Need to pump the clutch at a light to get to 1st Gear
 

I recently got my transmission replaced and put in a new LUK clutch kit, lightweight Fidanza Flywheel and a new slave cylinder.

Few weeks later started noticing that after stopping at a light from 3rd gear and going to neutral once fully stopped, when trying to launch from first at the light change the clutch goes all the way in but i can't shift to 1st gear without pumping the clutch a little bit. This happens 1 out of 20 times at least, not all the time.

Got the car back to the tranny shop to get the clutch bled. One week later, the problem is still there. I noticed this morning when this happens i can easily shift to 2nd gear, but not 1st without a little pumping.

I have no issues whatsoever shifting to any other gear. Very smooth. Seems to only happen when stopping from 3rd to neutral and back to 1st gear.

I plan to send it for a second bleeding this week. Any ideas?

I don't think bleeding will help. Sounds like the synchros. Stock mine doesn't always want to go into first. When it happens I just put it in second then first then drive off.

Does the clutch pedal not go in all the way? Or does it go in all the way, but you have to pump it to shift?

Let me rephrase there, the clutch does go all the way in, but the shift to 1st won't. I can shift to 2nd just fine though.

I'll edit my OP to make it clear.

If you hold the clutch to the floor and just hold it there while in a gear, does it eventually engage anyway? If not, try holding it to the floor and just wiggling the clutch pedal up and down a tiny bit (like 1/2" up and down) a bunch of times and see if it eventually engages on its own. If neither of those scenarios is true, you can probably rule out the hydraulic system.

Have you checked the soft line for bubbling? I doubt that's the case, but it doesn't hurt to check.

I'll try to replicate the conditions and then wiggle while holding down the clutch. It does not eventually engage as far as i know at the moment.

The soft line might have been checked when replacing the slave cylinder, as it happened after getting the new tranny/flywheel/clutch kit in. I'll verify with my mechanic to make sure.

Was it a new trans or used?

@phate; after making some loops around the office during lunch i couldn't replicate the issue. I'll try some more inner street driving later today on the way back home. I'll follow up as soon as it happens again.

Used. 50k miles on it against my very own 150k from the original.

Maybe a bubble in the line that worked itself up to the reservoir?

I haven't ruled that out. The clutch just got bled a week ago, but there could be an undetected bubbling going on on the line. I might need to bleed it again and check any leaks.

So after driving around all day after work, i could only repeat this once. Wriggling the clutch pedal a little did not work to engage 1st gear, but going to 2nd instead and then to 1st while keeping the clutch down worked.

I'm suspecting i might have either a bad slave cylinder or some bubbling going on somewhere. Doesn't really feel like synchros as this only happens when going from neutral to 1st gear and not while on the move. There is no grinding either.

i wonder if this...

http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...16/index3.html

might also have something to do with it.... or rather at least check it off the list.

I had the same issue. I ignored the symptoms ur seeing right now and thought it was my slave and master. Turns out getting a steal braided line/new clutch peddle (mine was cracked in 5 places) fixed the issue. If the issue starts spreading to other gears when ur stopped ( having to pump to get it into any gear) then its the line I'd say. If ur peddle is squeaking its probably cracked.

Hop I was of help

The past 3 cars I have had have done this, my ms6, Dodge stealth and sentra spec-v. All I would ever do is put it in second and then it would go right into first without an issue. I still get it occasionally even with a steel braided line and all new hydraulics in the ms6. I would double check the line like everyone said but if it locks you out of first and you can put it into second and then it freely goes into first I personally wouldn't worry

Would it matter that the clutch and brakes share a reservoir? When I had squishy brakes, bleeding them never fixed it. Eventually I bled the clutch and brakes were firm again. Didn't know if the same can be said about the clutch though.

shifter adjust??

I'm really suspecting the line now. I'll have the mechanic that installed my new clutch kit, slave, flywheel and tranny last month to check on it next week. Right off the phone, the guy was trying to blame it on the master cylinder (the only thing he has yet to replace, which seemed to much of a coincidence for a guess right off the bat huh?).


I've tried this the last couple of times i got this issue, and it did work. But i've learned the hard way that ignoring these telltale signs and being overly optimistic about this kind of things will eventually leave you in the red on your checking account, especially since the car has never done this before in the two years i had it already. @phate; mentioned to check if wriggling the clutch just a bit would make the gear eventually engage and in the last time this happened i had enough time to try a little wiggle and sure thing 1st wear went in with a small clunk. This seem to point to my hydraulic system.

I just had the clutch line bled a week ago, couple of days later i had the problem again. I recently changed my brake pads and rotors but nothing was done on the brake lines. Brakes are pretty firm though. Since the brake lines were not touched, i wouldn't think this would have affected my clutch lines somehow.

Mine locks me out sometimes at a stop. I try to make sure I'm in gear before the light turns so I don't piss off whoever is behind me. Same thing I have to pump the clutch/shift to 2nd and back into first. I've tried forcing it before but no luck it needs its foreplay.

The easiest way to test the rubber line is. have ur buddy pump it like 5-10 times have them hold it. an if u just watch the line it will swell up and then go back down vary slowly. for a SB line its like 35 bucks and 15 mines of ur time its super easy to do I'd just get one an do it if I were u.

How long have you had this going on? Have you had any more problems later on? Mine started a couple of weeks ago.

Do let me know where you got a 35 buck SB clutch line for an MS3. I only found EU SB for MS6 at about $100.00, is this a generic brand one or something? Seems suspiciously cheap.

I've noticed lock out of first gear as well. i have to blip the throttle and it usually slides right in. I have tried pumping the clutch many times and that never seems to work. I know my tranny is fucked though, and its getting rebuilt soon. I'm having oem/luk clutch w/ fidanza put in as well.
@AlecMS3;

http://www.streetunit.com/MACL_107_p/macl-107.htm

I know its from SU an I don't like buying from them but u can't really beet the price heres the one I have tho guys good luck to yall

This is the MS6 one i mentioned before. Did you get this one on your MS3?

EDIT: Nevermind, i just noticed you actually have an MS6 not a 3.

I have an ms6. But as far as I know it should still fit cause they should be the same set up.

They aren't the same AFAIK.

That doesn't make since that they aren't cross compatible. but ya sure as shit. su doesn't carry it for the wons or pues. Sorry for the miss direction guys. But either way a SB line should fix the problem. On top of that their just good to have on cause it will relive a headache if u do a upgraded clutch setup.

Good luck man, that is never cheap. I saved some money buying the flywheel myself but i got screwed on the used tranny, clutch kit and labor. I guess the trans shop has to make some money.

The Fidanza flywheel is great, i love the spooling and overall feel. Just be ready for a noisy idle once you run for a while, if you care for a noisy ride this may be something to consider. Also my cold start goes all the way to 2k RPM and slowly goes down to 0.9k as the original dual mass used to.

thanks man i hope all goes well. I'm ready for the noise lol. tranny shop quoted $1100 for tranny removal and replacement, clutch install, and internal work. i got hooked up on i-moto brass padded 1-2 and 3-4 shift forks in the f/s section. now I'm going to buy the 5-6 ones online. may need to buy synchros too depending on what they find.