My trusty(until now) MK2 Golf has just gone round the 100,000 mile mark. My girlfriend took it to work this morning and I think the clutch has failed. I'm hoping that a scoobynet mechanic can confirm my thoughts on this.

I've never had a clutch fail completely before which is why I'm asking, there is usually slip etc, here the symptoms are terminal!

Clutch pedal feels a bit lighter than normal, checked the cable is still connected, it is, however when depressing the pedal a definite click can be heard which I'm sure didn't happen before. When the engine isn't running it's possible to select gears, when running it's like the box is locked solid. I'm hoping this is clutch failure rather than the box.

Any ideas? Apart from scrapping the car that is.

 

There's your first mistake, what were you thinking?

Clutch can fail without slipping first. Depends what kind of failure
Box should be Ok then
Hmmm. Are you saying that when the engine isn't running, you select neutral, start the engine but then cannot select gears? if so I would say the clutch.
Dont let the GF drive your car again mate, they tend to ride the clutch at the lights which isn't good. Get her to pay for it!

Hope this helps.

 

It sounds more like the cable is not doing anything, rather than total clutch failure. Does the clutch have an "automatic adjuster" ? Or has the cable simple started to snap wire strands.
I would suggest a simple test.

Open the bonnet, get someone to operate the clutch pedal and watch the action of the clutch lever arm, to see if it is moving fully.

This way you can at least start the elimination process easily.

 

qoute: "Are you saying that when the engine isn't running, you select neutral, start the engine but then cannot select gears? if so I would say the clutch"

EXACTLY!

thanks for the ideas. I've done the under bonnet check and can see the clutch lever arm moving when depressed.

According to my girlfriend she was able to select first after the failure and then move off after starting without a jolt ie releasing the clutch. She then couldn't select any further gears. Any chance this could be the clutch release bearing or as someone helpfully said elsewhere a "bust release fork"?

As for letting her drive the car, better for her to drive the old Golf than my Impreza or M3 surely?