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2003-2009 Nissan 350Z

wont shift into gear if car is cold...HELP!!

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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 05:11 PM
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wheelred12
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Default wont shift into gear if car is cold...HELP!!

OK... heres the deal, after adjusting the clutch pedal I noticed that the MT is VERY hard to get into gear when the car is cold(outside temp 35deg or less). I thought it might have something to do with adjusting the clutch so I set it back to stock and the problem is still here. The weather wasnt this cold when I made the adjustment to the clutch so I cant say if it did it before the adjustment or not. The car has about 20k miles on it.
Anyone else have this problem?
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 05:15 PM
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Its just a cold tranny, it happens with mine too.
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 05:33 PM
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The clutch is old. The transmission is cold. Everything is cold. Shifting is fine after you have driven the car 5 minutes correct?
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:15 PM
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yeah, even if it is 60* outside, but if my car is stone cold it won't shift into first and is very hard to get into second unless i release the clutch while its in neutral before shifting... after about 5min drive time no problems
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:20 PM
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Its fine...dont sweat it.
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:22 PM
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I thought it was too cold to sweat. lol
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:33 PM
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are you serious? $25k and can hardly get out of the driveway, it takes me a good few minutes to be able to force it into gear....dont take me wrong I LOVE my car but I have owned most of the common different makes and models of cars and trucks and have never had this issue even from Fart(Ford).
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:38 PM
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Not too cold here in NC...was 70 today. =)
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:39 PM
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just do what i mentioned, basically double clutch it/ rev match for the first few minutes. If you're at a stop and it won't go in first release the clutch in neutral, clutch it then put it in gear...
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 06:41 PM
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I have the same problem, I did adjust the clutch many times and the problem is still there..... If I leave the car outside in the cold temperature I can't shift in to any gear for 5-10 min! And it feels like I’m really hurting it if I don't let it warm up. I use redline MT90 synthetic oil in there. So when it’s warmed-up it shifts like butta.


Is there anybody who is having the same problems with stock (not adjusted) clutch?
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 10:41 PM
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i found that wiggling the shifter up and down in neutral btwn 1st and 2nd helps get it into 1st from neutral. kinda like breaking a hymen. think hymen.
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by wheelred12
are you serious? $25k and can hardly get out of the driveway, it takes me a good few minutes to be able to force it into gear....dont take me wrong I LOVE my car but I have owned most of the common different makes and models of cars and trucks and have never had this issue even from Fart(Ford).

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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 10:53 PM
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most hymen are already broken in.
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Old Jan 18, 2006 | 03:14 AM
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I adjusted my clutch pedal as well but I don't have the "cold shifting" problems. Sometimes I'll get a little gring going into second but that's about it. I've never had a problem getting the gears into first. Then again, I've never driven the car below about 30 degrees so......????
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Old Jan 18, 2006 | 04:15 AM
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I had this same problem with my car going into second gear when cold for about the first 1K miles on it. Then after that even cold my car shifts into second like butter.
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Old Jan 18, 2006 | 04:49 AM
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I have the same problem when it's cold outside (35 or below). My car has not had any problems with this for about a month now, but the weather has been nice (55-75). Good luck and I hope the problem goes away.
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Old Jan 18, 2006 | 05:42 AM
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why dont u do this...
start the car 5 minutes before you go out
then 5 minutes later... you will have a normal car...
good deal right?
doesnt hurt to let it idle and warm up in the drive way for 5 minutes and while its doing that... u get ur seats warmed and heaters working... and shift **** isnt freezing anymore
lol...
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Old Feb 17, 2006 | 09:34 AM
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I adjusted my clutch back out and didnt have the problem anymore, but it sucks going back to staock after having driven the better set up
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Old Feb 17, 2006 | 10:13 AM
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Now that I have a few more miles on my car about 2400 it doesn't really have a problem even cold getting into 2nd anymore. Thought I'd up date.
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Old Feb 17, 2006 | 10:29 AM
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Default Same Situation

Originally Posted by wheelred12
I adjusted my clutch back out and didnt have the problem anymore, but it sucks going back to staock after having driven the better set up
I have had my car over a year now, and never had a problem getting it into first gear, even when it was cold, until I adjusted the clutch. I think with the reduced clutch travel, it's not fully disengaged when you press it to the floor, so it makes it a little hard to get it to go into first.

I have been thinking about adjusting mine back to stock again, but like you, I hate to go back.
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