Car will only shift when OFF

[Counted Out]

So I did my first clutch swap recently and thanks to you guys, everything went pretty smoothly.

I fired her up today, but when I went to put the car in gear, it wasn't going to happen. I turned the car off and noticed I could shift the gears while the car is off, even without pushing the clutch in. So I shifted the car into first, started it, and I was able to drive. But as soon as I put the car back into neutral to shift into another gear, it just would not go into another gear. So here's a break down of the problem:

1. I can shift the transmission, with the car off, without even using the clutch.

2. The car will not shift once started.

3. If you shift the car into gear (while off), then start the car, you can drive in that gear.

Someone PLEASE help the newb.

[Tarheel'Z']

when you start it in 1st does it take off even with the cllutch pedal in??

[Fastbird]

Agree with Tarheel Z. I'm thinking your clutch isn't disengaging.

[Counted Out]

when you start it in 1st does it take off even with the cllutch pedal in??

Nope. You gotta give it gas to get it going.

Someone mentioned the possibility of the clutch disc being on backwards, but would that cause this problem?

[Fastbird]

Nope. You gotta give it gas to get it going.

Someone mentioned the possibility of the clutch disc being on backwards, but would that cause this problem?

quite possibly as the offset of the center section is different. But......you would have had a hell of a time reassembling the clutch if that was the case. I've seen one put back in backwards once, and the install was stopped because it just wasn't going together easy enough.

[Counted Out]

I have a really ghetto clutch fluid cap that mite be letting air into the system. I just thought of that. So if anyone has an extra cap, PLEASE, let me know.

I'll check it tomorrow.

[popo8]

I responded to your request for the cap. Did you check with GM, since you cant find one....

[Counted Out]

I responded to your request for the cap. Did you check with GM, since you cant find one....

Did you message me on here? If so, I didn't get it.

GM doesn't have a part number listed for just the cap.

[95formula383lt1]

junk yards have alot of them around here, cuz the 3rd gens caps are the same. so 1982-1997 5 speed and 6 speed use the same caps, also v6 birds do too, not so sure about ls1 cars though

[Counted Out]

junk yards have alot of them around here, cuz the 3rd gens caps are the same. so 1982-1997 5 speed and 6 speed use the same caps, also v6 birds do too, not so sure about ls1 cars though

I was told that LS1's don't.

There is only one Pick-A-Part here and the last time I went I only saw like one 4th Gen and maybe 2 3rd Gens. It mite be worth the drive out there to check though.