5'' pegs with round ends. "
O--- (really really rough example)
One goes front to back, one goes left to right. I can maybe take a pic of it tomorrow or when its not raining. Its rare that this would come apart but if your actual stick isnt moving, that maybe it. If your clutch wasnt disengaging, u'd still be able to pull it outta gear. And when u started ur car, it would jump.

Also check ur clutch fluid resovoir, if its low, you probably have a leak.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Sep 14, 2003 - 10:57 PM

[White_GTS]

Car has no leaks at all. I tried to pump the clutch several times before placing it into gear but still no luck. I just don't understand how this could happen with no warranings at all and like I said I drove it the same day. Yah I don't think it's the clutch since if it is worn out your right that it will still go into first but will rev really high so thats crossed out right now.

I checked the clutch fluid and it's fine. I know basic stuff about my car but when it comes to this section I have no clue. I'm gonna tow my car to Toyota on Tuesday hopefully I won't have to spend to much. But I have no idea how my car is gonna get there since my car has a body kit and is lowered. I'm basically screwed now.

Thanks for all your help so far. If anyone else might no of what could be causing this please advise. I can't shift to any gear when the car is turned on. It won'tg go in it feels like it is jammed. I can shift in gear when the car is turned off only.

Thanks

This post has been edited by White_GTS: Sep 15, 2003 - 12:51 AM

[Guest_Matthew_*]

have you tried doing what neipas suggested??



oh and about towing it to toyota and hoping you dont have to spend to much. dont do it. take it to a tranny shop. they specialize in JUST trannies not like the dealer shop which does everything. plus they will be a heck of a lot cheaper too.

[White_GTS]

Yes I did try what neipas said and it doesn't work. The car doens't sound to good when I put it into first and then starting the car. It sounds very bad but I took it out of gear once I started the car right away cause it sounds like it is damaging the car.

I can't even tow my car it is to low. I'm scrwed...

[Neipas09]

Get some REALLY good friends and push the pos to the shop!

[Supersprynt]

Get a flatbed, i have an invader kit on my car and get some boards and slowly put it on the flatbed. Let them kno before hand that its a very low car and to bring the flatbed w/boards and stuff. It'll be ok.

[White_GTS]

Yah I will call for a flat bed truck tomorrow. Yah I hope my car can go up the ramp cause I can't even go up onto some driveways.

Thanks for all the help. I'll keep you guys posted on this one when I have it fixed.

[97sccelica]

a similar thing happened to my cousins 95 GSX. turned out he needed a new tranny.

but his 1st gear blew right as he was leaving from a light and the shifter would not move out of 1st at all.

[White_GTS]

Okay I went to Toyota this morning and 2 mechanics looked at my car for less then 3 minutes under the hood and started to move somthing and then they drove off with my car. I was like what the **** did you do? Anyhow they came back and talked to the service advisor and the service advisor told me that I need to replace my master clutch, slave clutch, assembly clutch and something else. They gave me a quote of $1800 canadian to fix my car. I asked them can I drive my car right now since it is working. He told me he wont recommand me cause my clutch is going very soon. I told him I'll decide and call him back. So I drove my car home and it's perfect I change gears and all. I was thinking maybe they wanted to rip me off so I took my car to another car shop know as SPEEDY AUTO. They told me nothing is wrong with my car and my clutchg is fine. We even went for a test drive around the area. Now my question is can someone determine I need to replace all those clutch parts without even jacking up my car or openning my transmission? How do they know that it needs to be replaced? Is it experience with Toyota cars or is he just trying to scam me?

I don't think within 3 minutes someone can determine all that stuff. Plus my clutch is not even slipping. The mechanics at Toyota where very yonge. They are no more then 26 years old.

What do you guys think?

[Supersprynt]

You can get a good idea as to when the clutch is going to need replacing by feeling how high on the pedal release the clutch engages. What i mean is if u sit on a level area in ur car, give it no gas and just slowly life up the clutch...the amount of pedal you release is directly related to how much clutch u have left. Low pedal engagement means newer clutch, higher means older (worn).

Now the only thing he coulda checked under the hood was:
A) Shift linkage (which physically prevents ur stick from moving properly)
B) Clutch fluid

You could have had something interfering with the linkage, and if they moved it, they would be able to use the car.

I would say, DONT GO TO THE DEALER!!! Drive ur car around, be attentive to it, but dont get anything done right now.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Sep 16, 2003 - 10:15 PM

[Neipas09]

Can anyone post some pics of the Shift linkage so i know what to check to see if i'm having the same problems.

[SpedToe169]

Yah, that dealership deal sounds pretty shady to me. I'd say if you're sure the car is driving fine, then just drive it and don't worry about it. It wouldn't hurt to familiarize yourself with the parts and linkage just incase something is getting in the way of it. You can't really tell how much clutch you have left by where the pedal engagement is because you can adjust it....I guess if you have a good memory and know where it was before you could compare to that...but I've found that I usually fool myself into thinking whatever I want when I rely on that. I used to have a paseo and I was SURE the clutch was gone in the thing after I had it for a couple years. Just as I was about to swap clutches (almost bought it!) the motor blew. I found out while I had the motor out that I still had over 50% of the clutch material left, and everything else was tip top. It was all in my head. Now if the fact that I only had about a quart of oil in the car would have been in my head instead.....I might have saved $800.....Oh well, live and learn.

[White_GTS]

Yah I agree with Neipas09 if possible if someone can show a picture of the Shift linkage cable that would be great.

[Rivo]

lol Toe, too funny. As for the linkage, it shows up just fine in a Hayes book. If you don't have one as a Celica Enthusiast, go get one