172 Cup Stuck in Reverse

[geoffn]

Help please !

Started the car after its winter hibernation, all good. Tried to get it into reverse – it just kept crunching each time. Turned the engine off, go it into reverse ok. Pushed

the clutch in and tried to start the car again.. It’s stuck in reverse now, cant move the gear leaver much but it does wobble a bit. I can’t rock the car forward or backwards

either as it is pointing downhill and is fairly well grounded in soft earth.. Any ideas where to start looking please ? I have no idea as not really mechanically minded,

other than Google of course ! It did suffer a little water damage recently in recent flooding ( water in the front floorpan area as its facing downhill ) May have got to into the clutch etc ?

 

[stonejedi]

Does not sound a cheap fix mate,i hope that I’m wrong...It happened to my wife’s Subaru,the mechanic thought that it was the linkage but the box completely shat itself and i upgraded her to a 6 speed...

 

[White16valver]

Does it have clutch fluid in the reservoir?

(They are reservoir + cable, aren't they? Or are they direct cable from pedal to clutch??)

 

[geoffn]

Thanks, but I'm sure its a cable only tbh.

 

[M90SR]

Help please !

Started the car after its winter hibernation, all good. Tried to get it into reverse – it just kept crunching each time. Turned the engine off, go it into reverse ok. Pushed

the clutch in and tried to start the car again.. It’s stuck in reverse now, cant move the gear leaver much but it does wobble a bit. I can’t rock the car forward or backwards

either as it is pointing downhill and is fairly well grounded in soft earth.. Any ideas where to start looking please ? I have no idea as not really mechanically minded,

other than Google of course ! It did suffer a little water damage recently in recent flooding ( water in the front floorpan area as its facing downhill ) May have got to into the clutch etc ?

Jack the car up so the front wheels off the ground.
Start car while in a gear that works. In this case you mention reverse.
Rev up (clutch pedal pressed) and then slam the anchors (brakes). This should fix your problem.
The symptoms you described were exactly what I had and it was the clutch sticking.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Stupid suggestion but if its clutch sticking could you spray something into the inspection hole on the bell housing in a hope to free it up?

 

[White16valver]

Stupid suggestion but if its clutch sticking could you spray something into the inspection hole on the bell housing in a hope to free it up?

I'm not sure adding a lubricant onto the clutch plates is a good idea...

 

[geoffn]

Many thanks for the suggestions thus far, I really appreciate all your help. Any further ideas gratefully received.

Will try jacking the car up at the weekend, it won't be easy due to the location ! Hopefully I will find the inspection hole as well in the process.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

I'm not sure adding a lubricant onto the clutch plates is a good idea...

I was thinking break cleaner..

 

[geoffn]

Solved ! Hurray !

I jacked up the car, put it on axle stands with both wheels off of the ground

With the engine switched off I was able to get it out of reverse and into all the other gears – progress !

I then started the car, put it in gear and noticed that only 1 of the front wheels was spinning. Took off the wheel that wasn’t moving, brake pads had seized on to the disc. Used a screwdriver to back off the pads at which point one of the pads disintegrated..

Put the wheel back and hey presto off she went. Now the rebuild can begin ! Better start with new brakes.

Thanks all.