Help..Clutch not Engaging..Cant Shift

[BASS]

Ok, the past few days when I was driving, I hard a hard time shifting into 1st,2nd, and 3rd gears (also into reverse, it really grinded!)...Now today, I cant even shift it out of 1st, or any other gear for that matter! With the car off, I can shift it pretty easily, but with the car on, and the clutch pedal all the way down, I cant shift it..I also notice that when I push the clutch pedal down, I hear a slight rattling noise..

What can the problem be? Throw-out bearing? The clutch pedal feels ok (i.e. easily moves up and down with normal resistance). Could it be that I need to bleed the system? I checked the reservoir and it appears full also...

Anyone know or had a similar problem??

 

[RonMacPherson]

It sounds like the clutch!


Sorry, couldn't help it. Okay, some basic troubleshooting lies ahead.

First you need to determine if your clutch actuation system is working.

Jack the car up, or use a lift, have someone underneath watching(hopefully measuring) the movement of the clutch slave cylinder rod, while someone is up top pushing the pedal to the floor.

You want good movement, and with the pedal held to the floor you want the clutch rod to stay pushed.

Pump the clutch pedal a couple of times and see if the pedal pressure increases, or the linkage movement increases. If it does then it is hydraulic.

After you have ruled out hydraulic(or repaired it) then it is internal to the clutch mechanism.

From your description of being able to shift gears with the engine off, it doesn't sound like it's internal in the trans.

 

[zimmy]

ive kinda got the same problem....
clutch works for a few seconds, then
quits....
ill be rebuilding my master cylinder.

the rattling is possibly your throw out
bearing....how many miles are on the clutch? ...z

 

[regularman]

If I recall correctly a new clutch master is not that expensive guys. I am a tightwad and I put the time and effort into rebuilding my brake master and getting it right, but the clutch master was only 50 bucks on sale and I figured that was not too bad. Also bleeding and getting all the air out of the lines on the clutch cannot be stressed enough. That master does not have the stroke to get all the air out in one pump and so the fluid slips by the air in the line when you let off and you never get the air out with normal bleeding. I been through this many times. It was a common problem among spridgets left and right hand drive. If you only have a little air in the sytem it will bleed as normal but if the line ever gets real empty (like the clutch master going empty) then it is a rel pain to get it right again. The air will cause sponginess that varies with engine temps and all kinds of things.

 

[jlaird]

Ain't that the truth, mine isn't right yet.