Car Won't Go Into Gear

[Reverend Green]

Seasons greetings all.

 

I have a problem that doesn't seem to be covered by any previous threads and am hoping somebody out there can point me in the right direction. #

 

I have a K series standard S2 and have just had an exedy race and lightened flywheel fitted along with elise parts quickshift and gear linkage upgrade also from elise parts along with a new clutch lever arm the one with the grease nipple.

 

My trouble is that I can't select a gear with the engine running, if I turn it off then select first then start the car and release the clutch is bites and moves fine.

 

I thought it could be the slave not fully pushing the rod along, however I replaced it today and still the same issue.

 

On a drive a few weeks back (fortunately at the end of the drive) selecting gear became really difficult and when I parked up in the garage I've not been able to select a gear at all.

 

I've looked at the linkage at the back of the box and it wasn't put together like the pics in the fitting guide, so I've changed it a little but still can't get it into gear. I'm fairly convinced it's a linkage issue as there are no leaks in the system no loss of fluid anywhere and I rebled the system as well with my pressure bleeder. There's loads of travel on the clutch fork when I press the pedal, so if anyone has any ideas that I can try to get it moving again I'd be glad to hear from you.

[dobbo]

I've read that the clutch is really hard to bleed correctly, so might be worth having a few more goes. It's not as easy as brakes because with brakes you get a firm pedal that then goes to the floor when bleeding whereas the clutch pedal is designed to go to the floor anyway. I think you can make it more like brake bleeding by blocking the slave cylinder movement and therefore when you open the bleed nipple you are actually pushing fluid through the system.

 

Not tried it myself, but makes sense to me.

 

Also, until it's sorted, it might be worth trying 2nd immediately before 1st when selecting 1st from stand still. This worked with my old one when we had the red clutch pipe syndrome (that caused the slave cylinder to not travel fully).

[Reverend Green]

It may be worth mentioning that it wasn't working with the old slave cylinder, which is why I thought I'd change the slave for a new one. There was lots of fork travel on the old slave and just as much movement on the new one so I'm happy that it's been bled ok, and when I start it in gear with the clutch depressed it doesn't lurch and when I release the clutch the gear is engaged fine and is the same in all gears including reverse. I just can't select any gears at all when the engine is running.

[russelld]

Try getting an assistant to release the arm manually as far as it will go ( you will probably need pliers for this ) if you can then select gears with the engine running it rules out linkage and would point towards hyraulics.

[dobbo]

Also, the bracket for the slave cylinder is pretty flexible.  Eliseparts sell a stiffer one.

[Reverend Green]

Yep all fitted and in place. I think what I'm trying to ask you knowledgeable bunch is would a badly or wrongly adjusted gear linkage cause the car to not engage gear. I've taken the linkage off and put it back together as per elise parts instructions but it still won't go in. I'll continue to adjust it to see how I get on but with a tiny garage to work in you can imagine it's quite frustrating to work on.

[Wildspark]

With the engine off, and clutch depressed, can you select all gears easily?

From what you describe it sounds like a clutch drag issue, or maybe a worn synchros problem. Both need the gearbox out to check really.

One thing you could try is Jack both rear wheels off the ground and see if they still have a little bit of drive in gear but with the clutch depressed.

 

A badly adjusted gear mechanism could be a problem. The way to check that out is to disconnect the gearchange mechanism at the box and manually change the gears (engine off obviously!), then reattach the mechanism and see if it is moving it in the same way when someone changes gear and you watch it. You should see the selector shaft moving in and out and rotating in exactly the same way.

Then you can adjust it to give the same travel as when you moved it manually.

[Paul martin]

Hi, mine did the same. It had a AP clutch that exploded I then fitted a exeddy had it did what you are describing. I bled it over and over still the same. Fitted a new master and slave still the same.

Sorted it by adjusting the push rod on the peddle. It must be down to the exeddy cover plate.

[Reverend Green]

Well today I replaced the hose from the reservoir to the master as it was all porous and weeping, Rebled once again only to find no change.

 

I can select all gears fine with the engine off but no way is anything going in with it on.

 

Funny you should say that as it is the exedy clutch and flywheel that is fitted.

 

When selecting gear and starting the engine it the clutch is now biting a bit which it wasn't before, so I'll change the master I reckon before getting the breakdown guys out to take it back to the garage. Thanks for all the advice though.

Do I have to remove the master to adjust the clutch pedal

[Paul martin]

No, you just need to do the lotus footwell move on your back.. lol

[Reverend Green]

Paul Martin

 

I officially love you!

 

After contorting myself into one of the most unnatural positions known to mankind a few turns in the wrong direction of course (never been much good at working back to front) then a few the other way and boom!

 

Have wonderful Christmas you gorgeous man x

[Paul martin]

Lol, no problem . Almost crippled me doing it. Haha.