Transmission not engaging Gear?
Discussion
Jumped in the 2004 Tuscan yesterday and took off, all good. 50meters later I'm stopped at traffic lights and have her in neutral, de-press the clutch and go to put her in 1st - Gearstick won't go into 1st, 2nd or anything...?
Have to push her back home and reassess...
Jumped in her this morning, de-pressed the clutch and she appears to be engaging gears again!?!
WTF? anyone?
Have to push her back home and reassess...
Jumped in her this morning, de-pressed the clutch and she appears to be engaging gears again!?!
WTF? anyone?
Thanks all and ackbullchang, definitely have a process of elimination list for when I get time to look into it.
Haven't tried your 3rd point from above either but will report back.
One question on the brake fluid reservoir - the line coming out from the top left half of the reservoir is the clutch line right? Why the hell is it at the top half of the reservoir and not near the bottom???
Haven't tried your 3rd point from above either but will report back.
One question on the brake fluid reservoir - the line coming out from the top left half of the reservoir is the clutch line right? Why the hell is it at the top half of the reservoir and not near the bottom???
Thanks all for the comments. Work commitments have restricted me from looking at this until now... Update as follows:
1) Topped up reservoir, only needed a very little amount - No signs of leaks whatsoever.
2) Engine off: Can engage all gears. Engine on: Cannot engage any gears.
3) "Pumping" the clutch the 2nd time around doesn't help at all and doesnt change any resistance.
4) No fluid leaking from the gearbox bell housing whatsoever (a sure sign of slave failure).
5) Alignment of the gearstick all good - Entering the gates smoothly with engine off.
6) Suspect clutch sticking to the flywheel is the issue - I did get caught in a terential downpour of rain last time I successfully had the car out and got her home after driving through several very deep puddles - one week after that event is when this problem happened. Slight rust build up causing the clutch to stick perhaps?
7) Tried to release the suspected sticking clutch by turning the car over, whilst stuck in gear, using the ignition (starter motor) whilst holding a foot on the brake pedal - Unsucsessful.
8) Clutch pedal travel is ok.
1) Topped up reservoir, only needed a very little amount - No signs of leaks whatsoever.
2) Engine off: Can engage all gears. Engine on: Cannot engage any gears.
3) "Pumping" the clutch the 2nd time around doesn't help at all and doesnt change any resistance.
4) No fluid leaking from the gearbox bell housing whatsoever (a sure sign of slave failure).
5) Alignment of the gearstick all good - Entering the gates smoothly with engine off.
6) Suspect clutch sticking to the flywheel is the issue - I did get caught in a terential downpour of rain last time I successfully had the car out and got her home after driving through several very deep puddles - one week after that event is when this problem happened. Slight rust build up causing the clutch to stick perhaps?
7) Tried to release the suspected sticking clutch by turning the car over, whilst stuck in gear, using the ignition (starter motor) whilst holding a foot on the brake pedal - Unsucsessful.
8) Clutch pedal travel is ok.
Hi fellas,
Well after many weeks of waiting for parts and mechanic/workshop availability, I finally got round to replacing this Clutch with a recommended Helix Uprated Clutch and Lightened Flywheel full assembly kit supplied from TVR Parts Ltd.
Job was a bit of a nightmare if im honest as it was my first Clutch replacement ever and only my mechanics 3rd on a Speed 6… Why you ask? Well I actually live in Perth, Australia and own one of only 3 ‘Wheeler era’ TVRs in Western Australia (mine being a 2004 3.6 Tuscan Speed 6) and there only being one independent mechanic in Perth with history working on these.
As suspected, following strip-down, at least 3 Clutch fingers were snapped… everything else looked to be in good condition. So we went to work on stripping it all apart and cleaning thoroughly, replacing the oil in the gearbox before re-assembling with the new Flywheel/Clutch kit.
Upon Clutch assembly, my mechanic felt that with the two Clutch plates fitted up to the flywheel, they protruded further (approx 14mm) than the originals on the original flywheel (approx 10mm)?
Anyway we proceeded to fit everything and re-assemble everything.
After photographing the back of the Clutch pedal, we opted against replacing the Clutch Master Cylinder for these reasons:
1. There was absolutely no sign of any leakage whatsoever,
2. Following filling the reservoir and bleeding the system a few times there was no way I was spending more time crouched inside that foot well!
3. The Clutch pedal felt perfect post-bleeding,
4. I now have an un-used spare Clutch Master Cylinder if I need it.
Photos below of various stages of the job before I go on to detail the ‘resultant diagnosis’ post-operation… (shakes head)..
Well after many weeks of waiting for parts and mechanic/workshop availability, I finally got round to replacing this Clutch with a recommended Helix Uprated Clutch and Lightened Flywheel full assembly kit supplied from TVR Parts Ltd.
Job was a bit of a nightmare if im honest as it was my first Clutch replacement ever and only my mechanics 3rd on a Speed 6… Why you ask? Well I actually live in Perth, Australia and own one of only 3 ‘Wheeler era’ TVRs in Western Australia (mine being a 2004 3.6 Tuscan Speed 6) and there only being one independent mechanic in Perth with history working on these.
As suspected, following strip-down, at least 3 Clutch fingers were snapped… everything else looked to be in good condition. So we went to work on stripping it all apart and cleaning thoroughly, replacing the oil in the gearbox before re-assembling with the new Flywheel/Clutch kit.
Upon Clutch assembly, my mechanic felt that with the two Clutch plates fitted up to the flywheel, they protruded further (approx 14mm) than the originals on the original flywheel (approx 10mm)?
Anyway we proceeded to fit everything and re-assemble everything.
After photographing the back of the Clutch pedal, we opted against replacing the Clutch Master Cylinder for these reasons:
1. There was absolutely no sign of any leakage whatsoever,
2. Following filling the reservoir and bleeding the system a few times there was no way I was spending more time crouched inside that foot well!
3. The Clutch pedal felt perfect post-bleeding,
4. I now have an un-used spare Clutch Master Cylinder if I need it.
Photos below of various stages of the job before I go on to detail the ‘resultant diagnosis’ post-operation… (shakes head)..
Long story short – It’s still not right….
Before Engine Start-Up:
With everything re-assembled and in position, the gearbox/gearstick engages with and without the Clutch pressed with everything feeling good – Not the same as before, but ‘good’.
After Engine Start-Up:
Depressed Clutch, gearbox will not engage any gear whatsoever.
After Engine Start-Up (with Car up on hoist and 1st gear pre-selected):
Starter-Motor forces the engine/drivetrain to kick in and I can drive up through gears while up on the hoist (wheels being driven).
Apply brakes, Clutch into neutral, cannot select Reverse from neutral and will not engage any forward gear whatsoever.
After Engine Start-Up (with Car on up hoist and Reverse gear pre-selected):
Starter-Motor forces the engine/drivetrain to kick-in in reverse gears while up on the hoist (wheels being driven).
Apply brakes, Clutch into neutral, cannot select any forward gears or reverse again from neutral.
After Engine Start-Up (Car on ground):
With engine running, depressed Clutch, gearbox will not engage any gear whatsoever.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CAR MOVING ON THE GROUND:
Pre-select 1st and use starter-motor until she jerks forward enough and kicks in – This is not comfortable and I hate the idea of doing this!
Once running and driving, when Accelerating:
Gear-changes upwards are tough to engage, but physically possible.
When Decelerating:
Gear-changes downwards are impossible through engaging the Clutch alone – The lever comes out of the high gear (5th or 4th) and will not engage 4th, 3rd, 2nd or 1st from neutral while decelerating. Got by this by using a combination of both Clutch and Revs to ‘carefully’ engage lower gears and eventually get the car to a rolling state in 1st at which point when I want to come to a complete stand still (at traffic lights for example), she’s in 1st, with the Clutch engaged and I am able to pull away successfully and accelerate up through the gears again.
Note: When sat idling at a stand-still in that situation, I have to have the brakes applied along with the Clutch as she wants to continue rolling forward and won’t sit still on even ground.
Apologies for the long diagnosis fellas, I hope it makes sense.
24hrs later, I started her up hoping that after cooling down things may have settled into place – Wrong! Engine starts, depress Clutch, gearbox will not engage any gear whatsoever.
Now, who has any ideas as to what is not quite right yet?
Could it be:
1. An unidentified Air-bubble in the system taking its time to surface to the top of the system? (requiring re-bleeding)
2. Is this typical and to be considered ‘running-in’ of the new Helix Uprated Clutch?
3. Clutch plates assembled wrong way round? Please don’t let it be that!
4. Must I replace the Clutch Master Cylinder as it is perhaps uprated to suit the Helix Uprated Clutch and it is not like-for-like with the original?
Before Engine Start-Up:
With everything re-assembled and in position, the gearbox/gearstick engages with and without the Clutch pressed with everything feeling good – Not the same as before, but ‘good’.
After Engine Start-Up:
Depressed Clutch, gearbox will not engage any gear whatsoever.
After Engine Start-Up (with Car up on hoist and 1st gear pre-selected):
Starter-Motor forces the engine/drivetrain to kick in and I can drive up through gears while up on the hoist (wheels being driven).
Apply brakes, Clutch into neutral, cannot select Reverse from neutral and will not engage any forward gear whatsoever.
After Engine Start-Up (with Car on up hoist and Reverse gear pre-selected):
Starter-Motor forces the engine/drivetrain to kick-in in reverse gears while up on the hoist (wheels being driven).
Apply brakes, Clutch into neutral, cannot select any forward gears or reverse again from neutral.
After Engine Start-Up (Car on ground):
With engine running, depressed Clutch, gearbox will not engage any gear whatsoever.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CAR MOVING ON THE GROUND:
Pre-select 1st and use starter-motor until she jerks forward enough and kicks in – This is not comfortable and I hate the idea of doing this!
Once running and driving, when Accelerating:
Gear-changes upwards are tough to engage, but physically possible.
When Decelerating:
Gear-changes downwards are impossible through engaging the Clutch alone – The lever comes out of the high gear (5th or 4th) and will not engage 4th, 3rd, 2nd or 1st from neutral while decelerating. Got by this by using a combination of both Clutch and Revs to ‘carefully’ engage lower gears and eventually get the car to a rolling state in 1st at which point when I want to come to a complete stand still (at traffic lights for example), she’s in 1st, with the Clutch engaged and I am able to pull away successfully and accelerate up through the gears again.
Note: When sat idling at a stand-still in that situation, I have to have the brakes applied along with the Clutch as she wants to continue rolling forward and won’t sit still on even ground.
Apologies for the long diagnosis fellas, I hope it makes sense.
24hrs later, I started her up hoping that after cooling down things may have settled into place – Wrong! Engine starts, depress Clutch, gearbox will not engage any gear whatsoever.
Now, who has any ideas as to what is not quite right yet?
Could it be:
1. An unidentified Air-bubble in the system taking its time to surface to the top of the system? (requiring re-bleeding)
2. Is this typical and to be considered ‘running-in’ of the new Helix Uprated Clutch?
3. Clutch plates assembled wrong way round? Please don’t let it be that!
4. Must I replace the Clutch Master Cylinder as it is perhaps uprated to suit the Helix Uprated Clutch and it is not like-for-like with the original?
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