Hello.

So, last night, I went to drive my car home from work. Started it, put my foot on clutch, it wont go into gear. I left it there and this morning got in it to move it (I was planning to stick it in gear and bump start it on the starter motor). I put my foot on the clutch, started it in gear and the clutch suddenly disengaged. I could drive it about the farm absolutely fine. So I chucked it in the barn until this evening when instead of it working fine it did the same thing. The clutch appears to be sticking until it gets a bit of a shock (starting it in gear, for example).

The release bearing's been squealing like a raped piglet since I last took the engine out, And I'm wondering if it's something simple like the release bearing's collapsing or breaking up, or what is going on.

I don't want to buy a clutch kit if I'm unlikely to need it, and I'm loathed to whip the engine out if it's likely to need new stuff I dont have yet.


Thanks in advance.

Sounds like the plate is sticking to the flywheel. Often happens to cars parked up for a long period in damp conditions. If you have used the car recently though not sure why it would stick again so soon.

It hasn't been parked anywhere for a long time, I drove it to work yesterday and have used it frequently. It freed off this morning and again this evening, what would cause it to stick to the flywheel after a couple of hours parked? Twice in two days?

How old is the clutch. If the diaphragm is failing it would give the same symptom. You are right in as much they don't stick if they are used regularly. The only answer is to get in and have a look what's going on.

P

Sticking on the splines?

Its a possibility but it would have to be very dry and rusty in there to make it not disengage. Either way it would need a look inside.

Russell,
I'm fairly sure it's possible to have a look from underneath and maybe see if there's anything drastically wrong at the business end of the clutch fork/release bearing gubbins.

A good torch, plus axle stands and a qualified clutch pedal operative are mandatory...

ken

p.s. A check that all the engine to gearbox nuts are present and tightened up won't go amiss either.

It's not as if he's been teaching the engine to jump in and out on demand lately...

The simple masterful use of the Chapman one-liner.

Hmm, Ken does have a point. If the box isn't mated correctly to the engine, i.e. nuts loose or missing [seen many times] then the input shaft won't be in line. Could cause the problem and worth a check.

One liners, where do they get you?