Mr._ap1

I've just had my S for 2 months now and it was shifting fine when I first got it with a bit of a notched shifting when going into third, but now since winter has arrived and the nights get to low 40's and high 30's I am not able, I repeat not able to shift the gear into first and or any other gears. When the tranny has warmed up about 7-10 mins of driving it's shifting fine, but even when I warm up the motor to three bars the tranny is still hard. I know that warming up the engine does not warm up the tranny but I figure it would have helped a bit. I didn't notice this until the nights got colder. Time for a tranny fluid change? 3x3 or just replacement, I don't have records or indication 60k miles before I purchased it. I have searched on google and here and no info on a cold gear engaging this hard. It feels like the shifting is stuck like somethings blocking it, yea it that F'in hard!!

Mr._ap1

Update! I am at work right now and I went to go check the clutch fluid and its past the min line! WTF I check the pedal and fire wall no fluid. The fluid looks super dark and its down to the point where its starts to wided out on the slave. Could the clutch fluid be the case for this cold start and gear not wanting to engage?

rob-2

Top up fluid before attempting change to see if it fixes your problem.

There is no 3x3 fluid method change on this manual. Simply a drain and fill.

If the fluid has never been changed, it cannot hurt to change it. If the car won't go into gear when off I would figure clutch problem not tranny.

Mr._ap1

Clutch goes into gear fine when car is off but will not go into gear when on.

Mr._ap1

Update! I added dot3 dot4 and it's fine now, but the tranny has warmed up enough to even tell the difference so idk yet. Will update tomorrow when I go to work.

slalom44

Your car has the classic signs of low clutch fluid. The problem won't go completely away until you bleed your clutch line. You will undoubtedly have air in your clutch line.

Mr._ap1

The gear shifting is fine this morning, fluid may be the case caused for the hard gear engaging due to the fact that the clutch was not depressed enough for the gear to engage!?? Did i get this right?

Mr._ap1

Should I still bleed the clutch even though its shifting fine now since I've topped off the fluid?

FitzyS2k

it most certainly won't hurt. ask a friend to pump the pedal while you open and close the bleeder.

s2000maniac

if i was you i would bleed clutch, change trans fluid, change rear diff fluid, change spark plugs, change coolant <<<< this just to get you started

ohh and dont forget about changing the cabin filer