Clutch or Gearbox issue?

[Jezza_hr]

Right on the way home from work tonight the car was acting a little strange, it was having trouble changing gear, was a bit stiff. Then all of a sudden it wouldn't change gear at all. I had to turn off the engine, put it in gear then set off again to get it moving. Would this be a clutch or gearbox problem? I have always had trouble with 1st but not much else in ways of problems, until tonight. After this happened it wouldnt go into ANY gear at all, so im a little baffled.

The gears change fine when the engine is off and the clutch fluid is a little low but not empty. Any ideas?

[Mux213]

Jezza,

Must be your clutch, can't imagina all your gears going all at once like that especially if it still works when you are standing still. Your gear lever is just a thingy pushing on the selectors and they obviously still work. If your gear is getting bad it would just be pushing on the synchros and making loads of bad noices.

My guess is that either your booster is out or your slave is broken. You may want to fill the fluid up just to be sure its not that simple though...

Anyways, have a mate look under your car to where the clutch slave is (you may need to raise the car a bit or park it on the sidewalk), then press the clutch. If you mate can see the clutch slave move and move the thingy that engages the clutch then you know its the clutch itself. If your clutch slave doesn't move then you know what to replace

[Jezza_hr]

Thanks mux, very helpful

[Jezza_hr]

I reckon there must be a leak somewhere but after topping up the fluid the car drives better than it ever did before. I can now change gear with a lot more ease....Bye bye MX5

[banpei]

Had the same problem, however if the levels were too low I wouldn't have any feeling in the clutch pedal: it just went straight to the floor.

Don't forget to bleed the lines: there might have gotten air into the lines.