Mysterious shifting issues after lots of work?!?! New clutch kit, cable, fork, etc.

Cutterfiltoff

Hey all!

I'm at the end of my rope. I love my 91 RT4WD but we can't figure out WTF is up with the transmission. Here's what happens - When cold, it shifts fine. After fully warming up, shifting into first and second requires extra force and while the pedal is fully depressed. Even third can be sticky when its hot.

Here's what we've had done at this point -

New clutch kit + cable installed after the pedal started just going to the floor one day. This didn't fix the problem. The shop I had it at refused to acknowledge that it wasn't right for the clutch to go all the way to the ground for the clutch to release. Stupid, I know.

I have my trustworthy ASE mechanic buddy help me out, and he adjusts the cable to max so I can actually shift decently. This works for a few days, and then degenerates into the same situation of sticky shifting.

We drive it for a bit like that, shutting it down at red lights to shift into first, until we have the $$ to fix it.

I take it to my ASE buddy, he pulls the transmission and replaces the release fork, as the old one was worn down a good deal. Everything else looks pretty good according to him. He slaps it back together with a new clutch cable. We drive it for a few days and its great, but now its slowly getting sticky!!!

Any ideas???

Vtec_Shuttle

Make sure you didn't bind up the clutch cable? and is the the clutch kit from the same yr as your wagon

Charb

Did you use the correct throw out bearing? Not the same as 2wd...

Also check your pedal assembly

bam-bam

Pedal cracked and bending.

Cutterfiltoff

I believe the clutch kit is from the same year.

When you say "bind up" do you mean getting stuck on something? I don't think that's the case.

Is there a specific part to look at on the clutch pedal assembly where I could see bending or cracking?

Thanks much for all the suggestions!!

5280Wagovan

I'm having the same problem. Haven't replaced anything yet tho. It seems to happen after driving for a little while. It starts out sticky then gets to the point it won't go in gear. It's annoying to say the least. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Also I'll be getting under the car soon and will update if i find anything.

This morning it went into gear with no problem, then by the time I got to work it was almost impossible to get into first. Once I'm moving it shifts alright but from a stop, at its worse it won't go into any forward gear at all and will grind like crazy trying to go into reverse.

LowFlyin'

Our clutches are completely mechanically operated.

The clutch cable isn't going to shrink and stretch so much that it would cause these issues. Is the engagement point in the pedal moving further toward the firewall as the problem becomes more prevalent?

Are you getting the proper amount of movement out of the clutch lever coming out of the transmission? Does the pedal feel like it gets harder to push as it gets closer to the firewall?

5280Wagovan

The throw of the clutch does feel short (at times very short like maybe an inch) or close to the firewall and it gets slightly harder to push sometimes. Other times it feels like a normal clutch, or as normal as my clutch has felt.

5280Wagovan

So update with the Honda, it no longer goes into reverse while its running and clutch in, it griiiiiiiiiiiiiiinds. It's gross but shifted into all forward gears. Got sticky once after I drove for a little bit on the hight at about 60mph. No noticeable difference in petal feel I don't think but maybe that's because I've been driving with a messed up clutch for awhile and now it's time for it to go?

Haydz

These guys have given good advice; just pop your head in the footwell and press the clutch pedal with your hand. Do you see the pivot point at the top move back at all? If so, replace your pedal assembly.

5280Wagovan

I'll do that as soon as I can, but it seems if the pedal assembly is busted wouldn't the issue happen constantly?

perfourmance

What did everybody ever figure out about this? I just got my wagon like 3 weeks ago and this started happening a few days ago. Haven't had time to look and see what's going on. I have to agree though, I would think that if it was a bent pedal then it would happen even when cold. Mine almost feels like the cable is stretching because if I get the car into first with the pedal all the way on the floor and the brakes not depressed then it will move forward like the clutch isn't fully disengaging. I'm also getting a high pitched whining noise in forward gears that's most noticeable in first and second.

dove grey 64

High pitched whirring noises are either chipped teeth on the gear or gearbox bearings.
Are you guys using the right gearbox oil? Try using 10w-30 or 10w-40 engine oil in your gearbox.
If your able to select gears while its cold and not when warm it would make sense that the oil viscosity is wrong when warm.
Honda used to use engine oil rebadged as gearbox oil back in the times our cars were made. My gearbox loves it

CitySushi

My wagon has been having a similar issue not wanting to go into gear. I'm not sure if the clutch cable is stretching or the adustment knob is backing off. I keep having to re-adjust (4-5 times to date) the clutch cable to go into gear properly.