I just went outside and hopped into my 90 vert parked in my company's parking deck and when I tried to put it in gear and drive off, I could not get it in first gear. I tried all of the other ones too and it would not budge. Then I tried reverse and got the infamous gear grinding sound like you hear when you miss a shift.

So I cut the car off and tried shifting and the shifter appeared to go into all the gears. But then I took my foot off of the clutch and it still appeared to shift into all the gears.

Somehow it seems that the clutch is not engaging. Any thoughts out there? Anything I can try to do (with no tools, etc. handy) so that I can get home tonight?

Thanks!

 

put it in 1st, clutch, and try to start it. if it jumps forward the clutch isnt disengaing.

 

Your clutch hydraulics are going out. Either the master or slave cylinder. Does the clutch pedal feel like it has more play than usual? Check your fluid level on the master cylinder, look for leaks around the slave cylinder (and under the dash at the clutch pedal pushrod, thats the master going bad.

If your neutral safety switch doesnt work, you can put the car in first gear, then turn the key. Preferrably facing downhill, car must at least be level, but it will start and off you go! Or get someone to push you. Then rev match perfectly when you shift and youll be fine...or just leave it in first and drive on the shoulder...

Or maybe youll want to replace the master or slave before you drive it.

 

Just click the key over really quick, don't hold it, and see if it jumps.

 

I'll go check your suggestions. Thanks for the quick responses.

 

If your clutch pedal feels fine, it's your pilot bearing. It sounds like the input shaft is engaged with the e-shaft through a damaged pilot bearing. It happened to my a couple of times with an FB and an FC that I owned.

Put the car in gear, put your foot on the clutch and try to start the engine. If the car lurches forward, your input shaft is jammed in the e-shaft. If you're lucky, it will disengage after a few attempts, but it will jam up again.

 

Hmmm. I'm still trying to figure this one out. The clutch pedal has virtually no resistance at all. When I engage it the pedal goes easily to the floor and back up again. I did try putting it in first and cranking the engine. The engine struggled to turn over and would not start. It almost sounded like it does when the battery is going dead. It slightly tried to move forward but maybe only an inch. When I supposedly took it back out of gear the engine cranked right up. Sooooo. Does this sound like a bad master or slave cylinder? I suppose I'll have to get it towed to a transmission shop for a full check. $$$$$$$ Yikes!

 

yep... sounds like the master is shot... poke your head under the hood once and take a look at the master (and slave if you can see it) and look for a leak.

its a really easy fix if you know what youre doing. (replacing the master and slave)

 

if u leave it in neutral does it go backwards

 

99.9% it is the clutch master or slave. The good news is it takes about 15-30 minutes to replace but you aren't going anywhere until you do.

Search the topic and you will find how-to's.

 

Thanks again for the suggestions. I'll go back down there today to take a look at the master and slave cylinders. Hopefully that is all it is.

 

Ran into the same issue one day when I went to KFC. Came out and the pedal went to the floor. had to start the car in first and rev match all the way home. Thank god for green lights all the way!

The master and slave are easy to change. Really literally a 15 minute job. 30 if your really struggling.

 

Agreed. If you ghetto bleed it with a coke bottle and some silicone tubing, you can do it in your office parking lot.

 

Red Bull?

 

Just got back from checking on it. Stopped by AutoZone on the way and picked up a bottle of clutch fluid just in case. Opened the hood, took the trusty flashlight out of my tool box and sure enough the clutch fluid reservoir was bone dry. Looking around the firewall by the master cylinder I could see the white paint was peeled away from what appears to have been a leak over some time. Similar view down around the slave cylinder. Some of the paint on the engine was gone so I am assuming both locations have been leaking fluid over a period of time. I bought the car used last fall and have been concentrating on other issues with it and did not even think about checking the clutch fluid. Lesson learned. Anyway, I filled the thing up with fluid, cranked it up and spent a few minutes working on trying to get it in gear. After about five minutes, the thing finally appeared to start working again. When the wife gets back into town this afternoon we'll go back to the office and grab it and I will attempt to drive it home. It should be okay I think for that short distance. Will put an order in at Mazdatrix for new master and slave cylinders as well as a new slave hose.

Thanks for all the help guys. The advice was spot on.

 

Just drove the car home. I was able to start out shifting gears and got it on the interstate and drove in 4th gear to the exit near my house. As I tried to shift down at the top of the ramp, it would not go through the various gears. I had to stop at the light and was able to get it in third. I revved the crap out of it and got a very slow launch at the light. As I took off, it let out some thick white smoke and the stench was horrible. Sort of like something buring with a turd on top of it. Got caught at another light turning into my neighborhood and same thing, a ton of smoke and really bad smell. Finally got it in the driveway and shut her down. Took a look at the master cylinder and it was still full of fluid but the fluid looked gray. I had just filled it earlier in the day with fresh fluid. Also, when the car is off, I don't have to push the clutch in to shift gears. They freely engaged without the clutch.

Do you guys still think this is a bad master/slave cylinder issue? Or am I screwed with a bigger problem? I don't want to go through the trouble of changing out the master and slave if that is not the issue. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

Well you wrote that the system was bone dry..... I would change the clutch master and slave.

Have a friend step on the clutch and watch the movement on the slave. See how far the t/o bearing fork gets pushed out.

 

What would be considered normal travel for the t/o bearing fork?

 

you could try checking the fsm.............its in the FAQ section.

Lloyd

 

just checked my fork travel and it was close to 1.5"

 

I could but I have spent the better part of the day searching for solutions in the FSM which is relatively worthless so I was hoping to gain some of the busted knuckle wisdom from this forum so if you can't help with the problem don't bother to post. Anybody else willing to help?

 

Thanks for the info RXnos1200. I hope I can help you some time.

 

The clutch Master on my car is at least 100K old (has stains on the bottle)

Might be a good idea to change mine out.

Radiator + Clutch Master + slave + Whole Brake Master (already replaced all brake and clutch pipes/hose with stainless or brand new Mazda part) on the next to buy list.

 

My car has about 110,000 miles on it but I have only put about 500 of those on it. The guy I bought it from last fall did an engine rebuild and a new ACT clutch about 20,000 miles ago. I don't think he bothered to change out the clutch cylinders. The three owners prior to him probably did not either based on the general condition of the car overall when I bought it.

My FB I bought new and have been meticulous in the servicing of it. Hopefully I can bring the FC up to the same condition at some point. It is definitely a project car.

 

when i last seen this happen to me i witnessed the problem couldnt go into gear and also alot of smoke.The clutch was torn into peices idk i would say the clutch but could be wrong.