lol nice very nice...

 

I paid about 225 for the modular clutch and tranny. I went to the local tranz tech and the pulled the records for the owner of the car. It just got work done internally on the motor not even 2 years back. The clutch checks out to be 10k miles on it.

 

VERDICT: There was a rubber pilot bearing? on the end of the crank that was rubbing on the shaft to the tranny. Since when did neons have pilot bearings? or pilot bushings? I dont know what to call it.

 

same thing happened to me on the way home from work yesterday. as soon as i took off it was little hard to get into second but it went. about half way home there is a town that drops the speed limit from 55 to 30. i was trying to downshift to 4th and it wouldnt go, i managed to get it in 3rd through town. then coming out of town i had to force it back into 4th and then fifth. i was almost home and i got behind a scooter doing 30 up hill, i managed to force it into 3rd and make it home. my father in law says its the slave cylinder but i cant find that part anywhere.

is this rubber pilot bearing something that can be seen without taking out the tranny? is it a part i can buy and replace? should i do like you and replace my clutch and tranny?

should i start my own thread? lol.

 

neons don't have a slave cylinder seen as they are a cable operated clutch not hydraulic...

 

1) Check your shift linkage first for broken bushings. on the top of the transmission under the relay box behind the battery, and at the shifter.

2) Check your clutch linkage...a little plastic cover covers it on the top of the tranny. Have a friend push the clutch in whille you watch it move in and out. Make sure there isn't any play in the cable. (I've had my clutch cable strech before).

3) If it's none of the above, you have to pull the transmission off and check the clutch, flywheel, and throw-out bearing. There is no pilot bearing.

 

well i can see where it looks like 2 bushings are supposed to be, but both are missing. i know the bigger of the two has been missing for quite some time with no problems, but ive never noticed the smaller one under the relay box until now. so maybe that could be it.

this looks like what i need. as my bushings look exactly like the first picture on this page.

http://www.boogerracing.com/boogerbushings.html

 

That's it.