1991 Ford Escort won't go in gear when you push clutch and try to move stick into gear. Car won't move at all. Stick seems tight and won't move. Could it need an adjustment or is a cable broken? Help!

1991 Ford Escort won't go in gear when you push clutch and try to move stick into gear. Car won't move at all. Stick seems tight and won't move. Could it need an adjustment or is a cable broken? Help!

was it sitting around for a while and you found it like this? seized up while driving? has it been happpening repeatedly? first time?

do you mean car wont move at all, or stick wont move at all?

was it sitting around for a while and you found it like this? seized up while driving? has it been happpening repeatedly? first time?

do you mean car wont move at all, or stick wont move at all?

I've driven the car since March without any hint of trouble. I drove it yesterday and it was fine and last night it just quit working. Felt like transmission was "slipping" last night then I couldn't get it to go into any gear.

Like it won't go out of neutral or it won't move while in the gear spot?

Like it won't go out of neutral or it won't move while in the gear spot?
IT WON'T GO OUT OF NEUTRAL INTO GEAR,AND THE RANGE FROM SIDE TO SIDE IS LIMITED.

IT WON'T GO OUT OF NEUTRAL INTO GEAR,AND THE RANGE FROM SIDE TO SIDE IS LIMITED.

Can you get somebody to watch the clutch slave cylinder while you push in the clutch? The clutch may not be releasing. Have somebody watch the arm of the clutch to see if it is moving. If it's not you should bleed the system. Then, if it still isn't working you may have to replace the master cylinder or slave cylinder.

Now that we have the car home, it appears to be stuck in first gear instead of neutral. Any idea what would cause this problem?

Do you have a cable tranny or a hydraulic (sp)

It might just be tranny fluid (or lack thereof)

Do you have a cable tranny or a hydraulic (sp)

It might just be tranny fluid (or lack thereof)


I don't know if it's cable or hydraulic clutch. How do I know? If it's hydraulic, where do you find the reservoir to put fluid in?

I don't know if it's cable or hydraulic clutch. How do I know? If it's hydraulic, where do you find the reservoir to put fluid in?

Sorry I didn't get back with you sooner. It is a hydraulic clutch. It shares fluid with the brake resevoir. There's a line running from the brake master cylinder down to the master cylinder of the clutch which is lower down on the firewall and a little bit to the left. You've got some air in the system and your clutch isn't releasing the pressure plate so you can shift gears. Make sure the brake master cylinder is no less than 1/2 full while you bleed the clutch. To do this,
1. Remove the rubber cap from the bleed valve on the slave cylinder. Fit a rubber or vinyl or rubber tube over the bleeder valve and stick the end into a container of clean brake fluid.
2. Open the bleeder valve and have somebody pump the clutch slowly until the air bubbles quit and you get a steady stream of brake fluid. On the last pump have them hold it to the floor while you close the brake bleeder valve. You may have to fill the brake fluid resevoir and repeat this step until you get all the air out.
3. Operate the clutch and look to see if the clutch arm going into the bell housing is moving. If it is you're good to go.