Wow, this really blows--I'd return the thing. One test would be to shift without the clutch, just like you would with a big-rig ten-speed. Rev to normal shift speed, then apply pressure to the shifter (outward); it will pop out of gear when you let off the gas. Quickly place it against the next gate before RPMs drop too far; timed correctly, you'll go into the next gear like butter. (Tap gas lightly to get revs back up if they fall too far.) If it goes into the next gear, it should not grind (it will of course grind if you miss the gear). This does not sound like a clutch problem, though. It's cementing my motivation for going to a Nissan CD009 when I have to suck it up and go back to a manual . . .
|