First Gear difficult to engage

[pb450]

Had the car out at the weekend for a drive in the sun. First gear is becoming increasingly difficult to engage when the engine is cold. (Which make extraction from the garage interesting!) Things improve as everything warms up and there is absolutely no problem with first gear engagement when the car is still rolling at 2 or 3 mph. It slots in a treat when the clutch is dipped under these conditions.

I start the car with foot on clutch (always have done, since I started driving) and then engage reverse without difficulty. Back it out of the garage and then the fun starts with first gear selection. Thereafter reverse is a crunchy passtime until things have warmed up, as I have to go to and fro a couple of times to turn in the front garden.

It's booked in for a service later this week and will be looked at. Just wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience and has a potential answer. Current thinking is clutch hydraulics.

[jojackson4]

Gearbox oil and linkage lube

[Andav469]

I had exactly the same issue with my car 6 months ago, the gear linkage was practically seized!

I didn't have to replace any parts, just a dismantle and grease up of the linkage.

[pb450]

Thanks guys. I'll report back at the end of the week.

[roseytvr]

Are you using ATF or gearbox oil?

[pb450]

roseytvr said:

Are you using ATF or gearbox oil?

No clue I'm afraid. Gearbox oil hasn't been changed since my ownership in a little over a year now. The use of ATF in the T5 box seems to be a much debated topic and opinion is divided.

It's as sweet as a nut when engaging 1st at a rolling pace. Service is tomorrow with a reliable specialist so I'll be finding out then. From my experience at the weekend I wonder if I will have to cut the engine, engage 1st gear and restart! We'll see....

[Ozstyle]

First thing to do when experiencing gear selection issues is check clutch fluid level and bleed the clutch to eliminate this as a possible cause.

[roseytvr]

pb450 said:

From my experience at the weekend I wonder if I will have to cut the engine, engage 1st gear and restart! We'll see....

If its that bad its not going to be a simple matter of ATF or oil. Linkage or clutch problem would be my guess. Good luck

[pwd95]

My money is on low clutch fluid level.

[fausTVR]

I've been having some difficulty with 1st gear, but I've found that instead of bullying it in, I need to push the 'lever forward until the point where it baulks and then wait for a second or so and it gives in without increased force being needed, if that makes sense. It just seems to need a delay before slotting in.

OP you mentioned crunchy reverses, do you not slot it into 5th before reverse?

[phazed]

Sounds like a new clutch required.

[pb450]

Not tried 5th before reverse. I'll give that a go tomorrow morning.

Regarding new clutch, there was some suggestion of this when I bought it last year but 2000 miles later and some spiritted driving show no other problems. I'm hoping it's hydraulics.

[pb450]

OK. All sorted. Clutch working fine now. (but heavy so may have limited life left, looking forward.)

First was a weeping slave cylinder, followed by a leaking master cylinder. Both went undetected on my part. Master cylinder was nearly empty and I would have very soon lost the clutch completeley! Not the quickest service item to check as you have to have a tube of mastic in your hand to check fluid levels. That's TVR design for you, I guess. Embarrassed to say I didn't check levels as regularly as I should have, for this reason.

Be warned...!!!