I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __gear selection
Hi everyone.
I’ve done a quick search on here back to Sep 2020 but need an answer as the car will be required for work.
Just been out in the car. All gears were hard to engage, and reverse impossible. I’ve read elsewhere about master / slave issues but don’t really understand what this means. Could this be it?
Strangely, yesterday it was fine. The only other time it’s been like this was on day one of ownership, last May.
What happens if you pump the clutch a few times? if it gets any better then probably some air in the system or a leak. Also where is the biting point? if it’s near the floor then it’s a clutch or pedal adjustment issue.
There is well documented issue I had on my NC when I got it that the clutch pedal had too much slack/freeplay in it making the clutch not fully disengage and gearchanging very stiff. But this would not come about overnight.
It’s no different after pumping the clutch.
If I press ‘really hard’ to the floor, gears just about engage (not reverse though).
Biting point is low, but always has been.
I’ll give Paul at Roddisons a call. He sorted a brake issue for me last year.
definitely worth checking, it takes 5 minutes to check with a torch to see if you have the freeplay issue and if you own a couple of spanners it’s about 30 minutes to fix:
Adjusting the freeplay: Yes it’s a right pain in the backside to get yourself up in the footwell but once there I found in my car there was about 2" of freeplay where the pedal moved but wasn’t touching the rod that moves the clutch master cylinder. Just move the pedal by hand whilst watching with a torch the pushrod that disappears into the bulkhead. Use two spanners to free up the locknut and then spin until there’s no freeplay, then wind back until there’s a couple of mm slack so the clutch is not under any pressure when at rest. This moves the biting point significantly up the travel, it may be that yours has just got lose over time and needs adjusting.
After I did mine I took the car for a test drive and the difference was immediately apparent reversing off the drive! It has completely transformed the clutch biting point is around halfway now and it’s a lot easier on my left leg to change gear! and the gearchange is now almost as good as my NA I found myself just changing gear for fun on the test drive. Gearchange is still a little stiff when cold but I still have the Motorcraft oil to change in the gearbox which might help with that.
But overall about 90% better
For anyone interested I managed to limp it to Paul @Roddisons, who the next day confirmed the worst case scenario: new clutch required.
While she was there, all the fluids were changed. Everything is so much better now, and the gear changes are a joy, even from cold.
Expensive month though!
biting point is around halfway now and it’s a lot easier on my left leg to change gear! and the gearchange is now almost as good as my NA 