Hi All,

I have a SIII with manual transmission. Wonderful running car except recently I have developed a transmission shifting problem. It started six months ago and after a long drive and everything is fully warned up, the transmission won't shift into 1st/2nd when stopped and the engine is running. Then it became more frequent and would also make a grinding sound when trying to put into reverse (no syncros on reverse, just straight cut gears). A few weeks ago the car would shift fine when cold but the problem would occur after after about 8 mile warmup drive.

I replaced the master and slave cylinders about 8 years ago and see no sign of leakage. I bled the system and adjusted the slave cylinder rod to take up any slack and then some. The problem still persisted. I thought that it might be the clutch hydraulic hose - the hose runs on the firewall and goes down to the slave and runs very close the engine and gets hot. I thought that it was 8 years old and was developing some sponginess and maybe that sponginess was small when cold and more so when hot. Anyways, I replaced the hose and that did not help.

It has only gotten worst and occurs how when the car is cold also. I adjusted the slave cylinder rod as far as I could as a test - the clutch engages near the top of the pedal travel so I have the full actuation range and still have the problem. I can watch the slave cylinder from below while someone strokes the clutch pedal and there is good actuation range. I think I bled the system well but have pumped the clutch pedal just in case and still the problem. I wait a long time (10 sec) after depressing the clutch and still the problem.

When I press the clutch I can hear something in the transmission winding down - the input shaft I presume. A couple of weeks ago when cold I could hear it wind down to a stop and then it would go into gear fine. Now I hear it wind down but never stop. Again, the transmission will shift into any gear smoothly when the engine is stopped so I don't think it is any shifter alignment issue.

Maybe it is the pilot shaft bearing? Maybe it is failing still transferring motion from the flywheel to the input shaft. Is this a common mode of failure? I hope it is not that. I don't think it is problem of a worn clutch since that would be a problem engaging and not disengaging. I don't think it is oil on the clutch since that would have other symptoms.

I am running out of ideas. Any help is appreciated.

Jim

 

I am not sure if this is a similar issue, but the linked thread discusses some clutch issues as well as some of the attempted solutions. Good luck!

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/e...easing-256973/

 

Thanks for the response. I did see that thread. It does imply that the throw out bearing or it mating surface on the pressure plate could be the problem. Not great news since it requires pulling the trans, which is a lot of work.

Jim