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Car in gear, but wont move

14K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  trip50z 
#1 ·
I have searched for this problem and have come up with some solutions, but seems like none exactly fit my description, so here it goes.

I have owned the car for 2 years and driven 30,000 miles on it. Previous owner probably didnt change the clutch for a year or two before that, just guessing.

I was driving the car pretty hard and when i came to a stop. I put the car in 1st and let go of the clutch, and nothing. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, R and no movement in the car and no movement in RPM's from the different gears. It acts as if its in neutral. I checked the linkage and it does move between gears (not sure if thats the extent of checking it). The engine runs fine, there are no noises coming from the tranny and the clutch pressure is as if nothing ever happened. Everything is normal except the car will not move while in gear. The car will also roll back and forth while in gear. Please help me as I really need advice on where to start looking. I have had people tell me over the phone a clutch replacement to broken drive shaft. One last thing, there is a burning smell that comes from near the tranny/clutch. I have driven manuals my entire life and know a burnt clutch smell is very distinct, but i completely forgot what it smelled like. It has been smelling for the past couple weeks, i just thought it was other cars/trucks.

-no rpm changes between gears
-can go into gear without clutch
-clutch has same exact pressure it once had
-car moves back and forth in gear as if its in neutral
-no leaks
-smell coming from tranny/clutch area. burnt oil type of smell, cept not oil.

if you have any more questions, please ask, becuase i am determined to not get screwed by a shop.

Thanks
Derek
 
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#3 ·
another thing is.

i have NOT experienced slipping yet with my car. Sometimes i would shift into 1st and it wouldnt go all the way, so i would disengage the clutch and reshift and it would go in, sometimes with a grind. and i could tell the clutch was going, i just thought that it would go gradually and not instantaniously.
 
#5 ·
There are many things about this that simply don't make sense to me...

Before you get catastrophic clutch failure, you almost always get slippage in the higher gears...

I think it strange that there was no grinding popping noise, this kind of eliminates stripping off the splines or shearing the hub of the friction disk... I have had a friction disk fail, and the loose springs bound with the pressure plate causing it to ALWAYS be engaged, but it almost seems that your pressure plate has failed, and is not engaging at all.

If you look at possible failures:
  • Master Cylinder - Clutch won't dis-engage - nope, this isn't it.
  • Slave Cylinder - Clutch won't dis-engage - nope, this isn't it.
  • Friction Disk failure - slips before complete failure - Nope, this isn't it
  • TOB failure - Clutch won't dis-engage - nope, this isn't it.
  • Stripped splines on input shaft - Possible, but strange that there is no noise
  • Sheared hub on Friction Disk - Possible, but strange that there is no noise.
  • Broken fork in tranny - AH... this may be a culprit, but still, no noise.
One way or another you are going to have to pull the tranny... there simply are not that many things it could be that DON'T require you pull it. Have you ever changed your gear oil, are you sure it HAD gear oil, maybe try pulling the plug to drain it, and see if the magnet on the plug had metal on it to determine if it was an internal tranny failure.

Are you ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE that it is going into gear, and not simply allowing the shifter to move freely? Go under the hood, and as a friend shifts, watch the linkages go in and out of gear... I had the base of my shifter fail about 8 years ago, it would let the shifter move all it wanted, but the cable was not on the plate, so it would not go into gear... get a friend and verify that it is infact shifting into gear under the hood, and not just in the cabin.
 
#6 ·
i am 99% that ur clutch is gone since u were getting burning smell as well ... i have 94 3000gt non-turbo and samething happened to my car, that i can shift into any gear but it will act like its in neutral, clutch pedal was as normal as before, no noise, also checked the drive shaft, clutch cables and everything, so i just totally changed my whole clutch and its all good, paid $600 parts and labour, so parts basically include full clutch kit with bearing, also surfaced the flywheel. so i am pretty sure ur clutch is toasted
 
#7 ·
when i shift into all the gears, the linkage DOES move. so if thats all that needs to be seen to X that problem out, then that is not the problem. and shifting feels like it did before the problem arose. everything is basically normal except, there is a smell (im pretty sure its a burnt clutch smell) and the fact that is doesnt move or die while in gear. i will have to check the fork thing you discussed, but i have to find how to do that first.

as far as gear oil, im not sure. i havent changed the tranny fluid since i bought it, but as far as im told, even if there was no fluid, the car should be able to move.

i talked to a guy at aamco and he said hes 99% sure its my clutch. he said something about a plate, i have to call him again to get the specifics and run it by you all before i accept it.
 
#8 ·
Where are you located? (It isn't just you, but whats the deal with new users on the board NOT posting their location when the sign up for God's sake - people can't offer to help you if they have no clue where you are!)

Aamco is probably a VERY bad idea - they will take you to the hoop, and they really are not that good... check out the regional forums on the board, and see if someone can recommend someone local that is reputable.
 
#11 ·
Great post about aamco iceman. I'll be the first to second the aamco bashing. I had to remove my tranny 4 times this past winter for them to get it right. On an AWD it's a motha by yourself. Saved $600 by doing it myself though.

Pull the tranny and then diagnose.
 
#12 ·
ok, checked to see about the spedometer and NO it does not go up when i rev in gear.

I will check to see if the release fork moves while shifting.

I am located in Charleston, Illinois. sry bout not putting that on profile.

and im not an expert with cars, but im not stupid either, hah.. im pretty damn sure its going into gear. its literally as if everything is perfectly fine except the thing wont move!
 
#14 ·
Iceman, u said that i should check the gear oil and make sure it has some.

"Have you ever changed your gear oil, are you sure it HAD gear oil, maybe try pulling the plug to drain it, and see if the magnet on the plug had metal on it to determine if it was an internal tranny failure."

-can you please tell me how to do this? i have searched on this forum, but must be a noob cause i cant find instructions on it. and the answer to your question is, NO, i have no changed it. (pictures would be great, of the plug that is and its location) :)

-also, is there a way to check if the tranny has fluid in it, or the proper level of fluid?
 
#15 ·
From under the car, look at the tranny... there are two bolts/plugs, one in the bottom to drain it, and one facing the front of the car to fill it.

Proper level for the fluid is up to the bottom of the fill hole (the one facing the front of the car,
 
#16 · (Edited)
and when i drain it, should i replace it right away? how do i do that? and what type of fluid do i put in it. like u said, most likely im going to have to pull the tranny anyways. would it be a waste to refill it?

when removing the clutch, does the tranny have to come out as well? and thus, fluid changed at that time?

so assuming there are no metal chips in the tranny fluid, what are your thoughts on my problem?
 
#17 ·
You don't HAVE to drain it to pull the tranny, but you can make a hell of a mess if you don't - everyone drains it, I don't know of anyone who doesn't, and yep, you got to pull the tranny to pull the clutch...

I am still leaning towards there being something wrong in the tranny... if something goes wrong with the clutch, it USUALLY locks down hard and does not let you dis-engage, not the other way around.

There are many schools of thought about tranny fluid, some like GM Syncromesh, and some like a 50/50 blend of Redline MTL and MT-90... In my opinion, these are both too damn thin... I use Amsoil gear oil (they don't make the hypoidal oil anymore), I believe it is 85W90... but a lot of how thick you need to go depends on how much you beat on your transmission... the pumpkin takes a lot of abuse, so I try to err on the side of thicker.
 
#18 ·
You and everyone else new to the board really REALLY need to bookmark Stealth 316 Home

There is a wealth of information there, including a page about changing the clutch, granted it is a TT, BUT... the pictures showing drain and fill plug locations are damn near the same for both the TT and the NA.
 
#19 ·
ok, iceman.. i bookmarked that site and will refer to it whenever possible. i have trouble finding what i need on it, but that is probably due to inexperience using the site. i was part of twinturbo.net when i owned my 300zxtt and it was incredibly helpful.

i am pretty sure its the clutch thats messed up even tho you think its the tranny (just prayin its not). i am going to drain the tranny fluid when i get a chance and check for the metal shavings on the plug magnet. and i am going to have a mechanic pull the tranny/clutch in the coming days/week.

so lets assume it is the clutch. i am not trying to soop this car up as i dont have the funds, so what would be the best clutch for the money (cheap as possible but still quality). and what else should i be looking to do while im down there. only essentials, nothing above and beyond the norm.

thanks for your help!
 
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