Trans issue
 

So I have been having trouble with the trans in my 87 944. It grinds into first gear when you try and put it in gear semi-quickly. If you hold in the clutch for a few seconds it goes in smoothly. I initially thought it was the synchro but am now thinking it may be the slave cylinder causing the clutch to not engage fully. The clutch pedal on the 944 seems to be very sloppy. I have blead it and it didnt get much better. Basically it drops down a couple of inches before anything engages. My other 944 is very tight. Just wanted to see if anyone has ever had this problem and if you think the slave cylinder could be the cause.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks
Brian

If the pedal goes down a few inches before you get any pedal resistance, you still have air in the system. Bleed !!
If you are sure there is no air in the system, you can adjust the pushrod in the clutch pedal out a little bit more.

With shifting issues...

The order of things to check should go...

Front of the car:
Adjustment to the master cylinder (threaded ball-ended rod from the back of the pedal), check for leaks at the master cylinder, leaks at the slave cylinder.

In the tunnel:
Is the shift lever wearing the connection at the shift rod? This is a known wear area as the pin that comes off of the shift-lever goes through the eyelet of the shift rod.

Back of the car:
Check the connection of the shift rod to the top of the transmission. Are the bolts secure? Also check the connection on top of the transmission. You'll see some rubber washers and such in that area. Are the bolts loose? Safety wire in place?

My vote is still synchros. If it were the cylinders causing the clutch to not disengage, waiting would make no difference.