(260z car 280z engine with 4spd)

ok my transmission has been acting weird lately, the clutch pedal is all the way to the floor, when i shift to reverse it grinds loud and wont get into gear unless i pull it down hard, that was 2 days ago and this morning i took it for a drive and i noticed its now alot harder to put the car into any gears i literally force them into shifting. drove it around for 40 mins and still no change, then parked the car and tonight i started the car to go to walgreens and the trans will not shift into the gears at all. i notced that when i turn the engine off the gears shift smoothly but when its back on it wont shift at all...any help would be much appreciated.

i did some search and only help i got is maybe its the syncros or change the trans oil.

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by aldren260

Really now, check the clutch fluid. Is it topped off?

You will find that the fluid is low. It is probably in the slave cylinder dust boot. Odds are good that your slave cylinder is bad.

If you keep forcing the gears, then something really will be wrong with your transmission.

Search "slave cylinder" or "clutch problems."

Ditto ^^^... It's your clutch slave or hose.

or...........not knowing the history, and it happened to me, the nut on the adjustment rod came loose and the clutch master wasn't getting a full throw. Was a real pita to figure it out. Start by filling the master and bleeding the slave. If that didn't fix it, look at the fork to see how much travel you have. Should be quite a bit, perhaps an inch or so measured at the slave. If so, there is a clutch problem. If no movement, or very little, could be any of the above mentioned still I guess. When bleeding the slave, there should be a strong pulse of fluid come out, not just a trickle. A trickle might indicate a bad master or a loose rod. A strong pulse could mean a bad slave.

I forgot about that one. Which is funny, or not, since it actually happened to me once.

The message of the evening is check the clutch components for proper operation.

Could also be a bad clutch pressure plate causing this. I had the same problem on my 72.

But more than likely as others have suggested, low on fliud or crook master or slave cylinder.

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by olzed

thanks alotguys for the input ill post updates when i start working on it tomorrow

(260z car 280z engine with 4spd)

ok my transmission has been acting weird lately, the clutch pedal is all the way to the floor, when i shift to reverse it grinds loud and wont get into gear unless i pull it down hard, that was 2 days ago and this morning i took it for a drive and i noticed its now alot harder to put the car into any gears i literally force them into shifting. drove it around for 40 mins and still no change, then parked the car and tonight i started the car to go to walgreens and the trans will not shift into the gears at all. i notced that when i turn the engine off the gears shift smoothly but when its back on it wont shift at all...any help would be much appreciated.

i did some search and only help i got is maybe its the syncros or change the trans oil.

Adding to the previous posts. Not sure how familiar you are with your Z's hydraulics but this may help.

I had this same problem with the same symptoms and what I had was a hydraulic fluid leak. Your clutch is hydraulic and if you have a leak it will eventually fail. My previous experience was that I had a leaking or bad clutch slave cylinder.

Your clutch hydraulic system is divided into 3 parts. First thing is to check for leaks around these areas.

The Clutch master cylinder. (Pic 1) -(Pic 2 cylinder is on right.)

The hydraulic fluid and hoses.

The clutch slave cylinder. (Pic 3)

Check the level of your Clutch master cylinder and see if you have any fluid in it or if its low.

If its low refill it, pump your clutch and try to shift into reverse and 1st with the engine on. If you can shift then check for a leak around your clutch slave cylinder.. Pic 3. The slave cylinder is attached to your transmission. If its leaking, you will have to replace it.

Keep us updated.

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by roy-73-240z

hmm i failed to mention that i tried bleeding my brake and messed with those "cylinder" and i think i messed up the bleeding process coz now my brakes wont work maybe i gotta re check the cylinders abd bleed em the right way, had to bleed the brakes coz i swapped my shocks and had to disconnect the brakes

hmm i failed to mention that i tried bleeding my brake and messed with those "cylinder" and i think i messed up the bleeding process coz now my brakes wont work maybe i gotta re check the cylinders abd bleed em the right way, had to bleed the brakes coz i swapped my shocks and had to disconnect the brakes

Pic2 is from a 510 engine but its very similar to the z you and I have. The unit on the left is the brake master cylinder and the unit on the right is the clutch master cylinder.

Never had this puoblem on a Datsun, but Had this exact problem in a Toyota. It just started to funk out one day. Look at the clutch peddal bushing and pivot pin. Just a suggestion, I don't even know what that apparatus looks like on our cars.