Technical Adjusting clutch for scratching reverse gear

[Dieselfan]

Hi knowledgeable friends!

When I was younger and owned a Golf from the 70's I used to simply adjust or replace my clutch cable whenever I started getting difficulty changing gear.

So obviously the Fiat Panda Cross 1.3 MJ is hydraulic and engaging reverse now involves the typical scratch every time, even though I pump the pedal and keep it right down on the floor while sloooowwly engaging reverse. How can I just adjust this myself at home?

PS: There is nothing wrong with the clutch-plate and all other gears change fine. Hydraulic fluid is at normal and I have a FSH with next service in 10 000 km for my 200 000 km serivce.

Thanks guys!

 

[SB1500]

My Panda suffers the same problem, although I havent checked the transmission fluid.

If I stop completely, and slowly move into Reverse, or pump the clutch and go into Reverse I can avoid the crunch / scratch just about. It's no fun however!

My car goes into and stays in every gear, albeit with a bit of difficulty in the selector, as if its straying from the 'H' shape of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and R gears.

 

[bluejohn125]

Change the clutch fluid, or at least bleed the system. Check carefully for leaks at the slave cylinder. Worst case it's the master cylinder, I don't know if there are common issues with these on the Panda family cars....

 

[Asa James]

How do you know the clutch plate is fine? Bear in mind all forward gears are helical cut, reverse is straight cut, so will always sound different. From experience, if a gear is grinding on engagement with a self adjusting hydraulic set up, the clutch is wearing or worn.

 

[irc]

Hi . had similar symptoms caused by slightly worn seal in master cylinder. Felt OK but did cause crunchy gear changes.
Do you get any drop off in pressure if you hold the pedal down?
If so, could easily be master cylinder as fluid leaks past the seal back to the reservoir, so no visible leak, rather than slave cylinder, which can only leak to outside.
If no loss of pressure, then I think you are probably looking at mechanical (clutch plate, clutch cover, thrust bearing, etc) rather than hydraulic problem.
irc

 

[johnbushell]

Perhaps you have the idling speed set a little bit too fast.

 

[tonyn]

Hello,
I have to agree with Asa James.
My 54 plate 1.1, had similar problems.
Crunching when selecting reverse, and sometimes struggled to go into 1st gear from a cold start.
I oiled the selector cables and fitted a new slave cylinder, but it didn't cure the problem
Fitted a new clutch LUK clutch kit and its now drives like a new car
Hope this helps

 

[Dieselfan]

Perhaps you have the idling speed set a little bit too fast.

Hi, thanks, but no that is not it. We are talking about a digitally controlled engine here, not my 79' Golf with a carb!

Thanks for all the responses. I have never had a problem before with the clutch-plate but I would recognize that problem. And no, there is no problem with the master cylinder too.

But my question remains: is there no way to "adjust" or "set" a hydraulic clutch [pedal] as one did in the old days with the cable set-up?

 

[HP]

My 100hp is the same, my 57 reg one was the same from new too. Just select another gear first with the clutch down, then without lifting the clutch select reverse.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi, thanks, but no that is not it. We are talking about a digitally controlled engine here, not my 79' Golf with a carb!

Thanks for all the responses. I have never had a problem before with the clutch-plate but I would recognize that problem. And no, there is no problem with the master cylinder too.

But my question remains: is there no way to "adjust" or "set" a hydraulic clutch [pedal] as one did in the old days with the cable set-up?

SOMEBODY ,
reported that you actually adjust the travel of the linkages ( ALL of our RHD fiat's use a linkage arrangement under the dashboard)

I've no further info.. just a recollection of the post on the Forum,

:idea: worth checking your clutch pedal isn't "flexing" and therefore hitting the floor before the other end achieves it's full extent of travel.

Charlie

 

[Louie Bee]

Clutch plate may be holding gears up hill under load ect. but could be the clutch cover with broken fingers stoppeing the release bearing from being effective.

Here is a pic of my Uno clutch plate before I changed it a few years ago with the very problem... crunched into each gear, got progressivley worse before I bit the bullet and replaced it, probabley as more and more fingers broke off.



Was a late 93 Uno Start with C513 box same as Panda with hydralic (non adjustable) clutch, you'll see the 7 missing fingers on the cover bottom right part (around the middle).