Clutch Still acting Up!

AmDaMan · 9 Jun 2006 at 18:35

I'm still having problems changing to 1st and 2nd ever since the cluch was done. The changed the clutch arm and said if it persists it's the gearbox..

Anyways I changed the cluch cable as I thought it may be that that was stretched and not disengaging the clutch properly as I was previously using spacers. Now the spacers don't seem to be helping even with the new cable!

Basically I can't get into 1st or 2nd without pushing really hard. 3rd, 4th and 5th are fine. The thing is it's even difficult when the engine is off :confused:

So I don't know what to do now, Could it be something to do with the selector fork or Haynes mentions some adjustment where the gear stick is, what would that do?

What I have found:

When going to select 1st as I push the car slightly moves forward even though it's not in gear yet!!

It's easier to select 1st when coming to a stop but if I have already stopped it's hard.

Downshifting to 2nd or 1st is hard.

3,4,5 are fine in standstill or otherwise.

Does anyone know what it could be as it's just plain annoying and it's making driving tedious. It's a clio 1.4, M Reg. Never remember any of this before the clutch was done, but All they did was fit the clutch! :confused:

timbob · 9 Jun 2006 at 19:53

It does point towards being the gearbox...

If the clutch was knackered, or ill-fitted, it would be hard to get it into all gears.

As it's hard to get into 1st and 2nd particularly, that would point towards your syncros being worn. I'm not hot on the inner workings of gearboxes, but I think 1st and 2nd use a single cog/thing on the spindle that meshes forwards into 1st, and backwards into 2nd. A second coggy thing works 3rd and 4th, etc. I think.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm Good grief, I was right about the 1st/2nd, 3rd/4th thing. Which would indeed point towards it being the gearbox - unless the selector rods are damaged, and making it physically difficult to get 1st and 2nd?

thebrasso · 9 Jun 2006 at 19:59

I had a similar problem after I'd had a clutch replacement on a Nissan Micra. It turned out to be gear linkages.

I'd take it to a garage, and get them checked/adjusted.

AmDaMan · 9 Jun 2006 at 23:38

It was fine for ages with a washer on the cable. Not sure what's happened now, I'm using thinner washers with the new cable though, maybe my other cable was ok?

It is physically difficult to get it in gear, you know when you are going quite fast and try and select 1st? It's a bit like that, i have to wrench it in. It's the same with the engine off though, which makes me think it could be something else.

brasso, how much was it to do that? I'd give it a shot if it meant I could change gears right!

ta.

timbob · 10 Jun 2006 at 00:16

Shouldn't be much - a garage just need to have it on a ramp and check all the linkages under the car. If they're knackered, an hour or two's labour, and the cost of new parts, not more than £150 or so all in.

thebrasso · 10 Jun 2006 at 00:26

I can't remember exact prices, but I'm pretty sure it was less than £100 to sort the linkages. I think that was because they had replaced the clutch about two weeks before.

I do know it took them about two hours though, including taking it for a drive.

AmDaMan · 10 Jun 2006 at 20:00

ok i'll get a garage to look at it. A strange thing though is that it get's worse as the engine is warmer. On the motorway today flat out, temp about 3/4 of the way up and when I got into town I could hardly change gear! :eek:

Kamerad · 10 Jun 2006 at 20:06

The box could be low on oil.

Dogbreath · 10 Jun 2006 at 20:23

If the car is trying to move forward when the engine is running and you attempt to select first then the clutch is dragging, there is no other reason for this to happen. With a dragging clutch, 3rd and 4th are easier to select as the synchro's have to overcome less torque than the lower gears.

AmDaMan said:
ok i'll get a garage to look at it. A strange thing though is that it get's worse as the engine is warmer. On the motorway today flat out, temp about 3/4 of the way up and when I got into town I could hardly change gear!

A dragging clutch can exhibit these symptoms. If the clutch is barely being released when the engine is cold, general expansion of parts can mean it drags very badly with a hot engine.

However, the box should be easy to change with the engine off. Sometimes the synchro hubs aren't quite aligned and a box refuses to go into a particular gear with the engine stopped, but if you put it into another gear first it will usualy be able to select the first one.

Mox3d · 10 Jun 2006 at 20:32

Sounds (or reads) to me like basically a worn out clutch spring plate. But I don't know what your car/model is or anything so I'm just guessing somewhat.

If thats the case it should be a relatively straight forward replacement clutch kit and a morning or afternoons work at the dealer/mechanics to remedy.

AmDaMan · 11 Jun 2006 at 00:14

Dogbreath: So why would the clutch drag then? The proper clutch kit was fitted and then re checked when the clutch arm was done.

That's exactly what happens with the engine off, if it wont go into 1st, i move to 3rd or 4th then it's ok again.

Moxed: It's a clio 94, 1.4. Doesn't the cluch spring come as part of the cluch kit?

Mox3d · 11 Jun 2006 at 02:58

AmDaMan said:
Dogbreath: Moxed: It's a clio 94, 1.4. Doesn't the cluch spring come as part of the cluch kit?

Yes. Complete replacement should be from just under forty quid to maybe sixty depending where you get it. Then fitting which at a guess should be a morning or afternoons work at the most for a competent shop/dealer/mechanic/engineer (delete as applicable). My speciality is older BMW's (e30's, e30 M3's etc) so forgive me if I can't be exact on the work timescale front for your Renault.

Make sure, or varify the diagnosis first with someone here who knows thier Renault's or your mechanic. I could still be wrong.