wont go into gear?!

[markey b]

rite, need some expert help on this one.

my friend has a ph1 that we rebuilt, had on the road for 217miles and then he popped the head gasket 2 weeks ago, we sorted the head gasket and fitted a renix from a turbo so now it runs again. ready to take it out last nite and it decides that it doesn't want to go in gear.

you can select gears with the engine off, but as soon as its running it wont go in and just grinds. i know its screaming out clutch fault, but it was a brand new valeo clutch 217miles ago! i've tightened the clutch cable and manually adjusted it so its got full travel. looking into the gearbox through the hole where the release fork goes and it appears to be operating the clutch ok and all the fingers are working. seems a bit strange as to why it would have gone.

i've got a snap on endoscope for this afternoon to look inside before we rip it apart, is there anything to look out for? i know it could be the clutch, but i can't see it failing after such a short time. what else could it be?

[Schakal]

could be the pivot bush

[markey b]

is that the nylon ball behind the fork?

just to add info, it got funny a couple of times when it was being used, and side stepping the clutch reset the rachet and it was ok again until now?!

[Sparkie]

clutch plate the wrong way round....?

[Scoff]

was it sat up for a while when it had faults ? maybe the plate has stuck to the flywheel. try jacking the front up, put it in 1st, start it up with your foot on the clutch. If the wheels turn then try braking (while still on the clutch). If the brakes try to slow the engine down then the plate is stuck to the flywheel.

[Sparkie]

if it is stuck, you could loosen it through the tdc sensor hole... a hammer and a screwdriver...

[TNT Tricky Nicky]

could be adjuster on clutch pedal worn, mine jumps and won't selects gears sometimes with engine running but fine with engine off. have to pull pedal up by hand to reset the mechanism. could be that simple if it's already been working.

[markey b]

it was working now its not, i've reset the cable so its nice and tight, it sits miles high now but feels nice. do the friction plates stick like glue? lol. its only been off road about 3 weeks but has had new starter as well as the other one died. could coolant etc down the TDC hole cause it to stick?lol

[Scoff]

yeah, they can stick like feck, have you never seen that on a car ? In the past I've had to jack the car up, get it in first, give it a lot of revs and stand on the brakes. this usually free's it off. Sometimes they're stuck so fast that this trick isn't enough. sparkies method sounds good also, if you are carefull not to chisel lumps out of the friction plate ofcourse!!

[markey b]

i'm back over there this afternoon with the endoscope so i'll see if the bush is ok and also see it the friction is seperating

[markey b]

right, just got back... the clutch appeared to be stuck, so free'd that off so it phyically released from the flywheel and pressure plate, assumed all would be ok, put it in gear and............ crunch

so looked at the release fork with the endoscope, bearing was on ok, and checked the release fork ball against mine at it looks exactly the same, like a ball with a slightly flattened top.

checked all the fingers were ok, and that the pressure plate slides on the splines freely, which it does.

also tried revving in gear and applying the brakes, clutch started to smell but still no joy.

lastly tried manually adjusting the rachet, no luck, then tried combinations of the bits on the end of the cable to make it tighter, still no luck

i'm really really stuck now... it should be a clutch problem as it goes into gear with engine off, but i really have no clue now

has anyone had anything similar?

[Logg]

I've had a problem like this 3 times before!

1st Time the the flywheel was rusted to the clutch so started the car up in in first gear drove down the road slammed on the brakes problem solved!

2nd Time I had destroyed one of the springs in the middle of the clutch!

3rd time I had sheered off 2 or 3 of the bolts that hold the cover to the flywheel had snapped off!

[turbo ted]

try pressing the clutch pedal have way to the floor you might be pressing the trust bearing to far in against clutch and hiting the flywheel and had this problem a few years ago turns out my clutch cable is to tight

[markey b]

cover plate is bolted on ok, none of the clutch fingers are bent, may try driving but am running out of ideas. will try half clutch pedal tonite, but the lad who's car it is is gettin more and more depressed by it every day

[Nayls]

put the car in second,foot on the throttle & kepp the ignition turned so that it starts moving,it will judder a lot obviously but evenually you'l be up to speed & driving!

i did this last year after i had the same symptons & it sorted mine out straight away!

so gotta be worth a try!

[J$£5GTT]

you got a nice fresh genuine renault clutch cable?
have you fiddled with the linkage under car?
dont know..er'....

[Kenobi]

I can get discount there.

[Markey Mark (BD)]

will try half clutch pedal tonite

I'd be looking a the clutch pedal next if you have tried everything else, the rachet may be on its way out if its been on there since new.

[tom t]

definatley worth trying the clutch pedal i had to get one after mine was off the road for agers as it worked ok for a little while and then it gave up the goosee. a total rip-of from renault though.

[markey b]

update, checked pedal and its ok, rachet working perfectly. cable is ok and will adjust properly to give a nice feel.

all i need to do now is see if driving will make it work, if not i think it maybe box off.

did notice that the friction plates were seperating slightly from the metal centre if that makes sense, the friction plates are riveted either side of the metal disc if i'm correct? is that normal for a bit of movement? still can't see it stopping it from working totally.

[Sparkie]

has the car got the 'pussy' pedal conversion? if so, it will need the clutch pedal stop either removing or grinding down abit...

[markey b]

nah its got normal pedal and normal cable..

got it going today, once rolling you can select gear, once its in gear you can stop and put the clutch down, but its like its dragging... once your stopped you can't put it in gear again.

gonna take the box off 2mora cos i'm getting fed up lol.

[Dave Reed]

You checked if the clucth pedal is bent? try getting hold of it and pulling it up, be careful though....This is what happened to mine, was fine one minute the next wouldn't do feck all........

[Os8472]

Had a txt from Mark earlier, turns out the springs in the friction plate have been destroyed

[markey b]

I've had a problem like this 3 times before!

1st Time the the flywheel was rusted to the clutch so started the car up in in first gear drove down the road slammed on the brakes problem solved!

2nd Time I had destroyed one of the springs in the middle of the clutch!

3rd time I had sheered off 2 or 3 of the bolts that hold the cover to the flywheel had snapped off!

logg u da man!! one spring missing and 2 more rattling and loose!! not good for a greenbox valeo after 200 odd miles!! what could cause this?

[markey b]

[Logg]

logg u da man!! one spring missing and 2 more rattling and loose!! not good for a greenbox valeo after 200 odd miles!! what could cause this?

I got told it was down to abuse in my case and the clutch had been on the car for only 6 months!

[markey b]

this was on a 'new build' and went during running in... car didn't see over 5,000rpm and literally did a couple of hundred miles

[Logg]

Abuse as in being harsh with the clutch pedal!

But it might just be one of those things! One bad clutch out the many they sell!

[markey b]

it only goes up and down lol...

call me stupid, but how do the springs break anyway?! do they catch on something or just get shocked?

[J$£5GTT]

it only goes up and down lol...

call me stupid, but how do the springs break anyway?! do they catch on something or just get shocked?

strange never seen that before,whats the cause,got to be
an explanation ????

[markey b]

no idea, like i said it did hardly any miles and was being run in?!?

got a new clutch and starter today under warranty so now off to put it in