Technical Gearbox/clutch help

[Hailthemushroom]

Hello, recently the clutch spring broke on my 2009 500 1.4. Have installed the clutch kit, bell housing went back on ok, as in could tighten all bolts by hand before pinching up. Gear lever and slave seem to be fine but have no drive to the wheels, it's like the clutch is stuck disengaged or the gearbox isnt selecting gears. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[bugsymike]

Hello, recently the clutch spring broke on my 2009 500 1.4. Have installed the clutch kit, bell housing went back on ok, as in could tighten all bolts by hand before pinching up. Gear lever and slave seem to be fine but have no drive to the wheels, it's like the clutch is stuck disengaged or the gearbox isnt selecting gears. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Is it no drive or grates when trying to push gear lever?
Did you check the new clutch centre plate engages on the splines of gearbox before installation?
Another common thing is putting the centre plate in the wrong way around, usually this does the gears grating bit as in clutch not fully disengaging.
I assume drive shafts fully engaged in diff gears?

 

[Hailthemushroom]

Is it no drive or grates when trying to push gear lever?
Did you check the new clutch centre plate engages on the splines of gearbox before installation?
Another common thing is putting the centre plate in the wrong way around, usually this does the gears grating bit as in clutch not fully disengaging.
I assume drive shafts fully engaged in diff gears?

No drive at all. It's like the clutch is stuck disengaged. Plate, spring etc seems fine and it's changing into gear as you can tell the different sound between 6th and reverse. Couldn't get the box out the engine bay to change the clutch as the bolts holding the side bar are rusted to a point they will snap if I try undo them, as with most things on this car. Centered the clutch using 2 sockets as tool wouldn't fit with the bell case so close and the box slipped on without any resistance and could do the bolts up by hand so assume everything is lined up ok. Was going to check linkage and driveshafts next as at a bit of a loss

 

[Hailthemushroom]

No drive at all. It's like the clutch is stuck disengaged. Plate, spring etc seems fine and it's changing into gear as you can tell the different sound between 6th and reverse. Couldn't get the box out the engine bay to change the clutch as the bolts holding the side bar are rusted to a point they will snap if I try undo them, as with most things on this car. Centered the clutch using 2 sockets as tool wouldn't fit with the bell case so close and the box slipped on without any resistance and could do the bolts up by hand so assume everything is lined up ok. Was going to check linkage and driveshafts next as at a bit of a loss

No drive at all. It's like the clutch is stuck disengaged. Plate, spring etc seems fine and it's changing into gear as you can tell the different sound between 6th and reverse. Couldn't get the box out the engine bay to change the clutch as the bolts holding the side bar are rusted to a point they will snap if I try undo them, as with most things on this car. Centered the clutch using 2 sockets as tool wouldn't fit with the bell case so close and the box slipped on without any resistance and could do the bolts up by hand so assume everything is lined up ok. Was going to check linkage and driveshafts next as at a bit of a loss

Away for a few days now but do have and endoscope somewhere in the garage so was also going to poke it through the hole in the housing to see if the spring and plate are working correctly. Clutch pressure is fine and the slave is activating fine with good travel

 

[AnthonyH]

Any chance you put the clutch plate in the wrong way around?

 

[Hailthemushroom]

Plate is in the right way around, and also checked the plate on the spline before fitting as have been given wrong ones in the past

 

[timmycm850]

Just wondering if the clutch release bearing housing might be not sat on the clutch fork arm correctly effectively holding it against the cover plate fingers. Not sure if ive explained that the best way. Tim

 

[Hailthemushroom]

I get you, it clicked in place ok and checked the fork for travel before putting the bell housing back but something could have slipped on assembly. That's one to check with the endoscope when I get back.

 

[Mike1alike]

Is it possible you forgot to reconnect the CV joints?

 

[Hailthemushroom]

They are in as far as they can go and everything is back together but that's a possibility that something isn't mating right as would explain the symptoms. Honda vw and austin's I know Inside out, this is the first and only fiat i've done work on. Unfortunately it is turning into triggers broom the amount of work ive had to do on it. Engine is pretty solid, but everything else seems to fall apart

 

[bugsymike]

They are in as far as they can go and everything is back together but that's a possibility that something isn't mating right as would explain the symptoms. Honda vw and austin's I know Inside out, this is the first and only fiat i've done work on. Unfortunately it is turning into triggers broom the amount of work ive had to do on it. Engine is pretty solid, but everything else seems to fall apart

Just a thought, as you have been "working the gynecological route " , not being able to remove gearbox completely due to the rusted bolt /member problem.
Is it possible that the clutch was bolted, "on over rather than on" to the clutch dowels on flywheel, as this would have the effect of permanently disengaging the clutch?
Your endoscopy camera will tell you, I find them quite useful on modern cars these days with everything squashed in tight.

 

[AnthonyH]

Just a thought, as you have been "working the gynecological route " , not being able to remove gearbox completely due to the rusted bolt /member problem.
Is it possible that the clutch was bolted, "on over rather than on" to the clutch dowels on flywheel, as this would have the effect of permanently disengaging the clutch?
Your endoscopy camera will tell you, I find them quite useful on modern cars these days with everything squashed in tight.

The reduced visibility and working space is an issue here.

 

[Hailthemushroom]

The spring and plate were hard work to get on, about a three inch gap while under the car then hand rotating the engine off the flywheel to gradually tighten it up at opposite sides. The spring was tight to the flywheel all the way around with no gaps, and rotated it to check as didn't want to be doing that again. Got hydraulic lift in the garage but there is an mr2 with no engine in it on that so was doing it on an uneven drive off axle stands so literally had my face three inches from the underside. As I found changing the beam axle any higher and it's not safe on the stands

 

[bugsymike]

The spring and plate were hard work to get on, about a three inch gap while under the car then hand rotating the engine off the flywheel to gradually tighten it up at opposite sides. The spring was tight to the flywheel all the way around with no gaps, and rotated it to check as didn't want to be doing that again. Got hydraulic lift in the garage but there is an mr2 with no engine in it on that so was doing it on an uneven drive off axle stands so literally had my face three inches from the underside. As I found changing the beam axle any higher and it's not safe on the stands

Just done my Vauxhall Combo(Doblo1.3) replacement gearbox on axle stands at nearly 72 on my own, so not fun , I agree.