I have a 1992 240 GL with a 5 speed transmission. Sometimes it is difficult to get into 1st gear. Easier If I shift to 2nd and then 1st. About 50% of the time ther3 is a clicking* sound when I start up in 1st. It goes away prior to shifting into 2nd. Any ideas?

 

Modern manual transmissions like in your 240 are constant mesh and fully synchronized. The difficulty you are feeling going into first is very common as these transmissions wear. First gear synchro lives a hard life, slowing or speeding up the dog clutch to the same speed as the input shaft from the engine. And it is the most used gear on the car, usually. You discovered a valuable technique, to use the 2nd gear syncro to get the speed close, then put in first. Sometimes, releasing the brakes before shifting into gear will help, as will rolling forward or backward , according to terrain. IIRC, the M47 transmission you describe tend to wear out the synchros rapidly. The "clicking" noise- does it stay the same speed as the engine? Does it go away if you are moving and depress the clutch?

 

Clicking noise does speed up a bit -more with movement than engine. It does go away when clutch is depressed

 

when you full stop, put the gearbox in neutral, and release the clutch.

then when its time to start, put the clutch in and the input shaft should be spinning, so it will snick nicely into 1st. if you stand on the clutch while stopped, the input shaft spins down to a stop, and you can't put it in gear. it took me years to get my wife to listen to me when she drove a TR6 that had this same problem.

now, I had a MG Midget, that had a non-synchro first, so you put the clutch in, then shifted to 2-then-1 or you'd never get it into first without a grind-clunk.

 

I usually do as you say at a stop, but about 60% of th3 time, it is still tough to get into 1st. I am going to look at adjusted th3 shifter when I get a chance

 

Here's a few more things that come to mind. If the clutch disc is severely worn or warped, or if the pressure plate is warped, there may not be enough play for the clutch to completely disengage. In other words there is a high spot on each one that keeps the disk spinning just enough to cause problems. You may be able to adjust the clutch to the maximum in order to temporarily correct it. Another possibility is that your throwout bearing has worn so much that it is about to self destruct. Trouble is, the only way to see any of this is to separate the engine from the tranny- then you may as well just replace the whole clutch plate, pressure plate, T/O bearing and pilot bearing and reface the flywheel since you're in there.
Now, about the "clicking".. Since it goes away when the clutch is depressed, that seems to eliminate a U-joint failing or an input shaft bearing failure or something in the transmission itself. Do you know how old the clutch is? Does it slip? Is the pedal pressure excessive? Does the pedal system squeak or squeal when you push the clutch in or let it out? A broken pressure spring is not uncommon in a high mileage car. There could be a piece exposed and hitting against something as it rotates.

 

Hello. Just wondering if you figured out what is causing the clicking? I have the same issue--a '92 Volvo 240 manual transmission with 370k miles that doesn't always easily go into 1st gear and has a clicking/popping noise when pulling out of 1st about 55-60% of the time. The clicking/snapping speeds up with acceleration. Thanks!

 

Just been living with it. No better, no worse.