Clutch or gearbox

[milothepeanut]

I have been strugling with my Speed Six Cerb most of this summer.
The problem is thus:

Most of the time it is almost impossable to put the car in gear when the
car is running. This includes all the gears.
It has always been hard to find reverse without lots of gear grinding.
When the engine is off the gears can be found fine.
If I put the car in gear and try to start the engine the car is dragged
forwards but it will start.
Often after driving for a while the gears become easier but
always stiff.

I have adjusted the travel on the pedal to get maximum movement.
There are no leaks in the fluid and the level of fluid has never fallen.

Any ideas please.

[gruffalo]

Try bleeding the clutch, does it help if you pump the clutch a a few times before trying to engage a gear?

[milothepeanut]

Pumping the clutch doesn't help unfotunatly

[Extra 300 Driver]

Clutch fingers?

[milothepeanut]

Extra 300 Driver said:

Clutch fingers?

I did think that but I few people have tried it and they
say it doesn't feel like it.

My local clutch and tyre place said that they think it
could be the fact that it is not being used enough and the
whole lot is just "sticky"

[JensenA]

The First thing you should always try is bleeding the clutch. Do it properly so the old clutch fluid is also replaced. Unless you do this everything else is speculation.

[itiejim]

In answer to your original question - it's the clutch.

Though if you don't sort it out soon it might become the gearbox too!

[milothepeanut]

Ok.

Looks like I'll bleed the clutch.

Er......how please.

[esso]

I was going to say bleed the clutch,if you don`t know how to you NEED to give it to someone who does!!!

[Extra 300 Driver]

If you're near near Chelmsford I'll give you a hand here mate

[kevin63]

First thing I would do is as has been said above, bleed the clutch. It's simple and cheap to do. If that doesn't work then I would check the adjustment of the master cylinder, check the pedal is pushing the rod down far enough to operate the slave cylinder enough to release the clutch. Again this is easy and free.
If these things don't work it sounds like a gear box off job.
Good luck.

[milothepeanut]

Thanks for the answers.

I am just about to change the fluid. Can anyone tell me where to find the correct nipple
or what pipe to take off.

[kevin63]

The bleed nipple on a 4.2 or 4.5 is usually near the bulkhead up top around the air boxes. On a Speed Six it is usually attached to the starter motor on a bracket and you would have to take the air box off. The nipple is fairly small and can just be seen under the arrow (SP6 shown)

[aide]

milothepeanut said:

Thanks for the answers.

I am just about to change the fluid. Can anyone tell me where to find the correct nipple
or what pipe to take off.

Hi Doug,

I had to bleed my clutch last week.
This thread has some details of where to find the braided bleed hose. edit - for a 4.5 - oops! not sure where same is on an S6, bit it's still far easier with two and I'm more than willing to help as long as you make tea!

It's much easier to have someone pump the clutch for you while you bleed.

I have this Eezibleed one man bleeding kit - which I modified to use a foot pump instead of the air in your tyre. I used it to flush the system and did the final bleed the conventional way.

I'm more than happy to help you flush your system and bleed your clutch if you like. Bearing in mind that I'm in no way a mechanic, but willing to help!

Best wishes
Aide O'Neill

Edited by aide on Sunday 9th October 18:27

[milothepeanut]

.........UPDATE.......

I found the nipple (thanks)
I put 1 ltr of fluid through the system.
Then dropped the poxy yellow bit from
the middle of the cap down inside the wing.
Crap bugger crap poo.
Now I need to get a new cap. Anyone know
what car this part was pinched from?

Bugger........!

[aide]

could try this
still handy even if it doesn't help in this case..

[milothepeanut]

aide said:

could try this
still handy even if it doesn't help in this case..

LOL. Great idea. Shame I cant see the er.

[kevin63]

aide said:

could try this
still handy even if it doesn't help in this case..

That and the one with a magnet on the end are the best investments I've ever made. I only paid £1 each for them though from a Market.

[milothepeanut]

Yahoo. ...I found the bit I dropped, bled the system and put it all back together.....Boohoo.... still no joy.
I am going to try and find the slave now. Are there any pics of where to locate it?

[ridds]

Inside the bell housing.....

Gearbox and bell housing off to find it.