Clutch won't work!

Hey! So done loads of digging and testing but can't find a answer that matches my problem - I am hoping someone has a solution that does not involve me having to remove the transmission but I think it's the only option.

It's a 1986, MK1 GTI DX 1.8

Went for a big drive yesterday - no problems at all.
Got a new air filter today as a Xmas present, put it in and ever since the clutch has refused to work.

Now, this has happened before , I tidied up my cable routing and it did something similar as I had moved the clutch cable and it refused to go into gear - a bit of fiddling and getting the cable back how it was before and it worked. So it was added to the list of summer jobs to look at when it's warmer.

Anyway - no matter how much I fiddle with it or change the setting on the adjustment sleeve it won't work.

Here is a breakdown of the problem;

Over the past few weeks I have thought I could smell clutch, but only slightly and that was when the car was parked up and had not been out on a run yet but it was so slight a smell I had not put much thought to it.

Today it went and I can't get it into gear with engine running, yesterday it did over 100 miles fine no sign of any clutch problem and went into all gears smooth like it always has .

Will go into gear fine when engine is off.

Clutch feels fine, no difference and it returns fine.

Have changed the adjustment sleeve as per Bentley, still won't go into gear.
I have lifted the clutch leaver on the transmission all the way to the max with the help of a jack - makes no difference on trying to select a gear.

Firewall part of clutch cable is fine, and it's moving the arm on the transmission fine so I am ruling out the cable?

IF the car is up on the jack stands it WILL go into gear when engine is running (so the front wheels are free in the air to spin with no resistance) - but it's difficult and feels like there is a wall I have to overcome in the box to get it into gear. - if you put it back down so the wheels have resistance then it won't go into gear.

If I put it in gear with engine off then start up with clutch engaged and ease off the car stays in gear and selects gears fine - so in theory I could drive it, I would just have to come to a stop every time I needed to change gear.

If it's in gear when I start it up with clutch in the car does not jerk or struggle to start but it creeps forward very very slowly - so it's like the clutch it not fully working

Oil level is full to the brim all the way to the Speedo cable so that's fine

If I put it in gear engine off and try to move car then it's engaged fine as it turns the motor, then if I press the clutch it rolls free with no motor movement.

No crunching in any gears

Finger looks fine and movement fine so I don't think it's got a crack in it as it's moving the push rod at least 6-7mm without a problem and it's returning fine so it's not spinning on the shank.


Now then - got a bore camera in to see if I could see anything in the clutch/flywheel that looked questionable and I could only see this part in the photo below moving about 1mm if that when the clutch is pressed, but the finger must be moving the rod about 5-6mm at least - is this normal?




I am thinking it's not the bar boring through the plate as it's returning fine?

I have receipts in the paperwork for a full clutch kit so expect that was changed 3 years ago so I don't think that's gone unless the last guy that had it rode the clutch 24/7

And I dont think it's the bearing as like I say it's all returning fine??

So - what's anyone's theory? Or is it a case of its impossible to tell unless I take it off?

The thing that's confusing me is that apart from the faint smell of clutch the past few weeks it's been running perfect, and this has literally gone from being a excellent gear change to zero gear change overnight on the drive and the only thing I did was move the cable so I think that's just got to be a coincidence.

hi it is hard to tell of the images
but has the clutch plate not snapped
where the first motion shaft goes into
the plate

plate is definitely dragging on the
flywheel by the sound of the
problem description you posted

nicci21paul said

hi it is hard to tell of the images
but has the clutch plate not snapped
where the first motion shaft goes into
the plate

Thanks for the reply!
Are you saying it looks like that part you circled in red has broken away from the clutch itself?

I can get the camera in again in a bit when it stops raining and get some more images if needs be?

I am being realistic with myself and thinking i am going to have to get the transmission off but I want to avoid it if possible and also if possible know what bits I might need in advance, I have found a clutch kit at a local shop so that's good if needs be.

I have my fingers crossed one of you dudes on here is going to say something like "oh it's just a loose bolt on the back of the housing - tighten it up and it will fix it!"

need to try get more light on the video
not sure if you could do it with photo editor
then explode the view or a still image with
clutch pedal in the rest postion then with
the pedal down try your phone on flash
i have not been able to do much all year
for the rain seems like it has never stopped

i think the plate has come apart not sure but
just does not look right

Just had another look but it's just me so I can't press the clutch and look at the same time u till my wife is back ! Can't see anything suspect - all springs are there and I can't see anything that's fallen off in the bottom of the housing.

This is a video of the car with the clutch pedal sat at NORMAL not pushed down position - is this correct that the gears are not meshed all the way?

Here are a couple of vids:;

I don't think that you are supposed to see the splines at all when the clutch is mated to the transmission.

If you buy a kit, be sure that you get a bearing, rear cap and finger.  That way when you are done you don't have any other issues in the near future.

On my 81 Diesel Golf, I had 2 of the the torsion springs break free of the Clutch plate, and get caught under the fingers of the PP… Caused me a similar issue that you are having.

Fortunately they wound up on opposing sides of the fingers so while I didn't get full engagement of the clutch I did get equal pressure so I still drove it a few thousand miles before I changed it at about 120K miles.
(OEM CLUTCH)…Funny thing was that the old plate was barely worn….Probably would of gotten 200K if the springs held.   

Just a thought -  if the gearbox was way overfilled  you could have oil on the clutch plate, that will make it stick.

what gears are not meshed so the first motion
shaft is detached from the gearbox side as they
do not use a spigot bearing the shaft is parallel
to the engine side no taper

Thanks for all the replies and photos -

looks like it is going to have to come off I think as there is not much more I can troubleshoot without looking inside.

What a bummer! especially happening between Christmas and new year making parts a pain to get!

just get box out it is the only way to be sure
only take an hour or so plenty places open
tomorrow and saturday

Fingers crossed for dry weather tomorrow - is there a way to get it off without having to remove the entire drive shaft? What's the quickest way to get it separated?

cedar said

Just a thought -  if the gearbox was way overfilled  you could have oil on the clutch plate, that will make it stick.

Oil on the plate will make it slip….. I Know….
Naw, I poured a whole 2L of oil on my 81 Golf clutch….didn't know the tranny was dry till the clutch started to slip after about 4 miles….. my First VW, no Haynes yet…..Got it home dropped the lower inspection cover to let it drain then filled the tranny correctly via the speedo cable as I didn't have any jack stands…. Was quoted at the time 200 for a clutch change… So I said…

Lets go shopping,
1 gallon of startersolvent
1 gallon of Alcohol
1/2 gallon of brake-kleen
1 bottle of Dawn dishwashing detergent.

About 7 dollars in quarters…..

I first drove it to the quarter car wash, and added about 1/2 of a bottle of Dawn dishwashing detergent to the timing hole.  Filled it with Hot spray water let it sit…Started the engine and worked the clutch for about 2 minutes, then drained….
Rinsed with hot soapy water…..
let drain
Lighten the inspection cover, and then poured brake cleaner on the clutch and let the wife start the car, and work the clutch….  Drained…after about 2 minutes.
Filled the housing with Startersolvent… let it sit for 5 minutes, then started the engine and worked the clutch for about 3-4 minutes,, Drained and Sprayed the clutch out with hot soapy water, then rinsed…..working the clutch and then repeat with the engine turning and working the clutch…..
Drained, then with the inspection plate tight filled it with
Alcohol….. Let it work started the car, worked the clutch and then drain, and re-tighten the inspection cover….

Worked like a charm, and the clutch didn't slip or slide for the next 110Kmiles until the springs broke as I mentioned above….  I figured that they ran out of oil….LOL

So yes you can screw up, and repair stupid mistakes….
Total cost of material was about 50 dollars including quarters….. about 1 hour work at the car wash….


 

mise en place done, weather grim but not raining. Let's give it a go and see what's causing this problem! I have a feeling I will find at least 2 other issues while I am investigating this one - seams to be the trend at the moment.

Wish me luck!

Clutch had been installed wrong! Retaining spring was on the wrong way round so it's all worn and binding!! Nothing wrong with the rest of it really.