Cant get her in gear!!!

[pbrettle]

Any suggestions welcome - but off to drop the TVR in for a service and cant get her into gear. Clutch is soft as hell (no feel) and no chance of selecting a gear.

Any suggestions? It froze really badly last night and I was thinking that it might be the clutch that has frozen - but ran the car for 30 minutes and no better....

AA man called out and garage told that they may be expecting my car being towed... but any information in the meantime would be good.

Cheers and HELP....

Paul

P.S. The car has not moved since Thursday and it has been covered with snow in the meantime (East Anglia!). Thawing now, but froze badly last night....

[incorrigible]

You've checked the obvious, like clutch fluid ?

[pbrettle]

Yep, checked the clutch fluid and all seems OK. Not frozen or anything. Strange really. AA man didnt want to take a long look at it because he would have to jack it up - and didnt have the required stuff...

Unfortunately you cant get to the clutch cable or mechanism through the bonnet so cant check the obvious other than the fluid levels. Shame as I think that it will be something obvious (hopes anyway).

Currently waiting for the breakdown truck now - bugger.

Cheers,

Pi55ed of from Newmarket

[shpub]

1. There is no clutch cable.
2. Could be a siezed clutch slave or release arm. These can wear and then stick. The 520 actually bent a release arm due the pressure required by the vey very heavy duty clutch I use. Some cars have an incpsection hole in the bell housing so a quick diagnosis may be done but if it is, it is a drop the gearbox time and overhaul the clutch.

Steve

[pbrettle]

Been recovered now and in the hands of the specialists. Hopefully it will be OK. Had a chat with the mechanic and he seems to think that it is probably something to do with the hydralic mechanism.... ooppss, that sounds expensive. Anyway, lets see what the outcome is...

Cheers,

Paul

[swilly]

I had the same symptoms, although i found i couldn't change gear as i was taking it for the service.

Ended up being a gradual leak from the master cylinder.

[beljames]

Sounds like a knackered clutch slave or master cylinder. Common fault apparently. Not too much to put right.

[paulsw]

I suffered same problem, When I checked the master cylinder it was empty. Refilled/bled, now its been
fine for 6 months, I do keep an eye on the clutch fluid
and top up from time to time. Does anyone know where
the fluid could be leaking from. Its definetly not
from the master cylinder, or pedal piston.??

[AlexR]

Paul,

Did you get this fixed?

Alex.

[pbrettle]

Sorry yes, did get fixed - turned out to be the clutch slave cylinder. Not an expensive part (£40) and pretty easy to fix (according to the garage) so not too worried. Asked why it might have failed (had some pretty bad cold weather!) and was told that they just go occassionally. Shame as this brings the total to 2 for the number of times that the car has let me down....

Still, glad its fixed and pleased it wasnt expensive.

Cheers,

Paul