Clutch not engaging gears

[Delbertini]

Please help, can't select any gears on my 5 speed dogleg gearbox. Was running fine all week and then went to take it out and no go, unable to select any gears. It's running a hydraulic clutch so I checked the slave cylinder for obvious leaks and looks ok, can't quite see the clutch master cylinder at the base of the pedal so unsure of any leaks. The resivour doesn't seem to have lost any fluid either so unsure of the issues, clutch pedal defiantly doesn't have as much travel so can't select any gears. Does anyone know the best way to check the system as I'm thinking of replacing the slave cylinder but seems a bit daft as could be ok?

[Delbertini]

Forgot to mention clutch arm at the gearbox end is still moving but I guess not enough?

[ZsZ]

If bleeding the clutch hydraulics does not work, then maybe the clutch itself gone.
Or as in my case the needle bearing in the end of the mainshaft fell apart.

[CovKid]

If you disconnect battery, gear linkage at gearbox, undo gearbox to engine nuts/bolts, gearbox front mount bolts, you should be able to move gearbox forward (driveshafts still attached) on a good sized trolley jack, away from engine and leave just enough of a gap to look at clutch with an inspection mirror and a torch. I suspect as above that something has dropped/broken away. Could be the release bearing has become detached or broken up. I have the 5 speed too.

However, its worth checking gear linkage etc. Its one of those potential failures that you can't see without partially disconnecting stuff.

[Delbertini]

Thanks for the input, it's had a Subaru conversion at the beginning of the year with a new clutch and RJES adaptor so should be ok there. Will try to bleed the clutch slave cylinder if it ever stops raining, can you get to the clutch master cylinder without taking the dash out?

[CovKid]

Might have helped to state all that to start with.

[AdrianC]

It might be clutch, it might be linkage.

When you say you "can't engage", is it trying but crunching? Or is there just nothing selecting?

Put it in first, with the engine off.
Press the clutch down.
Start the engine. Does it start OK, without trying to move the van?
Release the clutch. Does it engage OK?

[Delbertini]

Basically I can't select any gears weather engine on or not, it's as though the clutch is only engageing half the pedal distance. There is movement at the clutch lever on the gearbox but not sure if it's enough, there's no crunching of gears as it seems the clutch isn't working enough to get to that point. Was behaving fine during the day then had this issue the same evening. I haven't hit anything underneath whilst driving, no physical signs of leaking cylinders so I'm a bit stumped, I have had the brake servo and master cylinder replaced a couple of months ago do weather something has been disturbed then I don't know?...

[AdrianC]

Basically I can't select any gears weather engine on or not

OK, ignore the clutch, then - because you should be able to select gears without using the clutch with the engine off. All the clutch does is disconnect the engine from the 'box. If the engine isn't turning, there's no need to disconnect it.

Your problem is either gear linkage or gearbox.

[Delbertini]

Ok don't know if that's better or worse, linkage would be better, never been that good at selecting gears esp 2nd always seems a bit tricky. When I first noticed it the clutch pedal kinda pressed down to easy for a second, do you think it might be the seal in the slave cylinder failing?
Thanks for any advice

[AdrianC]

If you had a hydraulic problem - wherever - you'd be losing brake fluid.

[Ralf85]

You could have the same problem that I had (my post on 7 October 2013 - entitled 'Clutch problem fixed - not clutch'). Here is an extract from my post.

The rod from the slave pushes down on a clutch control arm which is about 10cm long. There should be a small ball shaped piece of metal at the end, that the rod pushes down onto to push the arm and disengage the clutch. This must have broken off (metal fatigue it seems) on my way back from Busfest. So when operating the clutch pedal it was not pushing the clutch enough to disengage it. Just about 5mm of metal that's all. I'm keeping the old part as a memento.


If it is that problem there are no new parts available so you need to get hold of a used part. Good luck!

[Delbertini]

Thanks adrian looks like I can rule out the clutch, also thanks ralf looks like I'm gonna put on my wet weather gear and have a look underneath, I think I did noticed a cylinder shaped piece of metal at the end of the rod yesterday but am gonna check, may try and take a picture and post to confirm. Thank you everybody for your advice

[Delbertini]

Just tried to engage gears with engine off and all gears selected ok, with engine on no gears. Then started it in gear and lurched forward. Any ideas?

[Ralf85]

Just tried to engage gears with engine off and all gears selected ok, with engine on no gears. Then started it in gear and lurched forward. Any ideas?

You don't need the clutch to change gear with the engine off, so that's normal. Sounds even more like the same problem that I had as the clutch isn't disengaging.