Clutch/linkage/transmission problem

I'm experiencing another problem with my LGT. A few weeks ago as I was driving it felt like the clutch went out completely. No smoke, noise, or sound before this happened. As I was driving I attempted to put the car in third gear and the car revved as though it was a neutral despite being in gear. It made it whirring sound but would only inch forward in gear.

 

I had suspected a faulty clutch, but that was just replaced and the issue is still there. No grinding, but there is a whirring sound wihen in gear. Even at high rpm the car will only inch forward or backward. The linkage feels feels fine, and when I engage a gear it feels totally normal.

 

Unfortunately having moved to a new place where I do not have access to the tools that I used to have I'm relying on a shop. They think the problem is internal in the transmission. I doubt that as I don't see how I could've broken the input driveshaft or broken all the gears that once. Also, for the previous thousand miles I was driving it like a grandmother Because I did not have the tune completed

 

The shop was not able to tell me whether the clutch moves or not, but they will look into that on Monday.

 

If anyone has input on this I would greatly appreciate it. I'm really in a bind and need to get this figured out. Thanks.

 

Forgot to mention this is an STI six speed swap.

Clutch fork ? they have been know to fail ? Hard to say without feeling the shifter...

Clutch fork ? they have been know to fail ? Hard to say without feeling the shifter...

 

That is an excellent thought, thank you for the suggestion. If that were the case would I see visible cracking or holes on the pivot point, or could it just be bent? What's the likelihood that I could tell from above without dropping the transmission?

In thinking about this a bit more, I'm not sure that it could be the fork. It seems like the clutch is not engaging fully and it should do so without any pressure from the fork. Does that make sense?

IMO it has to be in the clutch set up somewhere.

 

What clutch is in brand there ?

Do you actually have a pedal? Meaning does the clutch feel normal when you push and release it? If so you might have broken something in the trans, your main shaft/input shaft.

Have you driven the car with the new clutch in it ?

 

I'm confused.

 

Can you push in the clutch with engine off and move shifter through the gears ?

 

Can you do that with the clutch pedal out ?

Well, I have a very confusing but good update. To answer your questions I have not been able to drive the car since the new clutch was put in. It had the same problem after the new clutch Masters FX 300 was put in with a resurfaced STI flywheel as it did when I broke down originally.

 

Throughout this ordeal from when it first started the clutch pedal feel was exactly the same as it always has been. The pedal feel and linkage feel we're the same as before this issue started. Nothing felt different other than that the car

Wouldn't move.

 

The update is that apparently yesterday the shop started the car and was able to drive down the street before the same problem resurfaced. They put it on the lift today and "jiggled things around and make sure everything looked right". After that it has worked perfectly.

 

I drove it for 45 minutes today with lots of different kinds of gear changes and everything felt totally normal. I am thoroughly confused, but relieved that this is over for now, even if we have no idea what the actual problem was.

 

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas on this.

Well, live update on this. I drove a mile from my house and the same issue recurred. Getting towed to a transmission shop this time because maybe it is something internal. Very puzzled and open to ideas again. Thanks.

Just a thought again about the fork, check to make sure it is located on the pivot ball. I'm hope your issue is with it and not internal. Make sure they insp the fork before taking the tranny apart.

 

Even before pulling the tranny make sure the slave cylinder piston travels horizontol and not at a downward angle.

 

Do all the easy stuff first.

Byron, thanks for all of your advice on this one.

 

The transmission shop just called and they believe they've found the problem. Apparently one of the rear axle clips came off, and the axle had popped out slightly, causing a loss of power to all four wheels.

 

I was a bit skeptical about this, but did some reading on NASIOC, and apparently this scenario is possible. The shop is replacing both clips today, and hopefully that will fix the problem.

Wow, I'll have to keep that one in the back of my mind.

 

Are they going to remove the clip from inside the tranny or just take the chance that it fall off while installing the axle ?

 

The tech should have checked that before installing the axle.

 

I know I always did on the race car, that things tranny should have been on zippers it was in/out so much.

 

I even learned about hitting the end of the axle with a sledge hammer to seat it, from Frank at the Driveshaft Shop.

 

Axle popped out after the burnout one time...that never happened again.

 

Same thing, the car wouldn't move with the axle out of the dif.

Yeah, I guess we were all on the wrong track in problem solving this one. The clip was in the rear diff, but it was intact when they pulled it out.

 

I did the whole swap, so I have only myself to blame! Next time, I will use the sledge hammer technique.

 

Hopefully this solves it.