Sam Elassar

I was out for a drive on some nice country roads today and every thing was fine. I stopped at a junction and then after that I could not engage 1st or 2nd gear ? I managed to squeeze it in 1st gear and drove of normally after that with out managing to get into 2nd gear at all. When I arrived home I was trying to get into 2nd gear when stationary but now I can't get into any of the gears .

does anyone have any experience with this kind problem?

I have got the car parked outside the house hopelessly now can anyone advice on the quickest and the cheapest way to get it back into the road ?

sam

MarkF

Sounds like the clutch has gone. Are there any unusual noises? If so it could be the gearbox. Not cheap either way.

MTR

Sam,
With your engine turned off, try and engage first gear, once engaged, depress clutch and ensureing there is nothing in front of the car, attempt to start it.

If the car tries to move forward, then you know that your gearbox is working, and either your clutch pressure plate is not disengaging, caused by either a faulty clutch, and/or your clutch master/slave cylinders are faulty, which would stop you engaging gears whilst the engine is running.
If the car doesn't attempt to move forward until you relaese the clutch pedal, the your clutch is OK.

The clutch hydraulics may just require bleeding, assuming there is a bleed nipple on the slave cylinder.
Get someone to depress the clutch pedal, whilst you look to see if the slave cylinder pushrod is moving. I assume you can see the pushrod on th eslave cylinder, as I haven't had cause to examine mine.

Or there is something wrong with the gear linkage.
On an XR2 I once owned, the gear linkage became worn, resulting in a 'floppy' gear lever, and a box full of neutrals, sometimes.
I stripped the external linkage, replaced the worn parts, rebuilt it, and everything was OK.

Cheers MTR

[This message has been edited by MTR (edited 26 November 2000).]

Sam Elassar

mark , MTR
i have had the clutch changed 3-4weeks ago to the AP organic clutch.


also WHEN i was able to engage first gear with the engine off and then starting the car it did not move at all until i have released the clutch. so the clutch is out of the equation i think.

now i can't engage any gears regardless if the engine was on or off ? it is like if it is jammed?
MTR i wish i was as skilled as you when it comes to these mechnincal parts but i am not yet. do you think this is going to be serious or does it sound like a selector problem ?

sam
who has had far to many bills for this car this months ( clutch, brakes, wheels+tyres ) and now this

MTR

Sam,
I have previously stripped and rebuilt three rail and single rail Ford RWD gearboxes, but have not had the oppertunity to see inside a Subaru 4WD box, so am not qualified to suggest any real cause.

I would tend to suspect thr external linkage, becomimg misaligned, or loose.
You say the clutch has just been changed, in which case, the linkage would have been removed, I think, when the box was dropped to change the clutch.

If you are not mechanically minded yourself, I suggest you contact the company who fitted your clutch, and ask them politely if they could investigate your gear selection problem.

If you are mechanically minded, attempt to check the integrity of the linkage connections, ie not come loose etc.

Without access to a workshop manual, I don't know if the linkage can be fitted in a misaligned position, or maybe it will only fasten in place in the correct position?

Cheers MTR

Sam Elassar

thanks MTR
I know that i have to do a lot of phone calls tomorrow. the only problem is that i have to arrange for a trailer to move the car to where ever ( ie the garage that fitted the clutch or the subaru dealer ) and so on, so it is a lot of hassel and i was hoping that some one will give a quick and easy cure for the problem, wishful thinking i suppose
sam