Anything and everything Spitfire.

Section : Gearbox

Clutch, gearbox, overdrive, propeller shaft.

Sticky

Posted By : Mark Gudgeon, 20-Jul-2003, 06:28pm

I have been driving my new spit around for some time now and when it gets warmed up nicely the gears stop playing the game in that they are very hard to engage and you have to ram them with lots of noise or they stay in gear. It seems clear that it is a clutch issue. Also the pedal seems to remain depressed to a certain exent. Pumping the pedal seems to help a bit sometimes. I have topped up the fluids, but haven't bled the system. Is this an expensive issue do you think? Many thanks for help!

Followups :

Sticky

Posted By : James Carruthers, 20-Jul-2003, 06:44pm

Well, sounds like a clutch cylinder/pipe heating up type of an issue.

I had this problem with mine until I bled it...

Check where your clutch pipes are routed - they may be warming up from the engine... thus making the liquid go a bit odd....

I'd bleed it - nice and good.... helped me a lot...

James
- Sticky
  
  Posted By : Mark Gudgeon, 20-Jul-2003, 06:55pm
  
  thanks James
  
  will have a go at it. Would have though previous owner would have done this though.
  - Sticky
    
    Posted By : James Carruthers, 20-Jul-2003, 07:32pm
    
    One thing I've learnt, after having two PO's, is that you can never think that! :o)
    
    I had to drive my Mk3 130 miles back home with a dodgy clutch... having to pump on the pedal twice before it would work...
    
    Why the PO didnt wonder why they had to do this is beyond me... they drove around like that!
    
    Bleeding a clutch is possibly the easiest thing you can do. As long as you have a friend to help you out... to be doubly sure I use one of those one man bleed kits (non-return valve) and still use the old method...
    
    James
    - Sticky
      
      Posted By : Alan Fulbrook, 08-Sep-2003, 03:41pm
      
      I Have the same problem, I have bled the clutch loads of times and changed the slave cylinder out of desperation. I do not know what else to try. It really takes the fun out of driving when you do not know if you will be able to change gear!
      - Sticky
        
        Posted By : Will Needham, 30-Jun-2004, 10:24am
        
        i am also looking for an answer to this problem, i have tried bleeding the clutch system twice (and i have a brand new slave cylinder) and this has not helped at all, it only seems to happen when warm and does not seem to be the clutch biting as the tickover remains the same when stationary wheter it is in gear or not.
        
        the gearbox in my car was supposedly reconditioned recently, is it possible something was fitted wrongly during its rebuild
        
        Sticky
        
        Posted By : Philip Rosenberg, 30-Jun-2004, 10:46am
        
        I've had much heartache recently with my clutch and have found the following process quite useful to try and differentiate between clutch and gearbox problems.
        With the car stationary and the engine running (and warmed up if the problem is worse then) try putting it in reverse.
        If it crunches then it means things are spinning in the gearbox and hence the clutch isn't disengaging properly. If not then the clutch has disengaged and presumably that means a gearbox problem. (someone please correct me if I'm wrong here)
        
        If it's clutch then you've tried the obvious - bleeding and slave cylinder seals. Are the master seals okay? Usually if they're leaking you get a trickle of clutch fluid down your clutch pedal that quickly strips the paint from your floor. Also if there is wear at the pivot between the clutch pedal and the master cylinder pushrod, that can introduce enough slack that not enough fluid is forced out of the cylinder to disengage the clutch.
        
        Hope this helps
        
        Sticky
        
        Posted By : David Styles, 30-Jun-2004, 11:30am
        
        one more thing...
        
        My clutch was a little iffy when I bought my car.
        New slave and master sorted it.. but....
        
        the REAL problem was that the hole in the actuator arm had worn a bit oval.
        
        (I think thats what its called... that big arm thing)
        
        If the cylinders weren't in tip top condition then it didn't disengage properly.
        
        to be fair... the chap I bought it off told me that it had this problem...and exactly what the problem was.
        
        Sticky
        
        Posted By : Jackie Forsythe, 17-Jul-2004, 07:48pm
        
        Interested in these posts as wondered what you felt would be the cause of a combination of these factors (in a GT6 but see you talking about similar in spit).
        ..Reverse hard to get into, even from cold
        ..fourth to third and second a nightmare when warm (sometimes have to de-accelerate up to junctions and use two hands to get back to second then first gears
        ..have to almost force from second to third, with a bit of grinding on occasion
        Car was in excellent overall condition but seldom used by owner, maybe 200/300 miles a year?
        What you all think? Expensive to put right?????
        Jackie
        
        Sticky
        
        Posted By : Ian Mulford, 17-Jul-2004, 11:59pm
        
        Sounds like the clutch to me. My gearbox crunches into 2nd and whines in 3rd but otherwise the gear selection is fine. If you're having problems getting it into gear then I reckon the clutch is the problem.
        
        Cheers!
        
        Sticky
        
        Posted By : Will Needham, 30-Jun-2004, 04:32pm
        
        thanks a lot for the help!
        
        i am beginning to think more and more it is a gearbox problem, it will go into reverse without crunching (it takes quite a bit of force though) and i never had any kind of clutch(?) problem until i fitted this recon gearbox. i will check the master cylinder although it seems fine and if that does not sort the problem i will be pretty sure it is the gearbox, and can go and have a word with the company who supplied it.
        
        does anyone know what could cause the gearbox to act like this? i spoke to canley classics and they suggested the synchros might be binding when they get hot, has anyone ever heard of this before?