Testarossa hard to shift

Worn syncros?????????? Let's hope not. How many miles on the car?

 

Check the clutch discs, yes that's right discs...

One of them might be binding if you have a 2 disc set-up.
If you get someone to push the clutch in, you should be able to spin both discs through the inspection hole.

Good Luck

 

I assume this problemis after the car is warmed up. Our 88 is a pain when cold but smooth after it warms. The PO put a clutch pack in ours at 6,250 miles because it was HARD TO SHIFT. That was in 2002.

 

Had a maybe similar symptom as you, and it turned out to be one clutch disc hub rust-frozen onto the spline. Not enough drag at the driving surface/clutch material interface to be a problem if I was moving at all, but enough spin transmitted into the intermediate stuff when stationary to make selecting any gear difficult. Is yours difficult only for the R & 1 set to select when stationary, or difficult for all gears? I have to admit that I should've known there was a problem with mine, as in hindsight, it would sometimes give a very tiny, hardly-perceptable, impulse forward when starting in gear with the clutch depressed -- anything similar for you?

I've learned not to say "I had symptom 'X', and the problem was 'Y' so I did 'Z'; therefore, your problem 'X' needs 'Z' too", but unfortunately, you're really at a time interval where, if it's never been serviced, just generally refreshing everything inside the bellhousing isn't an unreasonable need. If you don't need any new components (besides seals) it's really not that bad $-wise or labor-wise and is the cost of keeping a 17~18-year-old in fine fettle . What is your mileage/time/service history clutch-wise?

Just to give my data: At 32K miles, my throw-out bearing was working OK, but very, very "dry" -- and wouldn't have made it to 60K IMO. Likewise, a TR major, without refreshing the slave cylinder seals is a bit incomplete IMO (or rather, the risk in not doing them outweighs the cost of doing them at the major). Disk-wise there was about 60~70% left, so with rational use those should make it to the 60K major, but need replacement then.

 

I have an 87 tr and have answered a similar thread a while ago regarding gear shifts and have done the following to great effect. Put a gear additive in the gear box that helps the syncros to move better when cold. This needs to be a special additive as some can effect different types of metal and therefor can cause damage in time so best if you check with some of the racing car types who have experience with this, if you want the name of the additive then email me and i will seek it out for you. It did help a little with the problem however a good bleed of the clutch fluid also helped a little and check for minor leaks or weaping coming from the bell housing area as mine was weaping a little. Also see if you can adjust the travel minutely so that rather than the clutch having the free travel at the top of the pedal alter so it is at the bottom and you will find that you may gain a little extra travel. My mechanic did all three of the above as well as a new braided line and with the combination all is now great. i would say that my gear changes are as per most other tr's now and getting into 1st and reverse is still a little harder when cold but a lot better than it was. regards Tony

 

And the clutch has never been worked on/serviced?

 

You don't need to replace both un-necessarily.

To discover if the M/cyl is at fault, simply plug the hose on the inlet of the bellhousing..effectively removing the slave from the circuit.

Bleed it out, and then try pressing the pedal. If the pedal is solid, your M/cyl is fine. Try pressing it REALLY slowly though, it's possible to fool yourself by stomping on the pedal.

If the pedal sinks while the pipe is blocked off, your M/cly need a kit or new, or you may have a problem with the flexi hose to the slave. If the pedal is solid no matter how slowly you push it, your slave could be bypassing fluid allowing the clutch to engage itself. This would usually result in fluid leaking from the bell housing though, so it's more likely you have clutch drag from a rusted spline, seized spigot bearing or other clutch fault.

It's also possible you have a gearbox problem. A loose main shaft nut or tight bearing could be causing drag. Unlikely though.