I’m tearing round Brands Indy and mid-afternoon I’m breaking for the nasty (but fun ) Paddock Hill Bend and 3rd won’t engage (raised eyebrow moment). Anyway I manage it and think I must just be a crap driver.
However, at the end of the day, 2up, I’m trying (stupidly!) to chase Christian and it happens again, but now I can’t really get any gear. Back to the pits.
Stop car, gears engage fine. Start engine, press clutch, gear won’t engage. Stop engine, engage gear, foot on clutch, start car - IT JUMPS FORWARD! Poo!
The Edwards have a look, and I’m getting good movement on the bracket in the engine compartment, and there doesn’t appear to be fluid about. The clutch feels pretty much ok, a bit light at the top and spongy/firm pressed down.
Any ideas?
I think it’s probably time (after 16,000 miles) for the AP one. This one certainly had a good send off though, and I have to thank it for only failing right at the end of the day.
Usually the first sign of excessive clutch plate wear, is clutch slip. As the clutch plate wears the fingers on the clutch cover that the release bearing pushes against move out, so less pedal travel is required to disengage the clutch, and there is less spring pressure from the cover squeezing the plate against the flywheel. With clutch plate wear you’re never usually left not beaing able to disengage the clutch.
The first thing I would do is bleed the clutch. It may look like you are getting good movement, but the slave does move a long way and if it isn’t going all the way then it will not disengage the clutch.
Have a good look for leaks, although you do say that it didn’t seem to have used any fluid.
Lastly check at the pedal end, to makesure the linkage is OK.
Has the slave cylinder mounting bracket broken? I have heard this is a common thing. I fitted the elise parts reinforcing bracket, because the standard bracket does give, which obviously reduces travel.
Reading your post again, I would doubt that you have worn out the AP plate in 16,000 miles. Your car is running standardish power and the car is light and 1st gear is pretty low, so I doubt you are slipping the clutch much. Plus the standard sized clutch is pretty big for the weight of car / torque.
You seem far to sensnible to be wheel spinning away from traffic lights (although, looks could be desieving ) and doing donuts and stuff. lol.
Plus the fact you saythe pedal is squidgy. Give the clutch a bleed as a first 10 minute thing to try.
From the symptoms I’m sure your thrust bearing has failed, To change it, the gearbox needs to be removed, simple job to replace the bearing, might as well get a new clutch fitted at the same time.
Yeah could be the bearing, but like you say it would literally have had to have “gone” as even a knackered, noisy, rattly bearing would push on the clutch cover and disengage it.
Ian do you get any bearing noise? Usually release bearing noise is a rattle that goes away when you put your foot on the clutch.
Get out there and bleed the clutch ian, it will save you a bill and will take ten mins. Get the other half to sit in and do the up and down on the clutch pedal.
Cracked pipe so NW bodged fix with tape until I can get back to have it fixed properly. Not all bad news as it seemed to give me a few more bhp than Andy
Got to agree with Dave sounds like clutch release bearing. I had the same thing happen to me at around the same milage. The bearing colapses quickly, is there any noise when the clutch is pressed, normaly you should hear a very light rumbling sound. The bearings are not strong I believe the Edwards have replaced there’s once or twice.