Hi
Struggling to work out what’s wrong and if it’s a quick fix, major problem, what to try first and whether to continue the holiday! It’s a 1989 T3 1.9 Petrol water cooled with 5 speed manual box.
Gear selection always tricky compared to a modern car and so I’ve learned to live with it. Gear linkage parts replaced several years ago as was the gearbox oil. Slave cylinder replaced 4 years ago when that failed. Normally I can get every gear with just 2nd tricky (double de clutch works as does doing it slowly) and just the occasional crashing of gears and gear stick vagueness. [font]On last trip 4 weeks ago the gears seemed harder to get so it was bled again before this trip (no air noted).
On this trip gears as normal but clutch bite point near the floor. So bled it again, no air noted, but then unable to engage any gear when engine running. Spent most of the day reading up and checking items to work out what it is but I’m going around in circles.[/font] [font]The clutch could be failing. But I’ve not noticed any slipping and the bite point is at the floor. With clutch pedal fully down the clutch is not engaged, lift it up half an inch and it is. If it was a worn clutch would the bite not be near the top of travel and not the bottom?[/font] [font]No fluid leaks at master or slave clutch cylinders. No noticeable loss of fluid from reservoir.[/font] [font]The master or slave cylinder could be failing but the clutch lever is moving. Not sure on exact movement but looks like 15 to 20mm. It starts to move when the pedal is partially pressed down. Once the clutch pedal is released the lever and slave rod move up but can be pushed up a little bit, about 3-5mm. The cylinders do not seem to be passing, with the clutch pressed down in stationary traffic did not start to bite or creep after a while. Repeated pressing does not make it any better (or worse).[/font] Late PM today and it would not go into any gear if the engine was running, but it would if the engine was off. I could put it into gear and with clutch pedal at the floor start it and when lifting up the clutch move the van, but not change gear. Not even into neutral. [font]Just in case the clutch cylinder movement was not quite enough I’ve put a temporary shim in between the slave push rod cup and clutch lever arm to give an extra 1.5mm of movement but no noticeable difference.[/font] So I bled it slightly again this evening, this time using what I think is the Simon Baxter recommended way. As in open the slave bleed and let gravity make it flow with no pushing down of the pedal but side to side jiggling. Previous bleeds have been the two person peddle push, open, down close, back up and repeat. Can now just get it into gear with engine running again. Clutch bite point is still just above the floor. I only let it bleed for 5 mins as catching the fluid tricky with no suitable hose to hand on and on Mother In Laws drive! So; I’m now confused. I still suspect the master clutch cylinder is starting to fail but the lever moves a lot. I’m guessing it may be the clutch release bearing but not sure why and struggling to understand the clutch anyway. Hoping it’s not the gearbox. I’d normally work on the replace any item that looks failed, and then every item in turn starting with the easiest till it works (and anything sensible that is removed or accessible). The slave cylinder is easy, but the master tricky as dash out with pedal assembly and more chance to break other items and other sensible to do items accessible (so easyish but takes a lot of time). Clutch looks doable but I think I’d like a garage to do this but good ones busy so I may have to. So any ideas as what is the cause, and what to try first? And as we are only at a stop over in Cardiff en-route to holiday in Pembrokeshire before going home (Manchester) do we continue and hope for best, abort the holiday and try to drive home now or call the recovery service and get lifted home?
I’ll give it another bleed tomorrow and can keep bleeding it if it is just a small internal leak at the master cylinder but don’t want to get stuck on the roadside if it’s an obvious other issue.
Jon
Struggling to work out what’s wrong and if it’s a quick fix, major problem, what to try first and whether to continue the holiday! It’s a 1989 T3 1.9 Petrol water cooled with 5 speed manual box.
Gear selection always tricky compared to a modern car and so I’ve learned to live with it. Gear linkage parts replaced several years ago as was the gearbox oil. Slave cylinder replaced 4 years ago when that failed. Normally I can get every gear with just 2nd tricky (double de clutch works as does doing it slowly) and just the occasional crashing of gears and gear stick vagueness. [font]On last trip 4 weeks ago the gears seemed harder to get so it was bled again before this trip (no air noted).
On this trip gears as normal but clutch bite point near the floor. So bled it again, no air noted, but then unable to engage any gear when engine running. Spent most of the day reading up and checking items to work out what it is but I’m going around in circles.[/font] [font]The clutch could be failing. But I’ve not noticed any slipping and the bite point is at the floor. With clutch pedal fully down the clutch is not engaged, lift it up half an inch and it is. If it was a worn clutch would the bite not be near the top of travel and not the bottom?[/font] [font]No fluid leaks at master or slave clutch cylinders. No noticeable loss of fluid from reservoir.[/font] [font]The master or slave cylinder could be failing but the clutch lever is moving. Not sure on exact movement but looks like 15 to 20mm. It starts to move when the pedal is partially pressed down. Once the clutch pedal is released the lever and slave rod move up but can be pushed up a little bit, about 3-5mm. The cylinders do not seem to be passing, with the clutch pressed down in stationary traffic did not start to bite or creep after a while. Repeated pressing does not make it any better (or worse).[/font] Late PM today and it would not go into any gear if the engine was running, but it would if the engine was off. I could put it into gear and with clutch pedal at the floor start it and when lifting up the clutch move the van, but not change gear. Not even into neutral. [font]Just in case the clutch cylinder movement was not quite enough I’ve put a temporary shim in between the slave push rod cup and clutch lever arm to give an extra 1.5mm of movement but no noticeable difference.[/font] So I bled it slightly again this evening, this time using what I think is the Simon Baxter recommended way. As in open the slave bleed and let gravity make it flow with no pushing down of the pedal but side to side jiggling. Previous bleeds have been the two person peddle push, open, down close, back up and repeat. Can now just get it into gear with engine running again. Clutch bite point is still just above the floor. I only let it bleed for 5 mins as catching the fluid tricky with no suitable hose to hand on and on Mother In Laws drive! So; I’m now confused. I still suspect the master clutch cylinder is starting to fail but the lever moves a lot. I’m guessing it may be the clutch release bearing but not sure why and struggling to understand the clutch anyway. Hoping it’s not the gearbox. I’d normally work on the replace any item that looks failed, and then every item in turn starting with the easiest till it works (and anything sensible that is removed or accessible). The slave cylinder is easy, but the master tricky as dash out with pedal assembly and more chance to break other items and other sensible to do items accessible (so easyish but takes a lot of time). Clutch looks doable but I think I’d like a garage to do this but good ones busy so I may have to. So any ideas as what is the cause, and what to try first? And as we are only at a stop over in Cardiff en-route to holiday in Pembrokeshire before going home (Manchester) do we continue and hope for best, abort the holiday and try to drive home now or call the recovery service and get lifted home?
I’ll give it another bleed tomorrow and can keep bleeding it if it is just a small internal leak at the master cylinder but don’t want to get stuck on the roadside if it’s an obvious other issue.
Jon
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