Couldn't select a gear.......C3 L48 4spd

[Gus]

Hi Gents.....

Just warmed the Vette up after standing idle for a month..... started straight away......but was unable to select a forward gear....nothing...

Tried to select reverse.....sounded like a piano dropping down the stairs!......

So switched off, put stick in reverse and started engine. Quite a clunk as clutch raised, but normal service apparently resumed....back to a slick change.

Is this a frequent problem after standing for a while? And what causes it please?

Gus

 

[Chuffer]

Hi Gus ,
Were the gears grinding as if you were trying to select a gear without depressing the clutch ? I suppose it could be the clutch plate sticking after standing standing a long time in cold and damp conditions . Does your year of C3 have a hydraulic clutch or a cable operated one ? As you know , mine is an auto so have no experience with a four on the floor !

 

[Oneball]

What Chuffer said. Clutch plate has stuck. The clunk was it coming unstuck. Is your garage dry?

 

[Gus]

Thanks guys........the garage is dry....Chuffer has seen it. Concrete base, but it's pretty chilly at this time of year...plenty of graught coming under the door!
The only 'grinding' was when I tried to select reverse.....with the forward gears....no noise, but simply wouldn't engage.

 

[Corvette]

To free up a clutch clear your driveway of your daily car, get the car running well, turn off, select first gear, clutch down then start car. It will either free off immediately or you will kangaroo down the road til it frees itself with revs. Once free check all shifter linkage. It’s all adjustable rods and a Z bar from pedal to fork.Grease makes it happier(the linkage not the clutch!)

 

[Gus]

Thanks very much

 

[Rich]

Is it all ok now, Gus?

 

[Gus]

Hi Rich.......appears to be back to normal....I think I'm now going to lag the gap at the bottom of the garage door to try and keep the chill out!

Gus

 

[Rich]

Excellent. Glad it's sorted.

 

[Roscobbc]

Hi Rich.......appears to be back to normal....I think I'm now going to lag the gap at the bottom of the garage door to try and keep the chill out!

Gus

Draught's are good in a garage - helps prevent condensation............

 

[antijam]

It does sound as if you had a sticky clutch but should the problem recur it might be worth checking the security of the shifter mounting bolts. The standard shifter is secured to the chassis with two bolts and linked to the gearbox with 3 adjustable rods. If the shifter has moved relative to the box this can make shifting difficult. Some cars have been fitted with Hurst shifters which mount directly to the box.

 

[Gus]

I think there will still be plenty of air circulating, but how do you keep a garage above freezing temperatures?

I know about the trouble that damp can cause.....I once had a TVR Griffith that was badly damaged internally by condensation in a 'pop-up' garage......

 

[Gus]

Hi Antjam....I haven't got a Hurst shifter.......so as the change now seems ok.... I'm hoping this was a 'one-off'

 

[Adtheman]

Hi Rich.......appears to be back to normal....I think I'm now going to lag the gap at the bottom of the garage door to try and keep the chill out!

Gus

I had quote a leak everytime it rained coming in under my garage door. Bought a rubber bumperstop off amazon for around £30 and now water and wind tight. Mine is a roller door but expect will work jus as well with an up and over. Just seal it down with some black silicone and voila no draught or water.

 

[Chuffer]

Hi Gus , hopefully once we can all drive our cars a bit more regularly you won`t get this problem again . However , it might be worth considering investing in a decent dehumidifier that will reduce dampness and condensation build up in the long term and generally help protect the electrical systems and interior trim on the Vette and your lovely old Aussie V8 too ! Having seen your garage it would have to a good hourly extraction capacity though .

 

[antijam]

My garage suffers from damp - sometimes to extremes......



.......and my pit becomes a miniature swimming pool.



Unfortunately a dehumidifier doesn't make a lot of difference.

 

[Chuffer]

A garage with a built in spa ? How very posh

 

[Gus]

Hi Mike.....yes a dehumidifier might well be a good idea...but it would need to be a good'un!

ps....like the basement swimming pool Antjam....is the water heated?

 

[antijam]

ps....like the basement swimming pool Antjam....is the water heated?

No - the water comes from the sewers, so it's not so much swimming as going through the motions.....

 

[Roscobbc]

No - the water comes from the sewers, so it's not so much swimming as going through the motions.....

Presumably you have a number of stools in the garage you can stand on to keep you head above your own water (so to speak)?