Thetownend.com

OK,
Mrs driving to work.
Clutch pedal goes heavy.
Can't select gears, hard to get out of neutral.
With engine off can select gears.
Start car with clutch pedal down (a bit lighter now) and the clutch is disengaged (car not moving/bighting). Stiff to shift out of gear, can't put back into gear as before.

So I'm guessing
  - Simple clutch gone (yay)
  - cylinder issue (probably yay)
  - fluid leak (not checked levels)
  - something gearbox related (synchro) - chchicng (bugger).

Give me hope, could this be some sort of clutch issue still. Was expecting when  starting in first with clutch down to lurch forward but it didn't!

Is there still power going to the flux capacitor?

I think I may have isolated the problem.

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/4182j9YaHXL._BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)

what would I do without the tef

Doubt it's the cylinders, I've just replaced both slave and master cylinder. The pedal went soft and didn't return properly. If the pedal has gone hard I would say it was clutch itself.

Thanks.

I'd call out your recovery service (if you have one) if I were you.

Yeah definitely, just want to work out whether to get it towed to Mr Clutch or a proper garage!

Take it to Optima in Bassett specialists of Alfas and Fiats, independent and will definitely not rip you off. Bills are always less than I expect.

always a proper garage. The recovery fella might be able to diagnose it. You've nothing to lose. That's what I've always done then decided from there.

thanks

We use Optima too. Nick's a very honest bloke.

Sounds hydraulic related if you can select gears with the engine off, but not when running.

Alternatively, does it have a dual mass flywheel?

don't think so, its a solid wheel not dmf from googling.

have given optima name to Mrs b.

If the engine is off then nothing is spinning up and hence you don't need to disengage the clutch to change gears.

A good garage will diagnose it better than the TEF theories  :)

it was more that starting in first with clutch down didn't engage gear...

but yeah, garage..

Had a similar problem with my Scenic, couldn't get a gear at all when stopped at traffic lights on Cricklade Road, turned engine off and was able to get it into 1st gear and drove straight to my garage on Kembrey Park.  Bearing in mind it was five o'clock boss man came out to look at it, pumped clutch a few times with engine off and we were able to select gears with the engine running.  Got me home ok and back to garage next morning where they took a proper look, turned out to be a  hydraulic pipe to the clutch not working.  Had to wait on a back order from Renault (Fish Bros.) to get the required part but it turned up the next day and we were off and running.  Think it cost me about £120 in total - a lot better than a new clutch which I thought I would need.

Is a strange one in the fact you still have clutch pressure. Tried starting it with the clutch up?

as in pedal up? actually I tend to press down on clutch when starting engine by default so no.

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but following a perfect MOT (no advisories) 2 weeks ago all of a sudden my car grinds at the front driver side wheel when pulling forward. In reverse its fine. Also make a grinding noise when turning the steering wheel to the right, but not when turning to the left.

Sounds like a CV joint or a bearing, is there any lateral movement in the wheel when jacked up?

classic bearing symptoms..

Does the steering grind when stationary? If so check your power steering fluid level

oh yeah if stationary disregard my post!

Jacked the car up yesterday, found the problem straight away. A sheered coil spring.

So after all that it was a straight clutch.


Did do thanks. More expensive than Mr Clutch but worth it because I'm sure they'll do a top job, but the service was phenomenal. Rang up Weds evening, told to bring it in Thurs and should be able to do Friday and ready for Saturday.

Got phone call 3pm on Thursday saying it was done! Shame Mrs was out but got it this morning.

Must have got lucky with a quiet time.

Usually get mine booked in quite quickly, but it's always got other cars there when I go. I think they're just efficient and put in a shift. I need to get a new anti roll bar fitted when I can be bothered and the inevitable other problem which will crop up between now and then  ::) :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Glad you got it sorted - it did sound like part of the clutch was buggered unfortunately. How many miles were on the Panda?

Mrs been riding the clutch Batch?

I don't rate fiat's that said. My punto was fucked after 75,000 miles and had been serviced regularly etc.

On only about 35K, she's only done about 3K in it herself so no idea how it was treated before that.

Not a FIAT fan myself Arriba, to be fair its a decent car for what it is IF it stays reliable...

Try owning an Alfa. It's been in the garage every other month  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

but it looks good on the breakdown truck :)

http://youtu.be/0j6lKPGWi30

:)