Mk 1 P'reg Dodgy Gear!

[ClioMk1Steve]

Please, please help me Clio experts!

I am now the proud owner of my 1st car, a Mk1 Clio 1.2 petrol Manual with extra dents.

I love it, there is however 1 problem which is concerning me more and more which is as follows:

Engaging 1st and 2nd gear is sometimes problematic, especially after coming off long journeys at high speed (Motorway exits etc).

I am engaging the clutch pedal fully however it is almost as if the clutch pedal is not 'opening the door' to the gear and is not letting me engage. Even if I try reducing the speed through the gears as I leave the motorway it is fine all the way to 3rd but then 2nd is a little bugger! This has recently resulted in some rather hairy 'coasting with hazard lights on' moments on roundabouts.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this? I am not a mechanic by any stretch of my immagination but I will try my very best to give intelligent answers to anyquestions that might help someone answer this for me.

Any takers for the suggestion its a slack clutch cable??

Thank you one and all.
Steve

 

[Dan@SJM]

sounds like the cable has stretched so far the pedal cant take up the slack, or the box is on its way out...

where are you based, im sure a clued up member will be near you...

 

[d7f]

the clutch cable may have stretch witch will stop the release bearing fully depressing the diaphram on the clutch cover so there is still drive going to the gearbox can you start the car in gear or does it creep forward

 

[Bailey_1260]

Probably just the diffs. does it crunch when you put in in gear?

most clios wont really go into 1st when rolling (without "persuasion") and second is hard when coming down the gears.

Its all to protect the engine and gearbox so try staying in 3rd if you can.

and secondly "1.2" and "high speed"

 

[Lunner]

I had a similar problem, although it wasn't just 1st and 2nd, the crank shaft oil seal behind the clutch was leaking slightly, whihc ment that during long periods with no clutch use, ie coming off motorways the plate ont eh pressure plate woudl get coated in a fine mist of oil, and wouldn't stop the clutch spinning, resulting in it just not going into gears.

A temporary soloutioin i foudn was every motorway junction you go past, dip the clutch down a couple of times.....something worth trying

 

[Lunner]

and secondly "1.2" and "high speed"

...and f**k off lol.......1.2's are great, esp when you sort the handling and they can out handle a std valver round the corners

 

[Dan@SJM]

ive known some rather quick 1.2's!

 

[Bailey_1260]

and secondly "1.2" and "high speed"

...and f**k off lol.......1.2's are great, esp when you sort the handling and they can out handle a std valver round the corners

So if you uprate the handling on a 1.2 it will out handle a standard valver seeing as they are based on the same chassis I wouldnt be suprised.

 

[ClioMk1Steve]

sounds like the cable has stretched so far the pedal cant take up the slack, or the box is on its way out...

where are you based, im sure a clued up member will be near you...

Well y'all, Im becomming more and more convinced that a clutch cable change should sort it.

Im in Huddersfield so if any local experts fancy a nosey (and maybe a cluth cable replacement job then just let me know.
Alternatively if anyone has a haynes manual for this model and fancies scanning the relevant page for me it may be time to enter the world of mending it for myself.

I decided to have a look in the footwell today to see what goes on down there and there is a screw through the middle of my clutch pedal?! Is this normal? It is not connected to anything, just a 5inch screw through the arm of the pedal.

Thanks everyone

 

[ClioMk1Steve]

Update

The bolt I mentioned in the previous post has just been removed through curosity and it appears to be purely to prevent the clutch being depressed to far. You get to the point where the clutch is engaged and then it just keep going, however the clutch is still engaged.

If this is not a standard bolt could this suggest anything about previous problems with the clutch or can anyone thin why someone may add one of these?

 

[Dan@SJM]

sounds like the cable had been replaced but they didnt slacken off the pedal so it would go so far down it'd stretch the cable...

 

[ClioMk1Steve]

sounds like the cable had been replaced but they didnt slacken off the pedal so it would go so far down it'd stretch the cable...

Is this pedal adjustment difficult as I just gave it a short run out and had no problems engaging 1st and 2nd what so ever (granted, only spent a max of 10mins in 5th gear at any one time).

When releasing the clutch, it does however cause a massive kick about half way up (where it would have previously been at its furtherst with the bolt through the pedal arm).

In my uneducated mind I think this is just something to do with the relationship between the pedal and the cable rather than the cable itself. Is that possible?

Oh, and thanks everyone. Especially Dan

 

[Dan@SJM]

the pedal is self adjusting, however if you put you hand up follow the pedal to the top you'll feel the ratchet teeth. slightly below that there is a pivot point, now to release the ratchet you need to push the top in and pull the pivot point out. its possible just need some perservereance. tbh though if its not slipping, and working fine, i wouldnt bother adjusting it.

The kick you talk off is the actual clutch itself, its a diaphragm soring so half way through depressing/releasing the clutch the spring switches sides so to speak. its nothing to worry about.

 

[BRUN]

the clutch will be quite hard mate, they are on all early Renaults, you soon get used to it

 

[d7f]

i had the same problem of the peddle snapping back i ended up putting a clutch kit in it it is fine now i ave a ph3 1.2