Technical Clutch Problem ? any ideas ?

[Leaper]

I'm having trouble selecting gears, especially first & reverse

I have had a look at the master cylinder and can not see any signs of any leaks, & have bled it with no luck

the symptoms are

Hard to engage gears & clashing in reverse, the clutch is only just disengaging at the bottom of the pedal travel.

There is no problem selecting the gears with the engine off, and no sign of any clutch slippage when in gear.

Any ideas of what could be causing it that i could check out before resorting to putting it in a garage would be appreciated.

 

[richcinq]

I think you can safely say you clutch has expired and you need a new one.

 

[jug]

3 things to check, slave cylinder for leaks, adjust cable to get it tighter, and if those 2 dont work then try gearbox linkage adjustment, although the linkage shouldn't really need doing unless there has been recent work done that required gearbox/engine removal. failing that its clutch time i'd guess

 

[jug]

or its possible that the pawl has broke on the pedal, they sometimes have ratchet systems on clutch pedals to automatically keep the cable tight, if this has snapped the cable gets released a few cm and this causes your symptoms

 

[sumplug]

no. if it had pawl and linkage problems, you could not get gears with engine off. the pressure plate is worn or faulty and proberly clutch plate worn as well. time for a full 3-in-1 clutch kit iam affraid.

 

[jug]

sorry didnt read full post, sumplug is correct, if no probs when turned off then its most probably a new clutch needed. dont think of it as a bad thing, a new clutch adds value to your car.

 

[Leaper]

thanks for the replies, would have got back sooner but have been away.

I have checked the cylinder for leaks and they seem fine, I bled them with no change.

? How do you adjust the cable. If I can't adjust it I'll have to try the full clutch change


thanks

 

[richcinq]

If the car has a slave cylinder then it wont have a cable as well. As I said before you will need a clutch kit fitted.

 

[Deckchair5]

You have a hydraulic clutch so forget all about cables and adjusters because you haven't got any.

Some other things to consider. If the clutch bites very low then you're not getting sufficient movement to disengage the clutch. Most common problems are slave cylinder clapped.

SLAVE CYLINDER
Are there any signs of hydraulic fluid on top of the clutch coming from the slave cylinder?
Do you get air present when you bleed it?
Does it improve at all after you've bled it?

CLUTCH PEDAL RETURN SPRING
Another thing that will prevent you getting full stroke at clutch is th eclutch pedal not returning to the fully up position.
Is the pedal a little further down than normal?
If you pull the clutch pedal up with your foot and then push down do you get more pressure and fuller movement and the gear selecting easy?
Check to see if any return springs at the pedal have become detatched

CAR MATS
It's got to be said- make sure car mats aren't getting in the way and restricting movement

MASTER CYLINDER
It's also possible that the clutch master cylinder seals are letting fluid pass. does pumping the pedal up and down fast then give you full stroke to engage gears after the last pump down?
Are you getting air bubbles in the master cylinder reservoir?

If you're getting the full stroke at the clutch operating arm and the clutch STILL won't disengage then the clutch itself is at fault but your symptoms sound more like hydraulics and lack of movement

 

[Leaper]

thanks for the info, I'll check it out today