Cannot Select Gears :(

[MPoxon]

The last few times I have taken the car out recently I have thought that the gearbox was quite stiff.

Got in the car this morning, warmed her up, put my foot on the clutch and tried to select reverse and it would not go in, just crunching. Tried to select all other gears and it will not go in gear. The clutch feels lighter than normal. It feels like the clutch is not disnegageing enough.

I have has a quick search on PH and I think it may be master cylinder? I couldn't find much though as the PH search is still down and had to rely on Google.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[pwd95]

Very likely to be that. Probably low on fluid. Get yourself some dot 4 & top it up. Should come back after some pumping. Might need bleeding though.

[S7Paul]

If it's low fluid, then it must have gone somewhere. If there's no evidence of leakage, the problem almost certainly lies within the master cylinder. I speak from recent experience!

[MPoxon]

Cheers for the advice gents I will have a look at that tomorrow. It might be my bad as I check the oil and water every week but do not recall ever checking the brake fluid

[Johno]

I tend to change the slave at the same time. If the masters gone, then the new master will load up the slave more and I've had in fail not long afterwards . .. More expensive, but makes me safe in the knowledge etc ..

I wouldn't bother with a seal kit either, these are ally parts and score easily . . . personal preferences etc . .

[paul2000]

LIKE paul said its got to have gone somewhere ,mine went last year i could get any gear checked level ,it was not as it should have been also noticed my pedals were wet also the top of my carpet in the footwell was covered in fluid worth alook

[Wildfire]

Yep, similar thing happened to me a few years ago. Wet footwell/pedals. I would also replace the slave as when one goes the other is probably on the way out. My slave went in under 500 miles of the master cylinder.

[MPoxon]

Should I be able to select a gear without the clutch when the engine is off as it wont go into gear then either?

[Chimpaholic]

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/07-master-cylinder-with...

You will need your existing push rod, just remove the circlip under the rubber boot and fit the rod to your new cylinder.

In my opinion at £28.00 plus the VAT its just not worth bothering with the seal kit.

They have slave cylinders too.

[pwd95]

MPoxon said:

Should I be able to select a gear without the clutch when the engine is off as it wont go into gear then either?

Gears should select as you say, perhaps they're out of line. Try rocking the car back & fourth gently as you select the gears.

[MPoxon]

Very strange indeed: I checked the brake fluid level today - that was fine. Got back in the car still could not select any gears same as yesterday. I pumped the clutch a number of times it began to stiffen up and then could select all gears apart from second, then pumped the clutch a few more times and second came back.

There are no obvious leaks of fluid in the or around the car. I am very confused

[pwd95]

MPoxon said:

I checked the brake fluid level today

Do you mean 'Clutch' fluid. Which is locted behind the sealed cover.

[MPoxon]

pwd95 said:

MPoxon said:

I checked the brake fluid level today

Do you mean 'Clutch' fluid. Which is locted behind the sealed cover.

It take it I am mistaken assuming that the Griff has a combined Clutch and Brake fuild reserviour?

[pwd95]

Yeah, the clutch resevoir is behind the sealed cover.

You can see it here on my old Griff right next to the brake res, black cover.
Click to enlarge.

[MPoxon]

Thanks Wyn.

Managed to find it thanks to your photo, I always wondered what was behind there!



The reservoir is completely empty Are the two lines on the outside where it needs to be filled up to?

Time to go to halfruads to get some fluid.

[Johno]

The line on the interior is the fill level I have always used.

If you've lost all the fluid, then you need to order a new master/slave or both and some fluid.

Be very careful of the connecting pipe entering the master cylinder. Some of the castings can be a little high and not allow the union to seat properly. Couple of minutes with a file sorts it. Also, be careful when putting the union in, that it's square to the thread of the cylinder as it's only ally and easy to cross thread.

When filling, if you can do it in partnership like the brakes with someone else great . .. makes it a lot easier. Don't be too down hearted when you've still not got a pedal. Have found that even after you've bled all the air etc there's still no pedal. Just give it a few pumps with the bleed nipple locked off and the pedal will soon come back.

If you're having a full on refurb of everything down there, I'd also suggest junking the copper pipe down to the slave and replacing it will a flexible pipe, braided version of course.

Good luck, not a great job but not that hard either, just bloody awkward.

[MPoxon]

Johno said:

The line on the interior is the fill level I have always used.

Thanks Johno, fluid topped up to the interior line.

Fortunatley at appears that it was just the fluid in the reservoir that needed topping up. No I know where it is I shall remember to keep an eye on it.

Thanks for all the advice gents much appreciated as always

Matthew

[richieboy3008]

MPoxon said:

Johno said:

The line on the interior is the fill level I have always used.

Thanks Johno, fluid topped up to the interior line.

Fortunatley at appears that it was just the fluid in the reservoir that needed topping up. No I know where it is I shall remember to keep an eye on it.

Thanks for all the advice gents much appreciated as always

Matthew

Silly Billy

[Colin RedGriff]

I suspect you'll still need to replace the cylinders soon (or at least the seals). If the fluid has leaked once, unless you've fixed the leak it will leak again.

Eventually the seals will fail completely and no amount of fluid in the reservoir will make the clutch work.

[cjs]

Chimpaholic said:

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/07-master-cylinder-with...

You will need your existing push rod, just remove the circlip under the rubber boot and fit the rod to your new cylinder.

In my opinion at £28.00 plus the VAT its just not worth bothering with the seal kit.

They have slave cylinders too.

Thanks for the link, I have the same issue with my Griff (see other thread on here which I only received one answer!) Looks like I will be getting a master and slave.

this looks like the slave cylinder, correct?

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/aluminium-clutch-slave-...

Have you used these parts, are they as good as originals?

Edited by cjs on Sunday 29th August 17:44