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Trouble Selecting Gears
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2025 20:16
by Gray14
When I set off to go to the Lotus Remembered Eclat anniversary it became increasingly difficult to select a gear, becoming increasing worse so that after 10 minutes I had to abandon the trip. Returning home it became impossible to get any gear and I had to push the car into the parking place.
Later, without the engine running I was able to move the gearstick through all the gears, which I think ruled out the gear selector being the problem.
This is on a S2.2 with the Getrag gearbox with cable operated clutch.
I’m just wondering if this is a symptom of the clutch thrust bearing failing or needing adjustment or is clutch need replacing.
Does anyone have any insight or experience of what is wrong?
Many TIA, Graham
Re: Trouble Selecting Gears
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2025 21:03
by Marten
Gray14 wrote: Mon Sep 29, 2025 20:16
When I set off to go to the Lotus Remembered Eclat anniversary it became increasingly difficult to select a gear, becoming increasing worse so that after 10 minutes I had to abandon the trip. Returning home it became impossible to get any gear and I had to push the car into the parking place.
Later, without the engine running I was able to move the gearstick through all the gears, which I think ruled out the gear selector being the problem.
This is on a S2.2 with the Getrag gearbox with cable operated clutch.
I’m just wondering if this is a symptom of the clutch thrust bearing failing or needing adjustment or is clutch need replacing.
Does anyone have any insight or experience of what is wrong?
Many TIA, Graham
Unless the clutch is so far out of adjustment that it doesn't disengage (which should have become noticable) the clutch has failed or the bearing had gone. So after checking the adjustment taking the clutch apart is the next step (Sorry
)
Re: Trouble Selecting Gears
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 08:37
by rbgosling
I've never had a car with a cable clutch (or at least never one that needed clutch attention during my ownership!), but in a hydraulic clutch car this would be a symptom of clutch not fully disengaging (and possibly needing bleeding). While it was still working-ish, did you notice if it became less hard to engage gears if you really pushed the clutch down as far as it could go? I don't know if/how much a cable clutch can be adjusted, but it's worth trying the easier option before you start pulling the engine out and replacing the clutch.
Re: Trouble Selecting Gears
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 14:54
by MetBlue
Jack up one rear wheel, select a gear and with help of second person, depress clutch to see where (if) in the pedal it releases.
An easy test that could tell you something.