[aaronstevens]

i have a 98 GV 2.0L,
gears 1.3.5 are very hard to shift into, 2,,4,R are perfect still though .
my clutch has only just been replaced my a mechanic , not by me.
could this be a clutch adjustment problem?
cheers

[Qthefun]

are there and nuts and bolts missing from the bottom of the gear stick under the boot? like holes where bolts could go?
Had a similar problem years ago was 1 bolt missing just under the boot after getting a 5 speed put in my Datsun.
That's where my experience runs dry I'm sad to say
More technical minded people on here than me thank the stars!

[vet 180]

Does sound like a lever/ball issue as they are all "up gears" as in you push the lever up. Prob a bolt loose near the ball of the gear lever

[aaronstevens]

ahhhh thanks guys i will check it out!!!

[aaronstevens]

Had a geez at what's under the boot , and this is how it looks , only 2 bolts on the sides ? , any idea ?

[aaronstevens]

Further into this problem , the car only does it whilst running . When car is turned off gear changes are fine

[Qthefun]

aaronstevens wrote:

i have a 98 GV 2.0L,
gears 1.3.5 are very hard to shift into, 2,,4,R are perfect still though .
my clutch has only just been replaced my a mechanic , not by me.
could this be a clutch adjustment problem?
cheers

Have you taken it back to the mechanic to have a look?

[aaronstevens]

I've actually moved states but just gave him a call and he told me to adjust the clutch at the pedal, and it will be sweet

[fordem]

aaronstevens wrote:

Further into this problem , the car only does it whilst running . When car is turned off gear changes are fine

This points to a clutch "drag" issue - for some reason the transmission input shaft is still being driven to some extent with the clutch disengaged - it's not an adjustment issue, as these cars have what are termed "self adjusting" hydraulic clutches.

Question for you - when the clutch was replaced - what exactly was replaced? Clutch plate, pressure plate, release bearing, pilot shaft bearing - was the clutch fork replaced? One of the known problems on these vehicles is that the clutch fork pivots on a ball & socket arrangement, the ball socket in the fork wears and cracks which allows it to flex - if your mechanic is not aware of this problem he may not have noticed the cracked fork - to see the cracks he would have to remove the fork from the bell housing, clean it, and hold it up to a strong light.

Sounds like you're about to drop that transmission again...

[fordem]

aaronstevens wrote:

I've actually moved states but just gave him a call and he told me to adjust the clutch at the pedal, and it will be sweet

If I were you I would not be touching any adjustments "at the pedal" - you'll only get yourself into deeper trouble - the only adjustment there is push rod free play - it never requires adjustment unless it has been tampered with.

[Gwagensteve]

Aren't gv's hydro clutch?

[henno]

Sure are. I think that is what fordem is alluding to: there is no cable adjustment as there is no cable.

[fordem]

Gwagensteve wrote:

Aren't gv's hydro clutch?

Yes, they are - BUT - what really matters is not just that they are hydraulic, but that they are self adjusting - some vehicles with hydraulic clutches require periodic adjustment, I've owned three vehicles with hydraulic clutches, and only the GV is self adjusting.

[vet 180]

fordem wrote:

Gwagensteve wrote:

Aren't gv's hydro clutch?

Yes, they are - BUT - what really matters is not just that they are hydraulic, but that they are self adjusting - some vehicles with hydraulic clutches require periodic adjustment, I've owned three vehicles with hydraulic clutches, and only the GV is self adjusting.

Do you still have to bleed it like a normal hydro clutch? could that be the issue if the mechanic tampered with the slave pressure to get the old clutch out?

[fordem]

Yes you do, but, only if you somehow allow air in - there really should have been no need to touch the hydraulic side of things during a clutch change - all that would have been needed is to unbolt the slave cylinder and tie it out of the way.

The way the "self adjusting" works is that as the clutch linings wear the piston in the clutch slave will slowly move further & further out - it moves out each time the pedal is pressed and does not return as far, so it v-e-r-y gradually remains further out, and the fluid level in the reservoir slowly decreases - when the slave cylinder is reinstalled after replacing the clutch, the piston will be pushed further in by the pushrod and fluid will be forced back into the master cylinder reservoir, which if you look at it, you'll see can easily hold double the required volume - the full mark is actually half way down the cylinder.

Although it's a good idea to change the fluid, when changing the clutch, it's not required - rather than push all that dirty fluid (it has all sorts of dead rubber particles, etc.) back to the reservoir, and it's also very easy to do - just fill the reservoir and crack the bleed nipple and allow it to gravity bleed itself.

[aaronstevens]

Gave the mechanic a call and he told me to adjust the pedal half a turn , that's done and it works again . It just needs a little more adjustment a little drag still . With the slave cylinder , as they get old will the self adjustment slowly go to shit ?

[aaronstevens]

The car had been working , until I left it for a couple of weeks without use . I cannot even select gears 1,3,5 with the car tuned off , does anybody have any idea ?

[watermouse]

Could be something jamming behind the bottom of the shift lever in the housing.

I had an issue in my Jimny where a screw head sheared off the the selector shaft in the shift lever housing. It would jam any gear randomly as it rattled around in there. I had the gearbox out, open and sealed again before I discovered it. I could have saved a bit of time and a lot of swear words if I had looked in there first.

I never looked in the shifter housing on my 2.0l GV but the rest of the box was remarkably similar in design to the Jimny. Could be the same issue.

[fordem]

Remove the shifter and check inside the extension - the retainer is a bayonet fitting - depress & rotate counterclockwise - if there's nothing in there obstructing the lever you may have to remove the extension.