Clutch no longer releases - feels normal?

Sunday night and two miles from home having spent a few days in Norfolk and covered 350 miles and the car will not change gear.

First I could not move the lever - as if it were stuck - I was in fifth and then when I got it out of that gear and tried to put into third a crunch, the gears simply would not engage. No release what so ever.

The pedal feels entirely normal, same weight (possibly a bit heavier) and the exact same travel. Fluid level at reservoir all unchanged and fine.

Ended up blipping the throttle and after a few attempts getting her into third which got us home.

As I put her on the drive I felt what could only be transmission wind up - proven by jacking up one wheel and releasing the tension.

Does anyone have any ideas whats happened here? The clutch has done about 15,000 miles max and was working perfectly before albeit it did chatter a little at low revs.

Did I mention it was a Britpart heavy duty?

Helppp please!!!

When you changed the clutch did you also do the clutch fork?

No - looked fine so left it. Would this failing not make the pedal feel very different though?

The pedal feels as though its pushing against the pressure plate as per normal.

Are you sure it's not the spring giving the resistance?

The clutch wont cause drive shaft wind up, that can only be caused by engaging diff lock. If you have a clear stretch of road ahead of the car engage first gear with the engine off, take handbrake off, fully depress clutch and try engaging the starter. If it lurches forward you have proved that the issue is with the clutch not disengaging and not a gearbox issue

The spring is not this weight - as I say the weight of the pedal is the same ... I think or a little heavier. Action is progressive and really feels the same as before ie. bloody heavy when you actually stop to think about it.

I am lost as to what has happened, all I know is changing it was a PITA and I do not feel up to doing it again even though I have now the hoist - seriously never thought I would use it twice. LOL

Try kwakermans advice first

Done this and the clutch does not disengage.



Would having the diff locked cause the same problem some how? I do not think it was but I did have use of it, if it was locked it travelled 200 miles and gave not one indication of it being on.

some find it easier to take the engine out or i've seen people say they use long threaded bars and manage to move the gearbox back enough to put a clutch in. also seen some bigass inspection holes cut into the gearbox

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f7/clutch-change-without-taking-out-engine-box-127994.html i've never done it

I would have thought that travelling 200 miles with the diff lock on would cause something to go bang

crowmann said:

Done this and the clutch does not disengage.



Would having the diff locked cause the same problem some how? I do not think it was but I did have use of it, if it was locked it travelled 200 miles and gave not one indication of it being on.

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I cant see how, from what you are saying there is something physically wrong with the clutch release mechanism (master cylinder / slave cylinder / release arm / release bearing or pressure plate)

Try getting someone to hold the clutch pedal down then try cracking the slave cylinder bleed nipple open. You should get a good squirt of fluid out (close it again before releasing pedal) That will at least prove that the master cylinder is capable of generating pressure, if you get nothing then you have a hydraulic issue