Technical Problems going into gear solved.

[Pandabloke]

Hi all.

Myrtle has recently been messing around going into gear. Gears were very notchy and difficult to engage, with reverse almost always grating or failing to select. At 93,500 miles I was obviously fearing the worst and pricing a new clutch.

I just thought I'd browse the forums and see if there was a quick fix, when low and behold I came across a post suggesting that lubrication of the clutch release arm on top of the gearbox has solved similar issues in the past.

I removed the airbox and liberally sprayed the arm with WD 40 and worked the clutch. Almost immediately the gears became easier to select. I continued lubing and working the pedal for about twenty minutes. Reverse is now the easiest gear to get in to! 24 hrs. later and the gears are almost like new, to select. I am shortly going to more permanently lubricate the pivot on the arm with a slightly heavier oil (3 in 1 or similar) and then walk away!

I am sure that there are many people out there like me who believe they have a clutch issue when all they may have is a lubrication problem.

Not my idea, but I'm buggered if I can find the original post, which also had pictures. If I find it, I'll link to it.

Hope this helps. Panda.

 

[umberto]

Hi all.

Myrtle has recently been messing around going into gear. Gears were very notchy and difficult to engage, with reverse almost always grating or failing to select. At 93,500 miles I was obviously fearing the worst and pricing a new clutch.

I just thought I'd browse the forums and see if there was a quick fix, when low and behold I came across a post suggesting that lubrication of the clutch release arm on top of the gearbox has solved similar issues in the past.

I removed the airbox and liberally sprayed the arm with WD 40 and worked the clutch. Almost immediately the gears became easier to select. I continued lubing and working the pedal for about twenty minutes. Reverse is now the easiest gear to get in to! 24 hrs. later and the gears are almost like new, to select. I am shortly going to more permanently lubricate the pivot on the arm with a slightly heavier oil (3 in 1 or similar) and then walk away!

I am sure that there are many people out there like me who believe they have a clutch issue when all they may have is a lubrication problem.

Not my idea, but I'm buggered if I can find the original post, which also had pictures. If I find it, I'll link to it.

Hope this helps. Panda.

I did the same thing a few months ago, not sure if i did it as thouroughly as you but it does work. 93,000 miles. What are you doing in that car?

 

[MrMultipla]

Yep, worked for me too a year or so ago. Thought I needed a new clutch so saved a fortune. Info is here (search for MakingyourClutcheasiertopress.pdf)

 

[Pandabloke]

Yep, worked for me too a year or so ago. Thought I needed a new clutch so saved a fortune. Info is here (search for MakingyourClutcheasiertopress.pdf)

Yep, that's the link to the repairs microsite I was looking for, thanks.

I have just been out and liberally poured 3in1 around the pivot and it really is smashing now. Gears engage easily and without a sign of grating. Do try this first if you think you need a clutch.

 

[Pandabloke]

As someone was linked to this thread a little while ago, I just thought I'd let you know that Myrtle is still going strong on her original clutch at 121,000 miles. This includes some towing of a box trailer and a folding camper.

 

[widemouthfrog]

Just out of curiosity, have you re-lubed the clutch arm since your original post?

Looking at pictures of the arm in place in the bellhousing, I'm at a bit of a loss to explain to myself why lubricating the top bearing should make the gear change improve. Lighten the action? Maybe; but why does it give a better gear change?

Unless something in the clutch linkage (including the hydraulics) is compressible, wasting clutch pedal travel.

 

[MrMultipla]

For what it's worth I haven't had to re-oil that arm since my post above (Feb '12). It's a bit crunchy again going into reverse, but nowhere near as bad as it was back then - I really thought I needed a new clutch.

 

[Pandabloke]

I have done mine again since, at least once. And I think it's due again, everything is getting a bit graunchy once more.

 

[Multiporter]

Just oiled mine well and truly at the weekend, with great expectation, however it hasn't made any difference whatsoever to the crunchy reverse gear selection