Difficulty in selecting gears and clutch not freeing

james-t · Post by **james-t** » Sat May 07, 2016 9:28 am

Gents ,advice required. I have just fitted a recon gear box and o/d unit taken from a 420G into my series 2 2+2. I cannot select a gear without some force when the engine is running or not. If i select a gear and start the engine the car moves forward and even pressing the clutch in does not disengage the drive. I suspect a stuck clutch plate on the driven plate but despite driving the car up and down my drive i cannot get the clutch to free.

The clutch and bell housing were transferred to the recon box so i dont suspect a problem there. I put a new spigot bearing into the end of the crank and the gear box shaft went in ok.

Is it a sticking clutch plate and if so what is the best way of freeing it ?
Is there a problem with the recon gear box because i cant select the gears with the engine running or not ?
All comments welcome , thanks Jim

abowie · Post by **abowie** » Sat May 07, 2016 12:00 pm

Check your hydraulics.

james-t · Post by **james-t** » Sat May 07, 2016 1:12 pm

Andrew, I have good clutch pressure and the arm is moving the full extent of its travel. Have spoken to a colleague who has had a similar problem when over winter storage. Perhaps i have to be more brutal with the clutch and braking to snap it free.

Thanks Jim

Post by **mgcjag** » Sat May 07, 2016 3:00 pm

Hi Jim.......Have read very recently of someone who had there gearbox stuck....cant remember the full details or where i read it...if i remember correctly it was to do with the gasket between the overdrive and gearbox ..if the joining bolts were over tightened (using impact driver) it could distort the mating slighty...and jam the gearbox... any one out there remember the details...its either here on the forum, jag lovers, or E type mag

chrisfell · Post by **chrisfell** » Sat May 07, 2016 5:07 pm

Hmmm, sounds like it could be the clutch release bush has worn to nothing.

iani · Post by **iani** » Sat May 07, 2016 5:21 pm

chrisfell wrote:Hmmm, sounds like it could be the clutch release bush has worn to nothing.

Could it be back to front?

christopher storey · Post by **christopher storey** » Sat May 07, 2016 6:21 pm

Do I gather that the winter has intervened since the gearbox and clutch were assembled, without the engine being run ? If so, a stuck plate is quite possible, particularly given the very damp winter we have just had . I find that first , the car should be left idling for about 1 hour ( keep an eye on the temperature ) - this sometimes will free the plate spontaneously. If that doesn't work, a rather brutal trick which I have used in the past with some success is to start the car in 2nd gear gear with the clutch pedal held down, and accelerate /decelerate the car through perhaps 10 / 15 mph making the transition between drive and overrun reasonably abrupt ( but don't go as far as making the gearbox and the rest of the transmission protest audibly . A few minutes of this will usually do the trick

abowie · Post by **abowie** » Sun May 08, 2016 12:57 am

iani wrote:
chrisfell wrote:Hmmm, sounds like it could be the clutch release bush has worn to nothing.
Could it be back to front?

I don't think that you could put the thrust bearing in backwards, but I do know that they come in different sizes/heights, although I don't know which ones go with which gearboxes/cars.

The friction plate isn't symmetrical and it could be put in the wrong way around, although again I don't know if you would be able to tighten the driven plate down onto the flywheel if the friction plate was in backwards.

As Christopher is alluding to you'd only expect the clutch to get stuck after a period of storage in damp weather. From your post it sounds like you've only just done this, which makes the clutch rusting up less likley IMO.

It's a pity the hydraulics are OK; you can fix them without pulling the engine. :(

abowie · Post by **abowie** » Sun May 08, 2016 4:52 am

I have spoken to Chris, who runs the workshop where I act as "apprentice". He doesn't think that you would be able to tighten down the pressure plate if the friction plate was in the wrong way around.

james-t · Post by **james-t** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:16 pm

Gents, thank you for your comments. I am going with Christopher' theory. Yes the engine was laid up whilst the operation of removing and replacing the engine/gearbox since last November. The Clutch assembly remained bolted to the fly wheel and was not removed. The Thrust bearing was correctly fitted.
My garage does suffer with moisture control and during the winter months if i opened the garage door the air temp between the outside and inside the garage created moisture so i can accept that damp may well have affected the flywheel and clutch.

I will take christopher' advice and warm the engine for a period of time,select 2nd gear and then attempt to free the clutch as described. I will keep you posted as they say.
Thanks again to all, Jim

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Difficulty in selecting gears and clutch not freeing

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