[Bruce]

Not often I post but I need a few ideas on what this could be.
Little hard to explain but I'll do my best.
I have a 1.6EFI Vitara 5 speed (Royce's old Vitara)
Have just come back from Fraser Island with our club to do the Annual Fraser Island clean-up.
Whenever I drive through deep water as in wheel height and then stop driving soon after, I go to put the Vitara into 1st gear and it won't go in. (this also happened last year and also when I drove through flood water last month)
If the car is not going I can get all gears. So what I have been doing is put into low range 1st with foot on the clutch and start. The car jumps forward with a bang and all is good.
The clutch pedal seems good at all times.

It's like the clutch is stuck onto the pressure plate or something like that. Has me stuffed. Only ever does when it's deepish water. Normal water like puddles does not effect it at all, it only happens when I think the g/box clutch area goes under water. Even a short water crossing of say 10mts.

Going to pull the clutch out soon and look around (may as well replace while its out) but would like to know if anyone has any ideas what would cause this?

[Scrawny]

Forgot to look at it today sorry mate

Does sound like clutch plate sticking. I'm sure once the box is out you'll see the issue

[Bruce]

You looked busy mate so I did not want to bother you.

[Samurai81]

This happened to me when I drove my Samurai through a series of mud bogs. The bell housing filled up with mud syrup and jammed things up. It eventually became driveable but the only way to clean it out is to flush with a low pressure hose for a long time and then let it drip dry. It really only happened because I had the little protector plate off, thinking that it is better for the mud to go in and out quickly - wrong logic.

[Bruce]

Thanks Samurai81. To tell you the truth I will have to look if that plate is there.

[christover1]

I bet the dust plate is letting crud in.
Or is missing.
The clutch fork mechanism can gunk up to.
I tried to seal my Sierras clutch, but all that did was stop water getting out.
A breather on the clutch, and a good dust plate solved my issue.
I made a new plate that covers the timing hole, with a breather pipe outlet.