Balky shifter

[Kitcat]

The shifting in my 5-sp '97 Caterham is getting progressively more difficult. Sometimes I can not get it into any gear unless I shift into neutral and let the clutch out. It started as a race occurrence but now it is happening 20-50% of the time, even upshifting from 2nd 3rd, etc. Clutch engages just off the floor. Time to adjust the clutch cable or is this something more serious?

 

I have learned that these early warnings of trouble usually foreshadow total failure (Like my intermittent starter failure, occasional speedometer wackiness, intermittent miss, etc).

[jmanz6]

May be time to adjust the cable. Sounds like the clutch might not be disengaging from the engine completely. Your situation is more commonly called double clutching. Was a common way of driving before transmission gears had synhronizer rings. If it was only in one gear I would think possibly that synchro is starting to fail, but if it's in all gears I would look into clutch adjustments.

[SR27.Seth]

I think you have a Ford T-9 transmission in your Caterham- My experience with that transmission is that the more it wears internally the easier it is to get it into gear! I had a high mileage XR4ti that I could up shift and down shift into any gear with no clutch at all.

You say the clutch releases just off the floor- that tells me that the clutch diaphram may not be releasing fully when the clutch is depressed- Clutch cables stretch over time so start with that adjustment so that the clutch releases about half way down the pedal throw.

[Kitcat]

Yes, a Ford T-9. I was counting on it to be the one thing not to break. I will fiddle w/the clutch cable now that I am back in town.

 

It seems weird that sometimes it works perfectly some times, other times not at all. Back in the dark ages in the early 60's, my US manual transmissions would jam up -there was some type of linkage issue-the transmissions were fine. This feels just like it.

 

But-enough speculating, I will adjust the cable & see what happens. I do remember doing this, again in the dark ages, and screwing it up so that yes, the clutch disengaged fine-too fine actually, it never fully engaged after my tinkering and I ran thru a clutch in no time.

 

Hence my motto-give me a good set of tools and I could destroy the world (inadvertently).

[Kitcat]

Well, that was easy. Just undo the foot well cover, loosen lock nut, spin the clutch adjuster bolt a few rotations to provide about 1/4 " more movement, tighten lock nut, reassemble, drive off a wave of relief. While an amazing # of things have stopped working in my 2 short months of ownership, most have been easily self-repaired, thanks to the erector-set design of the Caterham.

[solder_guy]

Well, that was easy.

 

That's a "Good thing!" to quote Martha Stewart ..

 

Rob

 

[Boxologist]

Well, that was easy. Just undo the foot well cover, loosen lock nut, spin the clutch adjuster bolt a few rotations to provide about 1/4 " more movement, tighten lock nut, reassemble, drive off a wave of relief. While an amazing # of things have stopped working in my 2 short months of ownership, most have been easily self-repaired, thanks to the erector-set design of the Caterham.

 

ur lucky. appreantly i'm leaving a trail of parts in my wake across the USA.:cry:

[Kitcat]

Turns out it's a bit more complicated: Did I mention it's a hydraulic clutch system, not cable? Probably not since I hadn't noticed that little detail myself.

 

So yes, my tweak solved the problem, for 12 hours. It stopped working totally, & stuck in 3rd gear, as I left the parking lot for home yesterday. Thanks to incredible luck, clever driving and a wanton disregard for the rules of law, I got home without stopping or shifting out of 3rd once. BTW: There are 8 traffic lights and 2 stop signs on the way.

 

I parked it and noticed that the hydraulic fluid reservoir for the clutch which I think had been full the day before was totally empty.

 

So now I am on the Internet trying to determine the best way to bleed the air out and add new fluid, for starters. For the "I built it myself types" its no big deal, but for some one like me, who doesn't know the difference between a cable and a hydraulic line, its a big adventure.

 

Trail of parts: Overheated (boiled over) 4x, coolant shorted electrics 1x, replaced coolants hoses 1x, ignition developed a short and refused to start-too many times to count, speedometer broke 1x, speedometer fell out of its housing 1x, driver's seat back has come unglued and all the foam has fallen out 1x, webers out of tune 1x, gas spewed out of carberators and on to the front clam, constant.

 

What's amazing is not just that this happened in 2 short months of ownership but that its all happened in spite of the fact that its been non-operational much of the time! That, and the fact that I love the car!

 

 

[SR27.Seth]

Kitcat-

Don't be so quick to add more fluid- You need to rebuild or replace either the clutch master or clutch slave cylinder (not a bad Idea to replace or rebuild them together) then replace with new fluid- and the best thing about bleeding a clutch system is that gravity does all the work- just pour in the top of master, open bleeder at slave and wait- as soon as the fluid flows with no air out of the bleeder screw it up and your set!

[jmanz6]

I agree about the slave and master being the issue. Check the slave if you can see it (some are internal to bellhousing) to see if there is fluid residue around it. The clutch slave on my Datsun 240Z went out last year and left me stranded about 40 miles from home. Mine gave no warning though. I started from a light with no problem, then when pressing the pedal to downshift at the next light it went straight to the floor and wouldn't come out of gear. When I replaced it I also replaced the rubber hose to the slave as well. Mine was of an unknown age though so it might not be neccessary for you to do. I've heard that if the slave goes and you don't replace the master at the same time you will be doing so shortly. However, I have not had any issues yet (knock on wood).

[Kitcat]

I topped off the clutch reservoir and all has been good for 2 days with lots of driving. No further loss of fluid, I check the level daily. We'll see. I now keep a can of brake fluid with me. I will replace/rebuild if the problem resurfaces.