Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle Engaging Problems during startup

About once every couple of weeks when I start my car and try to engage into any gear its like hitting a brick wall. I try first and can't budge, 2nd gear, and the same thing. So I just force it into gear because thats the only way I can get it into gear and I am using so much force I think something will eventually break. But after I do get it into gear it drives fine. Anyone have the same problems or just me? And is there any suggestions? Thanks

Yeah, you're screwed. Same as me. Most likely it's a bad pressure plate. People on here are going to try to tell you that you have air in your clutch line and to bleed it, but that will do nothing. The problem is that your clutch is not dissengaging when you press the pedal. It has been identified by some as a bad pressure plate spring. You're looking at a full clutch job to fix it. $1200+ My advice is to live with it. That's what im doing. When i trade this thing in on my next car it will become someone elses problem. Didn't seem to bother them when they sold it to me.

There can be more than one reason that the clutch is not disengagine. Start by bleeding the clutch. It may help. It is unwise to assume that you need a clutch before checking out the more simple stuff.

One indication (but not foolproof) that it is air in the line is to see if pumping the clutch pedal a few times before trying to put it in gear helps.

Tbird,

How often does it happen to you? As random as me, a couple a times a month? I try to pump the clutch but still won't engage. I'm going to talk to the dealership to see what they say. $1200 is a no go, and if it is the problem, I will live with it. But i'll bleed it and see what happens. Thanks for the input fellas.

Ill give you all my symptoms...

1) the problem is completely random. However if i sit there and pump the clutch, it gets worse, to the point where i cant get it in gear at all. However, once i do, and get going, it sometimes just goes away on its own, sometimes it doesnt.

2) lots of noise when the clutch is engaged. a rattling similar to a diesel engine idling. louder at low rpms, and seems to go away or get drowned out at higher rpms. also, i am getting a drivetrain whine when accelerating when the engine is cold.

3) If i am sitting at a light, i can push the gearshift in between N and 1 and get a nice louder grrrrrrrr grinding noise, with the clutch in. this is because it is barely dissengaging at all.


This is my biggest problem, though intermitent. Im sure it is doing a number on my tranny internals, but i dont care. I had 2 dealerships sign off saying they "couldnt reproduce the problem", and my internals are warrantied. Ford will have fun dealing with my lawyer if they try to jerk me around.

Beyond this, ive had every one of the "common problems" and am now looking at $400 to fix the warped dash. Bottom line, this car is a POS. I hate it. I cant wait to be rid of it. Biggest mistake of my life. I wont bash Ford, becasue i had 2 thunderbird before this that were awesome. no problems what so ever. But this car is junk. Nice engine, great suspension, and i always loved the looks, but beyond that, i have lost all use for it. It's a money pit. And with new car prices as low as they are, it isnt worth putting all this money into a car i still owe money on, just to get it to work the way it's supposed to. Honestly, if it wasnt so much fun to drive when it actually workd right, i probably woudlnt get so bent out of shape. It's just very disheartening. Sorry, rant off.

Since it is intermittant it is probably not the clutch itself or the transmission itself. I suspect a problem with the clutch hydraulicsm either the master cylinder (not to difficult to replace) or the slave cylinder (requires pulling the trans to replace). Shopuld you pull the trans to do the slave, you should probably do the clutch as well since you have already done most of the labor.

At this point you really need to show it to the dealer service manager or shop foreman when it is acting up. See if they will agree to road test with you immediately if you come in with it acting up then get to them as quickly as possible when it is acting up. Once they feel it they will have a better idea of what it needs.

hmm...That is what i thought originally, but Demon suggested perhaps the PP spring. I am hesitant to take it to a dealer only because, no matter which of those items it is, they arent covered by my warranty (only covers internal transmission parts). And im sure a tranny shop in the area would charge me a lot less in labor, no? If it turned out to be the master, i could obviously do it myself, but in that case wouldnt i also be experiencing weirdness with my brakes? And if the slave crapped out, wouldnt i be losing fluid?

I cannot show it to anyone because it only happens during startup, about once every two weeks. My dad and I are gonna bleed the clutch but he thought it might be the master cylinder. There is no way its the pressure plate. But once I finally do get it into gear after the start up, shifts smooth as butter. So maybe air in the lines, or need to change brake fluid.