I've done a search but to no avail.
When i'm driving, say i'm in 3rd or 2nd coming to stop at traffic lights. It's very hard to get into 1st gear, and sometimes doesn't go in, I have to go back to neutral and really shove it. It feels very clunky and lots of friction.

Every other gear is fine and it doesn't do this when the engine is off

clutch release bearing or worn pressure plate or both springs to my mind but a more techy person prob give a better explanation.. But sounds just like my mums old mk1 issue which turned out to be the bearing after a garage had changed the clutch twice and not changed it

Your not the only one with this problem!!!
I struggle to get mine into first all the time
I thought it was just me lol

Thanks for that. I was hoping it could have been just low on gearbox oil! Nothing is ever simple mahaha.
Was it an easy replacement? cheers again

Mos: lol my mate from sixth form has the exact same problem on his GP. Must be a FIAT thing

Just dont try to engage 1st while you're moving, no need to.

I am guessing no syncro on first.

If tricky, drop it into 2nd, still with foot on clutch to stop the hubs, then across into first.

I guess double declutching passes the youth of today by.

Cheers

SPD

Even at a stand still its not keen to go in lol i have thought this sometimes its fine then sometimes it just wont play

I kinda have this problem too, when I was learning to drive I learned to go from whatever gear I was in straight into first, so I could go straight from 4th into first but when I got my punto I found it hard to do, but my dad told me to go to 2nd then from 2nd into first, which is a lot easier (for me anyway)

its prob because your going to fast to go into first gear.. i was trying to put my car into first whilst coming upto a junction and the fella said to me its cause im going to fast and should only put it into first when stopped...
you could also try putting double clutching i tend to do that and it works 99% of the time lol

i can put mine into 1st at what ever speed lol

karbineftw said:

I've done a search but to no avail.
When i'm driving, say i'm in 3rd or 2nd coming to stop at traffic lights. It's very hard to get into 1st gear, and sometimes doesn't go in, I have to go back to neutral and really shove it. It feels very clunky and lots of friction.

Every other gear is fine and it doesn't do this when the engine is off

Click to expand...

Only go for first when stopped, don't try and do it while moving. NEVER force/shove it into gear, if it doesn't want to go in then theres a reason and forcing it to do something it doesn't want to do isn't the answer.



Never rule out driver error, when I first started driving I did that a few times then I adjusted so I'd stop say at a junction or whatever clutch down in second then into first when stopped and never had the problem since....try that....forcing it will just break something.

I'm not putting the car into first and engaging the gear. sorry, should have said.
I'm doing this....
Slow down for light, clutch in, first gear, clutch still in then braking. I'm not actually driving in 1st.

karbineftw said:

I'm not putting the car into first and engaging the gear. sorry, should have said.
I'm doing this....
Slow down for light, clutch in, first gear, clutch still in then braking. I'm not actually driving in 1st.

Click to expand...

OK, but you are not in full control of the car. Keep the car in second until just before you stop, select first gear and move off.

Coasting in gear is a bad thing. Promotes clutch and bearing wear.

Cheers

SPD

karbineftw said:

I'm not putting the car into first and engaging the gear. sorry, should have said.
I'm doing this....
Slow down for light, clutch in, first gear, clutch still in then braking. I'm not actually driving in 1st.

Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if the clutch is still in it won't want to go in as you are moving, even with the clutch, in you need to allow the internals of the box time to slow down to be able to get into first.

Do the same as you're doing but in second, then when stopped it should go in first nice.


Now get off the computer and go give it a go

Ha so it's all down to me. Bloody hell. Will give that a shot. Second then slow down into first

karbineftw said:

Ha so it's all down to me. Bloody hell. Will give that a shot. Second then slow down into first

Click to expand...

Aye!

My stilo wasn't as bad as the punto for it, I assume you learned in a much newer car than your punto....also a factor!

It's true what they say! 'You learn to drive when you've passed your test'!

karbineftw said:

Ha so it's all down to me. Bloody hell. Will give that a shot. Second then slow down into first

Click to expand...

You're not making it easy on the box. Have a look at how a constant mesh gearbox works. You don't actually change gear, you move the hub to engage the next gear. I am sure your box doesn't have a syncro ring on first.

Cheers

SPD

Bikes have constant mesh but no synchro so the box wont spin itself up (or down) between gears like a car. On downchanges as the higher gear unloads, blip the throttle and whack in the lower gear. Get it right and the change takes a fraction of a second. Upchanges on a bike dont use the clutch.

The revs blip spins up the gearbox to the speed needed by the lower gear and allows the dogs to click in neatly. Cars have synchro to do this but it has to work really hard on the low gears. You can get really rapid downshifts if you missmatch the clutch & throttle to blip the revs.

Better to get down to a stop in 2nd or even 3rd then select 1st to pull away. As the police say "gas to go, brakes to slow".

Mine does exactly the same, not every time but it,s annoying, especially on a hill .After all it is a Fiat...!!!