Background: Driving down NFB today, I had no choice but to go through that lake of a puddle at Maple. Throw my hazzards on, move as far left as I can (higher ground), and go through it at 5 mph max. No problem.
Right, the clutch felt like it was slipping a little immediatly after. I go home and the car sits for a few hours. I just went out to move it, push the clutch down with normal pressure and start the car. Go to put it in Rev, won’t budge, then try 1 2 3 4 and 5. Nothing.
So, I turn the car off, put in gear, hold the clutch down and turn the key. Car turns on and hops and stalls. Ok, so atleast it will go into a gear.
It’s exactly if I can’t push the clutch in, car starts in gear and stalls out (without me giving it gas), and it won’t go into gear when its on. But! the pedal has pressure and I checked all the lines!
CLIFFS:
-Puddle
-Drive home (no probs)
-Now car won’t go into gear with car on
-Will go into gear with car off
-Still have pressure on pedal
Ok, if I’m reading this right basically your clutch is not disengaging.
It won’t shift into gears when you start it in neutral. Makes sense, the clutch is engaged and you’d basically have to slam it in gear, grinding the gears.
When you start it in gear the car jumps, even with the pedal down. Makes sense, the clutch is engaged, pedal down disables the clutch/starter lockout, so the lockout allows you to try starting the car. Since the clutch is engaged though the starter is basically turning over the motor, the trans, and your drive wheels. The hop is because the engine tries to start but stalls because the clutch isn’t disengaged.
Now the tricky part, what would cause it? Hydraulic clutches are a sealed system so driving through water shouldn’t have allowed any water in the lines. The clutch itself is a mechanical device, springs, pressure plates and an arm that presses against a bearing to release the springs, so water shouldn’t be a big deal for it either. I’d start by looking at the trans while you have someone else depress the clutch. Make sure you see the slave cylinder moving. If it’s not moving, or not moving far enough, try bleeding it.
I have a theory if you’ve checked the clutch slave and it appears to be moving normally.
Water got in to the clutch disk and didn’t dry before you parked it, rust formed over night, the clutch and flywheel are now stuck together just enough that pushing the clutch pedal isn’t seperating them.
Before tearing it all apart, you may want to try getting the car started in first gear (maybe have someone push it at the same time you’re trying this), get up some speed, and hit the brakes and gas at the same time trying to make the clutch slip. See if that snaps it loose.
Well its working. It wasn’t rusty, doesn’t look warped. it just wasn’t disengaging. No idea. Lines bleed and topped off. It is pretty worn out though.
Unfortunatly I can’t tell you why it happened still. All I did was take it all apart, and inspect. Everything looked ok, but Im no expert. I put it all back together. And drove down the driveway.
