crisskro

Hello, the problem started a few weeks back.
Only when cold, sometimes (once every 3-4-5 shifts) it's hard to take the shifter out of gear with the clutch pressed to the floor. Once it warms up (or maybe once I press the clutch enough times?) it stops doing it. Mostly in third gear, noticed it in second as well, but as it happens only when the engine is cold, I'm usually in 3rd gear, 4th gear tops.

The clutch fluid was changed about a year ago with ate super blue, when the issues started I replaced it again, about two weeks ago. Seemed to make a bit of a difference. Clutch fluid level is fine.
The transmission oil is redline 70w80 changed about 1 - 1 and half years ago. ~10K miles since the change.

Maybe related: when I'm driving it hard, the clutch pedal becomes easier to push.


What should I do next? Drop the gearbox, check the clutch? I don't think I have clutch slip.

s2000Junky

Sounds like your losing hydraulic pressure, the clutch slave or master cylinder is likely going out. These are not expensive, I would replace these long before dropping the gear box. Start at the cheapest/easiest related parts first.

El S2000

If you pump the clutch a couple times and then hold it down is it easy to move through the gears? if so it sounds like you have air in the line or your clutch master cylinder going bad. Thats my first thought. Let us know!

crisskro

"when I'm driving it hard, the clutch pedal becomes easier to push." - did some searching on the forum and this seems unrelated, just have to grease some things.
I tried pumping the clutch a few times and a few shifts later, same thing happened.
No air in the system, the first time I did gravity bleed on the clutch - changing to ate super blue. The second and third times only cleaning the reservoir and refilling. I have had the car for 2 years, this problem is recent.

I think s2000Junky maybe be onto something, makes sense. Shouldn't I be able to take it out of gear even without using the clutch?

If any other theories, feel free to chime in. I will update when I find out what it is.

boyguan

Check for leaks under the clutch pedal then maybe get under the at and see how much the slave moves the fork.

I bet the master is starting to leak due to not flushing enough

modifry

When driving? It can be done but you have to rev-match. I've had cars where you could easily pull it into neutral while driving/coasting down, but not the S.

You could have a lubrication problem. My first S, at about 36k miles, had the same symptom of hard shifting even when the clutch pedal was to the floor. Sometimes it was worse, sometimes better. Dealer refused to admit it was a problem so I had to pay for a clutch replacement. Turns out the clutch disk splines and transmission main shaft were rusted, which can only happen if they were not lubed when the car was assembled. Because of the rust, the clutch disk did not slide on the main shaft, and even after releasing the pressure plate it would stay pressed against the flywheel, keeping the drive line partly connected to the transmission.

Has your clutch been replaced? Some people don't realize they need to lube the main shaft splines when they replace a clutch.