Clutch Problem?

[itsallyellow]

Thought i had boiled the clutch fluid but now i'm not sure.

With the engine running i cant engage first. However i can get it in all other gears fine including reverse?

By selecting second and then being quite forcefull i can just about get it into first, once it is in gear its fine. Likewise if i start it in first with my clutch down its fine?

Any ideas? Could it be the fluid?

Thanks

Mike

Edited by itsallyellow on Monday 14th April 10:18

[fatjon]

It's one of 3 things I reckon from experience.

Either it needs bleeding (you may be this lucky)
The slave cylinder has failed or is failing
It has broken off one or more fingers on the clutch

if it is either of the last two I would go for a full clutch as it may be a false ecomony taking off the box and bell to change just the clutch or the slave for what they cost compared witht he labour of taking it off again later. On mine it was the slave but the fingers looked past their best so I did the whole lot.

I put a clever trevor clutch and slave on mine (circa 350 for the full clutch and 240 for the slave assembly) and it has been faultless for 5000 miles, which I know is not a lot but there are a few good reports about them. It feels much more progressive that the AP original too. IIRC the labour to do it was about 3 hours.

Jon

[JensenA]

I'm not an expert Mike, but you did ask for ideas......it sounds Gearbox related, as you said it will go into all other gears but not first. Isn't first the only non-synchromesh gear?? So perhaps it needs more 'oomph' from the clutch to engage properly. If you think you may hav boiled the clutch, I'd try replacing the old fluid, and bleeding it to see if that helps.

[BLUETHUNDER]

I would say fingers.As those were the same symtoms i had when mine went.

[Nicholas Blair]

Think mine has gone - Can't get it into gear when engine running, but when stopped like a bowl of soup.

[QuiteQuietCerb]

thats definately gone then

[itsallyellow]

Ok next twist.....

Started the car for the 1st time since sunday today. I can now select first! All the gears work? Ist may feel a bit more notchy than it did but i cant really remember what it felt like before i had the problem...

[BLUETHUNDER]

itsallyellow said:

Ok next twist.....

Started the car for the 1st time since sunday today. I can now select first! All the gears work? Ist may feel a bit more notchy than it did but i cant really remember what it felt like before i had the problem...

Yep! this is more and more like fingers.I had the exact same symptoms as that.

Edited by BLUETHUNDER on Tuesday 15th April 19:25

[kojak]

BLUETHUNDER said:

itsallyellow said:

Ok next twist.....

Started the car for the 1st time since sunday today. I can now select first! All the gears work? Ist may feel a bit more notchy than it did but i cant really remember what it felt like before i had the problem...

Yep! this is more and more like fingers.I had the exact same symtoms as that.

Me too. It eventually gave in a month later.

[julian64]

Mike, after your phone call, I just realised I'm home on thursday from midday if you wanted to get a head start on the clutch before the weekend.