Hi all - I am new to these parts!

Anyway I have just recently bought a nice low mileage Cinq Sporting in excellent nick, which I spent ages looking for as I have bought it with the intention of cherising it and keeping it for a long time!

I have done over a thousand trouble free miles in it until this morning.... I went to drive it and the gearbox is suddenly very stiff, 1st and 2nd are nigh on impossible to select, 3rd, 4th and 5th aren't too bad, reverse does go in BUT with the most almighty "THUNK" which makes the car shake.

I'm gutted as the car really was such a hoot to drive and I'm missing using it already.

Anybody have any suggestions as to what has caused this and where I can start looking to investigate/fix the problem?

Thanks!

firstly, there is a little inspection chamber in the top of the clutch housing, open this and see if the palte is worm or damaged,

then check the gear box oil level... and if its leaking, let us know what you find and ill advise more...

Sounds to me as though the clutch just needs adjusting.

Open the bonnet. Get someone in the car to work the clutch lever up and down while you look down at the gearbox. You'll see a big bar moving back and forwards and on the end of that a nylon nut thingy. Turn that clockwise two or three times, go for a spin round the block, see how it is.

It is a good idea to check the gearbox oil. Buy some gearbox oil (the stuff your FIAT dealer will sell you is as good as any and not too pricy) -- about 500cc. Undo the 12mm allen key type plug on the front of the gearbox, put oil in until it dribbles out, replace plug.

If the clutch doesn't respond to adjusting (make sure you're not turning the cable with the nylon nut) chances are you need a new clutch. (This should be obvious enough as the bite point will be very high and no amount of adjustment will lower it.)

oh and as silly as it sounds... make sure you put your foot all the wa to the floor, im too lazy and alwas grind gears lol

Thanks very much for the replies Bluepunto and Fingers - much appreciated! Sorry I haven't able to reply until today as only got the chance to look at my Cinq this morning. No leaks underneath the car from the gearbox (although I did notice that the drivers side front outer CV boot is ripped - oh crap!) and the gear oil seems fine (but I will top up anyway to be on the safe side).
So I adjusted the clutch as per Fingers instructions and it worked a treat!! THANKS! However does this mean my clutch is nearing the end of its life or have I still got a few miles left?
Cheers,
Jim.

Hard to tell! Many modern cars have hydraulic clutches which auto adjust until they wear out, while the Centos have a cable operated clutch which will require adjustment throughout the life of the clutch.

Generally, clutch replacement on the Centos is a result of the clutch thrust bearing going.

Revisiting this topic some time on, my clutch cable finally snapped the other day in the usual place on the L-shaped hook. Thanks to the tips on here I managed to drive a good 10 miles home without the clutch without too many problems (although doing a right turn onto a A-road was quite interesting).

Anway I looked at the fitting guide for a 899 cable (couldn't see one for the Sporting?) on here for assistance (many thanks to all that devote their time to writing them up, MUCH appreciated!) and I managed to get a replacement cable fitted in 20 minutes in the dark last night with an inspection lamp without having to remove any wheels/air cleaner etc - just put wheels on full lock and reached under.

One little question - does the L-shaped hook thread into the plastic pivot in the passenger footwell pointing towards you or away from you? I just did it pointing towards me as it meant having better access to the hole to thread the securing pin in!

Car now back on the road and the gear change is smoother than ever!

To be honest, I can't remember!

Anyway, as long as it works!

Chances are that the clutch is on it's way out, though. If another cable snaps (useful to carry a spare) it'll be new clutch time.

Cheers - yep that was my first instict to order a new cable the second this one snapped as luckily I already had a "spare" which got fitted last night... but as you say should this cable snap it will be new clutch time before I change the cable again.... fingers crossed it won't come to that.

jimx19 said:

).
However does this mean my clutch is nearing the end of its life or have I still got a few miles left?
Cheers,
Jim.

Click to expand...

The clutch can start to slip any time.. but I'd say the nearer the adjuster nut is to the end of the end of the cable thread, the less clutch plate lining you have left.

Ralf S.