Just about 270,000 mi. and running strong. I knew I needed to replace soon, but procrastinated as usual. Driving home one night it started slipping real bad, I could only get it in gear if the car was rolling. By the time I finally / barely limped onto my street and up the drive way my cloths smelled of clutch and my hand was numb from the vibration coming through the shifter. Normally, I would have had it towed home but this was one night I had to make it buy a certain time!! Due to an important family matter.
I have been starting it once a week for the last 6 weeks to keep the battery and fluids alive until I had time and money to fix it. I attempted many times to put it in first gear (engine running and off) over the last month, but was unable to. I figured the mess that I made in the bell housing was the problem and all would be well once repaired.
Today I completed the clutch job. Nothing to surprising or worse than expected in my findings. The disc had thrown a few springs and their were a few ball bearing along with inner and outer races left behind from what used to be an idler bearing. Of course quite a few burn marks on the pressure plate and fly wheel (I had it turned) from me abusing it all the way home that night. Oh and the magnet in the drain plug had a tiny bit more material on it than I expected, I've seen worse! Although....The gear oil was very metallic and glittery.
It still is not going into 1st gear!!! All the other gears are no problem. I tried everything. No check engine light, no grinding. I'm installing A new driver side axle in the morning and I'll take it for a "gentile" test drive then and see what happens. This will be the first time on the road since I parked it 6-7 months ago.
Is there a lockout of some kind for first gear. I replaced numerous bushing in the shifter linkage?
If some fresh gear oil gets pumped through it, will it clear up and let me shift into first again?
Dose this happen if the oil is low?
OR did I ruin it?
Please help!!
