Unfortunately that is what I am afraid it is. But maybe I will get lucky and changing out the master and slave cylinders will do the trick. I suppose it is ultimately a process of elimination at this point.

 

LETS OPEN THIS AGAIN. i got the same problem

i drove for 25 mins then got stuck in Neutral at a light.
once i pushed it i tried to start the car in 1st with the clutch inm and it jumped.

waited for 15 mins, then did it again and everything was ok, the car is hard to get into gear tho..Clutch not engaging all the way?
HELP

 

I'm still scratching my head over the fact that I can shift through the various gears without pushing the clutch in when the car is not running. In my mind that sounds like a problem with the internals of the clutch itself. Would a bad master and/or slave cylinder cause that to happen? But when I start the car up, it won't go into any gear. I also find it strange that the fresh clutch fluid I put in it before I drove it home last night was a gray color by the time I got it in my driveway, nineteen miles later.

 

You're able to shift through the gears when the engine is not running because the input shaft isn't turning. Once the engine is started, the trans internals begin turning to be simplistic and the only way to get it in gear is to release the pressure plate clamp on the disc so that the trans input shaft stops turning. If you can't shift it when running, either the pilot bearing is gone and the input shaft is turning continuously, or the hydraulics aren’t working as they should. It’s been said before, look at the linkage and see if the clutch fork is moving when the pedal is depressed.

 

you should be able to shift the trans through all the gears when the engine is off. If you can't; then you have issues with your trans......

have you checked the t/o fork movement yet? That takes 10 seconds at most...........
check the movement and make sure it doesn't start to move back in while holding down the clutch pedal.......

 

I have that problem sometimes. I just put it in anygear I can, then move around to other gears, then finnaly the one I want. (usually 1-5 then into reverse to get out).

 

It happened to me one time, my slave cylinder going out. What I did, I lefT It in first gear, started the car while pushing it a little bit, and drove all the way home in first. avoid stops, or you will die out.

 

i can move my shifter when the cars not on, the car jumps somtimes when starting in neutral. my car drives, for a while until it gets stuck in neutral if i stop at a light or somthing.

picking up a master cyl today. hopefully this cures it.

never changed one tho, anyone have advice??

 

take your time; it's pretty straight forward.....get a friend to help you bleed the system. make sure you can swing the door wide open. just makes it easier to get at it.......

I suggest changing both the clutch master and slave cylinder; if you can.........

 

So i ran into this problem yesterday.
Exactly like the first post described thats how mine is.
Theres like little to no resistance on the clutch. Is this just my master and slave cylinder? Do I have to get them replaced?

This other guy said it was probably my synchros.

 

REPLACE BOTH! i did mine today, working like a champ..the slave is pretty hard to get to tho. need a swivel and extensions.

 

This happend to me, I replaced all clutch hydraulics and it didn't fix it. It turned out to be a bent clutch fork, and my throwout bearing center got bent as well causing it to bind. Same symptoms listed here.

 

i just got STUCK again. i think its the fork like you said.i changed both hydrolics

 

QUESTION!!!

if my throw out bearing is messed up would i know without taking off the tranny and ****??

 

A little off the subject, but with the car at idle, push in on the clutch until resistance is felt, now the throwout bearing is spinning so any noise it's the T/O bearing.

 

nope . no noise from when depressing the clutch.

BENT CLUTCH FORK??

my master and slave are new, and i see the salve moving when i have someone step on the clutch. im going insane over here

 

Maybe the fork fell off the pivotball in the bellhousing........

Ive only seen one bent fork and that was after a hard launch drag racing; the clutch blew up....

rarely hear or see about a bent fork.....

 

ITS THE PILOT BEARING, thanks to mazdatrix

 

Well I finally got all the parts in I needed and the rain finally let up so tonight I finished replacing the master and slave cylinders and replacing the clutch fluid. The good news is I now have an operating clutch again. The bad news is now when I crank the car up, the check engine light comes on and stays on. I am wondering if I screwed something up in the process of changing out the cylinders. I looked under the hood around the areas I was working in and did not see anything that looked out of the ordinary. The electrical connections around the engine all seem to be in place, etc. I do know I was having to shove wires around under the dash to get to the nuts on the master cylinder. Is it possible I may have screwed something up there that would cause the check engine light to come on?

 

The S5 has a code checker available. Been years since I've check the codes, but there is a green female plug on or near the leading coil pack, engine off, connect a jumper from the plug to the negative battery terminal, then turn the ignition to on. The light will flash and you'll need to write down the flashes.

Found this:
View the Mon, 09 Jun 1997 posting
http://www.fd3s.net/engine_codes.html

 

Thanks Turbonut. I had found some similar info with a search but it always helps to have as many perspectives as possible. I'm disappointed that the FSM that I have does not have more on warning lights and possible solutions.

I'm hoping someone may have had the same issue after replacing the clutch cylinders and it may be as simple as a wire or hose got knocked loose that I need to check on. I've learned much on this forum from the trials and tribulations of the other forum members. That "busted knuckle experience" is invaluable.

 

The FSM has the information in the Fuel/Emission section (F1 for N/A).