Gear problems

[ToadHall]

Hi Guys,

My car won't seem to go into Reverse or any gear smoothly it makes a terrible clunky noise in any gear really.

Helpful suggestions would be very much in need right now!

[S Works]

How does the clutch feel?

[ToadHall]

It feels okay...the car won't go into first or reverse. It will however go into 2nd and any other gears. Do you think it is gear linkage related?

Edited by ToadHall on Thursday 2nd July 21:44

[Sune]

Yesterday I had my red clutch hose replaced with a steel braided one. Now all gears are much easier to engage, especially reverse. When it is hot reverse was alomost impossible. What type do you have?

Edited by Sune on Friday 3rd July 08:45

[JBanx]

Try changing the gear linkage bushes (at the back of the car) its not hard and could improve it.

you could try adjusting a small bolt on the front, under the gear stick shroud. this limits the side to side movement of the stick and might just need turning a bit so that you can move the stick side to side more.

My S1 wouldn't return to the middle of the gate until I changed the bushes and then it was sorted.

[TrevorH]

Apparently the cables run through a bush under the car that can be dislodged, causing selection problems. Mine's doing just the same at the moment but I haven't had time to get under the car.

[ToadHall]

S Works said:

How does the clutch feel?

The clutch is a little squeeky... today the gears are working fine again most odd.. just to let you know i already have the braided hose .

[Ikemi]

It sounds as if the problem could be gear linkage related - I had similar early on into S1 ownership, until the linkage snapped and I lost all gears completely! I might as well have been stirring mud. Once the linkage was replaced (uprated one from EliseParts) the gate action was much smoother and more precise. A good upgrade to do just in case

[Spunagain]

Also you could check your slave cylinder is not leaking, look under the boot lid pasenger side, and you will see the slave cylinder, peel back the rubber boot, if clutch fluid leaks out you need to refurbish (£6 + new clutch fluid) or replace it £45 + LCutch fluid...
Hope this helps
Spunagain

[Esprit]

Betcha a ziiiiiilllion dollars that your car has the red plastic clutch hose. Get this replaced with the later braided type and the problem will go away.

For short term relief, try just bleeding some fresh fluid through the clutch... this normally helps, but won't stop the problem coming back in weeks to come.

It's usually worse around summer time with the hight heat soak the hose experiences.

[AdrianR]

Esprit said:

Betcha a ziiiiiilllion dollars that your car has the red plastic clutch hose.

".. just to let you know i already have the braided hose . "

Appears you lose your ziiiiiilllion. I'm sure he'll take a cheque.

Another possible problem is with the adjustable pushrod between the clutch pedal and the slave cylinder, which can adjust itself so as to give lots of free play in the pedal before it starts to push on the cylnder. It's "accessible" from the footwell, just rotate it to see if there is any slack to take up.

AdrianR