Today I tried to shift into 1st from a dead stop and couldn’t get it to go into any gear, even after repeated clutch pumping.
I have had a very slow leak (for 3 years) in the transmission/clutch fluid area a mechanic told me to keep it full with brake fluid. If the fluid is low, this will cause the gear to stick, but the container was full. Any ideas as to what the problem is? Thanks!
Which is it clutch or transmission fluid? What exactly happens when you try? Does anything move, any noises? Will it shift with the engine off?
Three years with a leak, I would say it is about time to fix it properly.
Your clutch master and/or slave cylinder has finally given up the ghost. Have both of them replaced.
Try shifting into the gears without the engine running. Does it shift smoothly into all gears? If so, there’s a problem with the clutch hydraulic system.
Tester
I’ve had tons of experience with this very same problem, except with Ford’s version of the Mazda Navajo: they all have hydraulic clutches instead of mechanical clutches. In 225,000 miles one or the other - the master cylinder (Where you put the fluid in) or the slave cylinder (The actual pushing mechanism inside the transmission with the clutch) has been the biggest problem with my Explorer. What has happened is that you allowed the fluid to get too low before you topped it off again. But, there is an easy, temporary fix so that you can put off fixing this leak until the clutch needs to be replaced (If the leak is at the slave cylinder.). Make sure that the reservoir is filled up to the proper level and recap. With the engine off, pump the clutch peddle about 150 times without hesitation between pumps - I know 150 times seems like a lot, but this will actually work. I don’t know if your reservoir has the same capacity of my Explorer so you might want to recheck the fluid level at about 100 pumps.
You’ve just a llowed a little bit of air to get into the system and the clutch hydraulics work just like the brakes do. The big “but” here is that you should make sure that neither the reseroir nor the hydraulic line is bad - if it is, don’t hesitate to fix it because that is just senseless. About 5 years ago it only cost me $100 to have the reservoir replaced and the system bled. It can’t be too much more expensive now.
But the vehicle in question isn’t a Navajo- it’s a “Mitata”, which I take to mean, “Miata”. As such, it probably has an external slave cylinder.
HEY! NORM is it?
you are clueless.
sorry for the negative,thought,( BUT I SEE YOU HAVE NO CLUE )
horrible advice.