S3 - No Drive - Clutch won't engage, nor dis-engage

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tombardier

Well-Known Member
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F.O.D, UK.
Greetings. I usually frequent that other forum where they talk about the coil sprung younger brothers of the series landys :) My work colleague has a pretty serious show-stopping problem on his landy today though, so I thought I'd ask you guys about the symptoms. (edit: it's a 1980 series 3 - 2 1/4 petrol)

Apparently, when he got to work, he noticed he had loads of oil ****ing out at the back of the engine, and assumed it would be the rear output oil seal. He left it in the work car park all day, and when he got back to it after work, it basically didn't have any drive.. The symptoms are:

1 - if you start the engine, put the clutch in and then try to select a gear, you just get the grinding noise as if you weren't dis-engaging the clutch
2 - You can start the engine in gear, and you don't get even the slightest amount of movement, nor grinding or anything.

So basically, it seems to me that the clutch is oil contaminated, but why would that mean that the pedal doesn't dis-engage. Is there anything that the oil leak could have broken in the clutch mechanism? There's plenty of oil in the clutch reservoir itself, so I'm assuming that the oil that was ****ing out is actually engine oil, although I didn't see it myself, so it could be gearbox oil?

we tried all combinations of hi-lo and 4wd, but it obviously didn't make any difference.

I'm probably going to tow him to a garage tomorrow with my 90... Hey, on the bright side, maybe he'll sell it to me cheap now it's knackered ;)

Cheers for any help.
 
I usably don't like coincidences, but it looks like there could be two problems here, lack of clutch and something broken in the drive train.
Is he sure it is oil leaking and not clutch fluid? Has he checked the level in the master cylinder?
As regards a contaminated clutch, I would be surprised if it were so contaminated it gives no drive at all (and that doesn't fit with symptom 1) which is why I suggest there may be a breakage elsewhere.
 
I agree with davy and I find it difficult to work out.
I'd say that a seal or pipe has gone and your mates lost all his clutch fluid hence the leak, everything tallies up to that, except you say you can start up in gear and theres no movement, thats odd, the clutch might slip if it was soaked but you'd still be able to move at least in first.
If the level in the clutch master is ok then its likely to be engine oil, but why that'd stop drive I dont know.
Edit: just have a look at the prop shaft and check the half shafts, I wonder if ones busted trying to start in gear.
 
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well, we checked the clutch reservoir on the master cylinder, and it's about half full, that's why I don't think it's the clutch fluid that's leaked. Can something in the drive train break so badly that there's no drive whatsoever all of a sudden, in any gear, and in 4wd? We tried reverse, 1st and 2nd...

I don't like the sound of this! :)
 
well, we checked the clutch reservoir on the master cylinder, and it's about half full, that's why I don't think it's the clutch fluid that's leaked. Can something in the drive train break so badly that there's no drive whatsoever all of a sudden, in any gear, and in 4wd? We tried reverse, 1st and 2nd...

I don't like the sound of this! :)

intermediate drive gear?
 
Yep I edited my post, I wonder if summat broke when the engine was started in gear, very unlikely, then you have an odd set of circ's.
 
a half-shaft would make sense... if..... it still moved in 4wd.. either i've [EDIT: he's] broken one half shaft on each axle, _and_ the clutch has gone? It must be something else. I think I'm going to have to have a good go in it and make some more observations (i wasn't sat in the drivers seat testing).

I'll keep you posted :)
 
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hey i got the same problem with my car
i swaped the tranny from where it worked perfectly, except for the clutch
i replaced the clutch put the tranny on my car, and it wont drive.:mad:
same symptoms.
already replaced the master cylinder, because i thought it didnt release the clutch
still the car wont move in gear, but will make the grinding noise. :frusty:
hope we'll find the problem for both of us
 
i had this problem alots simpler than i first though the high - low lever red on had come off, underneath, well broken, this caused it to be in neutrual so all gears giving the opinion of no drive
 
Maybe the clutch operating mech has failed and the 2wd/4wd has been put in neutral with all the mayhem, explains all the symptoms.
 
Like the guys say,

make sure the 2 /4 wheel drive lever is not in neutral. If you are not used to landies it is a really easy mistake ...
 
OK. I went to tow my colleague to a garage yesterday, and suddenly the bugger was working! We went for a drive around the block, and he decided he'd take it home, and take it in to the garage when they've actually got some time to look at it..... Time for breakdown cover!
 
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