Clutch gone??

Evening all,

I've got a 1988 land rover 90 with 2.5 d NA and LT77.

Out for a drive this afternoon, and lost gears.

I can only select a gear whilst the engine is off, when it's on, I cannot select or change hear. Happens in all 4 modes of the transfer case or any gear that I select. (reverse grinds it).

I believe the clutch could not be disengaging? Thoughts?

Thanks.

check clutch reservoir for fluid,

About an inch from the top. Not full, but believe that's enough!?

does pedal feel odd ,clutch fork has a habit of letting the pivot burst through it

Clutch feels fine. That being said, not my day to day car so it's feels different to me anyway.

Just to prove its not the gearbox - In a clear area - Engine off, into first, hand brake off, hold clutch down, try starting engine. If it lurches forward then the clutch isn't releasing and gearbox should be ok. As said above probably release lever if there is no signs of fluid leaks

Mine went the same way last year. It was not the clutch release assembly or anything related - I kind of new that as they always feel different in some way when the fail.

Sadly it was the Britpart HD clutch plate that had decided to disintegrate and jam up the assembly.

Odds on it will be similar.

I would say it's broken springs on the clutch plate. Engine or gearbox out i'm afraid.

reiny said:

I would say it's broken springs on the clutch plate. Engine or gearbox out i'm afraid.

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The springs on the clutch plate are there to smooth out the take up when pulling away and to help dampen gearbox 'chatter' caused by the firing pulses of the engine . Broken springs shouldn't stop you disengaging the clutch, they will just rattle and give you a lot of take up slack

I'm just speaking from personal experience. It happened twice. once on my Series III and once on my 90. I could only select gears with the engine off when stationery (on the move it was ok) and it transpired to be a broken spring.

I've just had the same problem, was the adjustment on the clutch master - Once tightened all was o.k. worth a check.

It may also be worth checking your crank bearings as I had a similar problem with my 2.25 diesel.
The crank although running smoothly had worn bearings at both ends so moved front to rear slightly and sometimes would not engage first gear.

Kwakerman said:

The springs on the clutch plate are there to smooth out the take up when pulling away and to help dampen gearbox 'chatter' caused by the firing pulses of the engine . Broken springs shouldn't stop you disengaging the clutch, they will just rattle and give you a lot of take up slack

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Wrong.

Whilst it is true that is what the springs do when they get forced out of the plate they quite readily jam the clutch solid.
Given the unchanged clutch travel and operation I would wager that's exactly what has happened.
BTW Britpart clutches are cheap because they use cheap soft steel - it is that reason the springs can distort the carrier and fall out. I know this the hard way.

OP - Buy a Borg and Beck replacement.

Seems like i have cursed myself. Same thing happened to me just 2 hours ago. Pedal feels fine. I re-kitted the slave cylinder. No difference. It lurches forward when starting on gear with pedal dpressed. Engine comes out tomorrow.

Oh no! Sorry to hear that!
I'm on holiday now until the new year so won't be able to try any of these suggestions out until 2016

Thanks guys.

Update from my end. Engine was on the garage floor at 8 a.m. on Monday morning (I started dismantling at 4pm on Sunday and 2 and a half hours later, the engine was ready to be lifted out). The centre of the clutch plate had completely disintegrated. There were springs all over the ruddy place. The clutch was a Valeo unit but I don't know whether it was the heavy duty type or not. I fitted a Borg & Beck unit and was done by 6pm on Monday. I am now very worried that there is something seriously wrong with my setup. This is the 4th clutch that i have replaced in 13 years. The first one lasted 5 years in my ownership (I have no idea how old it was when I bought the vehicle) and it died suddenly when one of the springs on the clutch plate broke. The replacement lasted just 22 months. On that one the fingers on the pressure plate warped. Three and a half years later, the fork broke so I went ahead and changed the whole kit which lasted a few days less than 2 years. I am very gentle with the clutch. I don't drive with my foot resting on the pedal, my days of heavy offroading are long gone, I very rarely tow a small trailer that weighs under 200 kg for very short distances. I can't for the life of me understand why my 90 has such a voracious appetite for clutches.

reiny said:

I am now very worried that there is something seriously wrong with my setup. This is the 4th clutch that i have replaced in 13 years. The first one lasted 5 years in my ownership (I have no idea how old it was when I bought the vehicle) and it died suddenly when one of the springs on the clutch plate broke. The replacement lasted just 22 months. On that one the fingers on the pressure plate warped. Three and a half years later, the fork broke so I went ahead and changed the whole kit which lasted a few days less than 2 years. I am very gentle with the clutch. I don't drive with my foot resting on the pedal, my days of heavy offroading are long gone, I very rarely tow a small trailer that weighs under 200 kg for very short distances. I can't for the life of me understand why my 90 has such a voracious appetite for clutches.

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Could be Flywheel not running true or not flat. Worn gearbox or toe bearing in the centre of the flywheel or it could be your crankshaft vibration damper failing, so the clutch takes all the harmonic vibrations from the engine. I had a Toyota supra that ate 5 clutches before I sussed that one out..

HTH

Richard