Won't go into gear with engine running

Basically throwing new parts on this thing. Fifth gear stripped. Removed tran and had the metal pieces completely cleaned out. Put in a taller fourth and fifth with a new r&p. New slave, master cylinder, and brake booster. Removed the inspection boot for checking tdc on the flywheel and I can feel the clutch fork moving as my buddy pumps the clutch. Somehow the slave is not pushing on the fork enough? New clutch fork with clip and throw out bearing.

The clutch pedal is very secure, nothing loose there. The new master cylinder came with a new clip to secure the rod to the pedal. Double checked that.

Have bled the system a few different ways. Used vacuum, reverse bled it with a hand pump, and as per Bentley.

Also has a brand new fly wheel, clutch, pressure plate. South bend replaced those bc one of the pressure plate springs broke.

I welcome your suggestions and comments. Good bad or otherwise

Throwout bearing? I replaced a clutch in a car where the throwout pivot arm was actually worn completely through by the pivot bolt. They don't last forever...

I guess I'm lucky to have so many new parts on this thing. Last sentence first paragraph. But I appreciate the help��

I'm going to buy a syringe and reverse bleed it thoroughly

You didn't say whether it will go into gear with the engine off, but I'll assume it will. If so, I wonder if the synchronizer rings are OK?

It does go into any gear with engine off. The rebuilder in denver did replace a synchro. And just to be clear it won't go into any gear while running.

I'm still learning transmissions. So there's three synchros? One for first/second, another third/fourth, and then fifth?

FL/COtdi said:

It does go into any gear with engine off. The rebuilder in denver did replace a synchro. And just to be clear it won't go into any gear while running.

I'm still learning transmissions. So there's three synchros? One for first/second, another third/fourth, and then fifth?

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With the engine off and in first gear, can you roll the car or does the gear hold it from moving? This test will make sure the car is really in gear.

I'll check that thanks!

Pivot bolt? If the fork slipped off the pivot bolt it won't go into gear. The pivot bolt has a plastic " hat" that the fork actually pivots on and the steel clip holds the fork in place by clipping behind the shoulders of the plastic "hat" . That plastic part wears out over time and allows the fork to slip off. If you replaced the clip that's great however the pin might also have needed replacement.

Sounds to me from your description that something is keeping the engine's crankshaft and the transmission's input shaft "connected" all the time, even if you push the clutch pedal all the way down.

Since there is no pilot bearing on the 02J trans, we can rule a seized one of those out.

With the engine NOT running, can you row through all the gears OK from inside the car? And your say the clutch pedal "feels" OK, meaning it does not bind or grab or anything when you push it down?

To confirm what is happening, with the car on the ground and nothing in front of it, put it in 1st gear and try starting the engine with your foot pressed down on the clutch. If it tries to move forward, that confirms you have the about mentioned problem of crankshaft/input shaft stuck together.

Sounds like you need to pull the trans back out.

maybe they put the clutch disc in backwards with the sprung hub mashed in the crank bolts?

[486] said:

maybe they put the clutch disc in backwards with the sprung hub mashed in the crank bolts?

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Good point!

Seems very difficult to install clutch disc backwards. The pressure plate would not torque down much at all and sit out from flywheel.

There is a hole on the top of the bell housing that allows a temporary service tool (or bolt) to slide in and hold the clutch fork in place while installing transmission. Make sure the didn't leave anything in there preventing the fork from engaging forward.

I would check shift linkage and readjust as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sheTKD03hmo

You can unbolt slave cylinder while keeping soft hydraulic line attached to visually inspect amount of movement while clutch pedal is pressed in.

I appreciate the input. So we started it in first. Seems to drive kinda normal. Then have to double clutch it into second. No grind. Clutchs slips on mild acceleration. Trans is coming back out.

beaverton28 said:

Seems very difficult to install clutch disc backwards....

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Well in my world I see all kinds of things you'd think would be difficult to do, but people somehow manage to do it!

Pressure plate wasn't tight enough to the flywheel. I'm still just a newbie. Then on reinstall we busted the housing for the coolant sensor. Luckily I was the one underneath the car holding the trans. That's just part of the action sometimes.

Is dried up coolant going to be alright on the flywheel/clutch setup?

FL/COtdi said:

I appreciate the input. So we started it in first. Seems to drive kinda normal. Then have to double clutch it into second. No grind. Clutchs slips on mild acceleration. Trans is coming back out.

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This sounds like when I had a slight oil leak from the valve cover at the flywheel side.
I could not step on the clutch & put the car in gear. (This was the middle of the winter)
I had to put the car in 1st, step on the clutch then start it. Sometimes with a bit of a jerk forward.
Step on the clutch to shift, tap the gas pedal (was a 1.8 Fox) to break the disk free, shift gears & let the pedal up.
The disk had a slimy coating on it, not burnt from slipping.
Probably could have fixed the leak, cleaned the disk & put it back it. It hardly had any wear on it.

Rich W.

FL/COtdi said:

Is dried up coolant going to be alright on the flywheel/clutch setup?

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no big deal, just spray some water in there through the timing mark hole up top and it'll rinse most out, the rest will dry into crust soon as you get it hot

I thought so but I'd rather know for sure ty

oilhammer said:

Sounds to me from your description that something is keeping the engine's crankshaft and the transmission's input shaft "connected" all the time, even if you push the clutch pedal all the way down.
Since there is no pilot bearing on the 02J trans, we can rule a seized one of those out.
With the engine NOT running, can you row through all the gears OK from inside the car? And your say the clutch pedal "feels" OK, meaning it does not bind or grab or anything when you push it down?
To confirm what is happening, with the car on the ground and nothing in front of it, put it in 1st gear and try starting the engine with your foot pressed down on the clutch. If it tries to move forward, that confirms you have the about mentioned problem of crankshaft/input shaft stuck together.
Sounds like you need to pull the trans back out.

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I had this same thing just happen to my Golf on Tuesday. It does move forward with my foot on the clutch, like I'm driving an Auto trans. At first I was thinking clutch cylinder, but I'm troubled now it is worse. What causes this?

clutch is dragging

pedal feel wierd?

It is either the throwout bearing, or the pressure plate on my Golf. Probably just going to replace to whole kit, since it has around 60k on it.

There's a black plug on top of the tran. It's normally used to find tdc for the first piston. But you can also see the pressure plate. For me it was not totally snug up against the flywheel. You should be able to see if that is the problem. You can also stick a skinny finger in the bigger hole, engine off mind you. Have a buddy push the clutch and you should be able to feel the clutch fork being pushed by the slave cylinder?

what did this end up being? I have an 05 tdi with a 5 speed. It was caught in some water for a few minutes a few inches above the axle. It drove home that evening fine, but the next day it would not go into any gear while started. Turned off it goes in fine. I should also say that I believe the clutch needs to be replaced anyway as it's got well over 100k miles on it, but the reality is that it was working and then stopped.

See post #15

BobnOH said:

See post #15

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Thanks Bob