I bought an '83 with 150,000 miles that was trailered home. I was only to roll it forward and backward a short distance in the sellers driveway. I didn't have a problem getting it on or off the trailer, but when I took it for a drive and got about a 1/4 mile down the road to turn it around I had a hard time getting it in first. A half mile later and I couldn't get it in first. I had to turn the car off to shift into first and then start it. The transmission was not fully disengaged and the car would start rolling as soon as the key was turned.

I knew the hydraulics were not in great shape since the fluid was low when I bought the car. Since I knew these needed work I went ahead and put in a new master slave and flex hose.

When I started the car it grinded going in reverse. I pushed the choke in to drop the idle and it went in better. Gettting turned around and out of the driveway the clutch seemed to work alright. The clutch didn't engage until the pedal was most of the way out (released), so I don't think bleeding is an issue. I went a 1/2 mile down the road and at the first stop sign I couldn't get it in first again. Same as before. I had to turn the car off to get it in gear and then it rolled as soon as I turned the key.

Pumping the pedal hasn't helped, so again I don't think it is air in the system.

I am thinking it is a pilot bearing issue, but wanted to see if anyone else had an idea before I tore it apart. I'm not sure why driving a short distance would change the pilot bearing from being free to seizing.

 

I probably should have added that the car had been in storage for 10 years prior to me buying it. The PO reportedly just drove it the couple of miles from storage to his house to sell it. He said it ran poorly, but didn't say anything about clutch problems.

 

After sitting that long, the car is going to need thorough drivetrain work to get it going anyway.

http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/unstore.htm

So you might as well just pull the transmission now. Maybe the clutch disc has seized to the splines? Clutch fork popped off?

 

Thanks for the link. I don't think it is a seized clutch disc from storage or the fork popped off since it worked OK after the first time it acted up. There seems to be something happening with a short drive that causes it not to function correctly. However, maybe the short drive is causing the clutch disc to seize for some reason.

I suspect you are correct that I will end up removing the transmission.

 

I got the transmission out last weekend and the pilot bearing was damaged.

 

Pilot bearing may have been damaged from removal of trans. Did you pry the trans on a sharp angle with a pry bar. The input shaft may off damaged the bearing in removal of the trans.

 

I don't think the pilot bearing could cause the issue you described. The throwout bearing could, or a leaking slave cylinder...

 

I didn't pry at all to remove the transmission. I pulled and wiggled on the tail of the transmission. I found at least one broken roller and I pulled multiple circular parts out of the area that may have been the ends of the outer race.

 

If the transmission input shaft can't spin freely in the end of the engine shaft because of pilot bearing failure the two won't be rotationally disconnected. This is similar to how a leaking slave cylinder doesn't allow the clutch to fully disengage.

 

I stand corrected. If the pilot bearing was indeed that shot, I could see this happening.

Best of luck. Hopefully everything will be fine once you're finished up.