I think I've done this job many years ago, but memory lapses and confidence falls as sciatica kicks in. With your help, I will try it.
Symptoms; before starting engine, gear lever will readily engage all gears;
with engine running gear lever will not select against resistance;
applying force to gear lever engages gear and stalls engine
1. Am I right to infer that the resistance and stalling tells me this is gear linkage/cable and not clutch failure?
2. As I can ( just about) get down on my back and slide under the front (Peugeot/Talbot van) is this a job I should be able to do please?
Any tips will be welcomed and thanks in advance.
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Engine off, van in gear, foot on clutch.
Will it freewheel ?
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Ee Mark lad, what's t' werld cumin to eh? Four minutes to get a reply from Brazil (unless of course that's Brazil street Barrow-in-Furness.
Seriously, thanks. Will have to wait for my younger and fitter wife * to return home so she can push it - it's very heavy. Will reply asap.
Thanks again.
Colin
*I do only have one
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KB Thank you. The next comment is not facetious- I thought clutch linkages were wire and nuts and bolts; hydraulics is a bit frightening.
Mark The lady has returned and although it's pouring down and the van lives outdoors, she kindly consented to attempt to push. The van will not move in the cicumstances you describe. Furthermore, having dropped forward a little 'into' the gear, the stick will not now return to neutral, the clutch having no effect.
Again thanks - I await further advice, particularly on whether I should try it.
Colin
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I would have expected it not to freewheel, hence suggesting cable/clutch hydraulics. Not the clutch itself. I would have discounted gear linkage as a likely problem.
Await further opinions and test results.
KB
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So its clutch oriented.
Does the pressure under foot on the pedal seem normal ?
Can you see any movement of the lever into the clutch ? The bit that actually pushes or pulls on the clutch itself ?
I'd agree with KB, its probably something between your foot and the clutch, rather than the clutch itself.
Unless there were some warning symptons you haven`t mentioned.
Ask her to sit in the car pushing on the clutch, and you try and see any lever activity going into the clutch. This could well mean lying on the floor - sorry.
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Has the vehicle been standing for a while? If it has been left for a month or more, the clutch driven plate may be stuck to the flywheel due to rust. If so, try this (you need plenty of space).
Engage first gear, then turn the engine over on the starter. The vehicle will lurch forward and then pick up speed as the engine fires. Accelerate to a decent speed, then depress the clutch with your left foot, and the brake and accelerator simultaneously with your right. Hopefully the shock will break the bond between clutch plate and flywheel. If not, the engine will stall and you can have another go. Only do this when you have ruled out any faults with the clutch release mechanism (broken clutch cable or adjuster, low fluid level in a hydraulic system) and make sure you don't run into anything.
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Colin
Definitely a sticking clutch. Suggestions on linkage/hydraulic faults all valid, as is possibilty of clutch plate stuck to flywheel. I've freed those by getting one driven wheel off the ground (WELL SUPPORTED), starting it in top gear (minimise torque at wheels) and by clever footwork depressing clutch and throtle and then applying the brakes. Hell of a bang when it frees! Much as indicated above, but makes use of the differential action, so done at a standstill. Don't try it with a limited slip diff though!
Other options - rusty splines on the gearbox input shaft, preventing driven plate moving. Usually only fixable by dismantling.
Faulty clutch - again a dismantling job.
Regards
John
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Colin, If it's hydraulic, it just means it has a master and slave clinder as per the brakes. If it is hyd. you'll have a cylinder which is visible (maybe next to the brake master cyl.) and you can check fluid level. If its cable you may be able to trace it's route from pedal to clutch housing, checking it visually. You can also operate the clutch pedal and check the operation of the cable and operating mechanism at the other (clutch housing end).
Given it's French connections, (and his expertise), I'm sure DW will be able to add to this.
KB
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Anyone else recall a favourite problem with the old Triumph engines; worn crankshaft thrust bearings? This allows excessive end float on the crankshaft, i.e. it pushes backwards out of the engine, in turn compressing whole clutch assembly into the bell housing.
I really do hope it has nothing to do with it in your case Colin.
PG
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Thanks for all additional information.
Yes Richard - the vehicle has not moved for about two months, apart from shifting it a couple of yards to gain access past it. There were no signs of trouble declutching or changing on that occasion, and no noticeable change in behaviour before that. I'll have to pull or push it out for the experiment as space is very confined.
Thanks too to other respondents. I am collecting all the information and waiting for a fine day.
Any other information, or supplementaries will be welcomed - must admit that the 'seized-up' possibility is a worrier.
Cheers Colin
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Colin,
Possibility 1 is a siezed clutch. There are two ways of doing this - dismantle and repair/replace, or give it a nasty shock and maybe it will break loose. If it doesn`t break lose, or if it tears the friction plate apart, which it can do, then you are no worse off since that`s the part you would have to replace anyway.
Possibility 2 is that the clutch is not being operated properly. The easiest thing to do is to operate the clutch pedal and see if the hydraulic rams or levers or whatever are operating.
If they are, its a siezed clutch. If they`re not [moving] then you have to start chasing through cables or hydraulics.
It is most likely the siezure issue. Breaking it loose can be done in a number of ways;
starting it in gear - simple that amount of banging can free it
starting it with the wheels of the ground, in gear and banging the brakes
bump starting it in gear, go along the road with your foot on the [inoperative] clutch banging the throttle on and off *****
or, as I had to do with a Lancia once, rolling it backwards with the engine running and mashing it into 2nd. And before anybody says anything, I got another 20,000 miles out of that clutch/gearbox and even then lost the car to rust.
There is a risk of gearbox damage with all of them. Its not a particularly high risk, but it exists. ***** is the least risk, but may not work.
If you don`t like the risk, then your only option is to dismantle the clutch.
Do let us know how you get on. Sometimes this clutches can unsieze without any dramatics at all.
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amazing stuff, rust.
Why isn't there an effective metal-to-metal adhesive like it?
rg
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Looking on the positive side, it could just be the cable thats seized, and that's not too dire. Come back with progress report in due course.
KB.
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