|
Was happy driving along when car conked out. Clutch not engaging and whines when fully depressed. Gear lever seems to have shifted sideways. Advice received varies from "new gear box required" to "centre clutch plate out of line". Sorry to say fairly new driver with limited mechanical skills. Am arranging a tow to garage but could someone help with ideas of cause please.Thanks in advance.
|
I can discount "clutch centre plate out of line" as the ramblings of someone with no mechanical knowledge whatsoever. I would also hesitate to pronounce a gearbox as beyond repair unless it had been making lots of noise and been difficult to use for a while preceding the breakdown.
Can you describe exactly how the car conked out? What I'm hoping you're going to say is this: You were halfway through changing gear when the gear lever became loose and floppy and the next gear wouldn't engage... In which case it will probably be the gear linkage becoming either loose or broken, a relatively cheap and simple repair for a garage to carry out in either case.
Hth,
Dave TD
|
|
Can you tell us whether it is currently any easier to move the gear stick into gear when the engine is turned off? If there is no difference, or you can not select a gear full stop, then I would have thought its gearbox or linkage related as opposed to clutch.
|
|
Hi Wurzel, thanks for the reply much appreciated. Was unable to select any gear with engine running but unfortunately didn't try with engine off. Will try tomorrow as car quite a few miles away at present. Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Dave, thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated. Was driving along flat road in 3rd gear and slowed to let someone out changing down 2nd gear, changed up again to 3rd and about 100 yards further on the car jumped out of gear and wouldn't go back into gear. Was able to coast to a stop and turned off engine. Checked under car and all seemed in place. Started car again and whirring noise which worsens when you depress the clutch and becomes a grinding noise if you try to engage a gear (all gears tried). No further action taken and waiting for kind hearted friend to tow in to a garage but cannot decide who to take it too unless I have an idea of whats wrong.
|
I spent 8 years driving Ford Escorts, 2 with worn clutches, and I cant say I have heard of anything like that happening!
If it had not jumped out of gear, I would say that the clutch had disintegrated causing lack of clearance between the plates hence the grinding sound when trying to get into gear. However if as you said happened, then Im a bit baffled and I hope someone with more mechanical knowledge than me can shed some light here.
Im NOT saying this is going to be the case, however in the mean while you might like to consider what you would do if it is worst case scenario - broken gearbox. What I mean is find the value of the car, consider its milage, condition, other faults, and think about the most you would be prepared to pay for the repair as an alternative to scrapping it. That way when the garge gives you a quote you will be in a better position to reply.
|
Thanks Wurzel, just returned from a quick round trip to the car and unable to obtain any gears even with engine off. Gear stick is easier to move so keeping fingers crossed its a problem with the linkage. Thanks for your help, greatly appreciated.
BD
|
|
|
|
|
Broken engine mounting perhaps?
Kevin...
|
|
|
