This problem has only just started the past couple weeks (as it has started to to get colder). I drive a 1997 cavalier, manual transmission, fairly new clutch kit with about 20,000k, and have found on some mornings while parked, with the car on, I can shift from 1st to second, but have to really force it over to shift to neutral and reverse. After I make that first shift its fine. I have been reading around on other forums, people have the same issue on a very wide variety of cars. The only two reoccuring solutions I have found were: changing the gear lube in the transmission, as it may not had been changed for a long time, and use a synthetic one. The second was just using some tranny fluid additive, such as Lucas tranny fluid.

My second issue is, when stopped, shifting to 1st, there is quite a bit of lag, as in the engine seems to idle rather low and almost half cut out, and if I try to rev a little higher to start, it just squeels the tires of course. I read that the EGR valve may be one cause of the car being sluggish, or could it be the O2 sensor not allowing the car enough gas? Any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks!

 

so i'm still having problems with the shifting, but now its becoming more frequent, by that I mean when I first start my car I have to wrestle with the shifter to make it move from 2nd to 3rd or any other gear for that matter, but when I drive it around its fine, then I park it, and an hour later its doing it again! Please will someone give me some advice? I don't really have money for my mechanic to try and figure it out, and spend who knows how many hours in labour charges to do so, i'd rather try to have a hunch than nothing at all as to what the problem is. Any help is greatly appreciated! thanks