Hey,

I have a '97 Daewoo Lanos SE. When the car is idle, I can not shift out of neutral and can hear the gears grinding. However, when the car is off I can shift fine. It is not possible to start the car already in gear either as it just stalls.

Since this problem occurred the stiffness of the brake pedal has also significantly increased to the point where it is difficult to depress. The clutch pedal seems slightly looser than normal.

What could possibly be wrong? I have no mechanical knowledge and cant afford to get this fixed

Clutch is probably not disengaging. Check linkage or more likely a hydraulic linkage with low or no fluid now and a leak to be found,

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
_________________________________________

http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/

Thanks for the help!

Sorry for the stupid question, but where and how should I be checking for a leak? Also how much would I be looking at to get something like this fixed in a worse case scenario?

I don't know this car specifically but it should be an hydraulic clutch linkage. If so, on or near driver's side firewall you'll find a cap for brake fluid and one nearby but smaller would be for the clutch linkage. It really shouldn' ever get low but may have. Filling with the owner's manual's suggested fluid might make it work again - at least long enough to find the leak - follow the metal hose to rubber to another part known as a slave cylinder ----- leaks could be anywhere or perhaps unseen.

Note: Most will suggest using DOT 3 brake fluid and may say so on the cap. Find out - I don't know this car as said.

If there is no reservoir for fluid and nothing found then the clutch is operated via a cable most likely next after if not hydraulic and have a helper push the pedal and watch for motion - that's the cable which would go to the clutch at some pivot gizmo to release the clutch. If it is a cable and nothing moves the cable may have broken.

If hydraulic like I think then the owner's manual may show something or have it on a list of the things to periodically check the level of,

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
_________________________________________

http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/

According to the manual the brake fluid reservoir includes the clutch fluid reservoir, but the brake fluid is between the min and max markings? Does this mean I dont have a leak and the problem is something esle?

Ok: Then still watch for the movement of the lever to the clutch. There is a "master cylinder" for the clutch as well as the brakes and the clutch has a "slave cylinder" cylinder to take the fuid under pressure and disengage the clutch.

Seals in either the master or the slave can fail to make that pressure and the clutch just behave like you aren't pushing on the pedal at all and might not leak at all!

You may need some help to diag just what it will take to fix this without an obvious leak. The problem is very consistant with this funtion not working by your description,

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
_________________________________________

http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/

Just called out the mechanic to have a look...apparently the gearbox needs to be taken out to see what the problem is. Apparently something in the bell housing is jamming clutch pivot? The guy wanted to charge me $450 to remove the gearbox and said in a best case scenario I would be looking at around $1400 all up. The guy came off as kind of dodgy I think I want a second opinion


(This post was edited by Gavvvvvin on May 1, 2008, 5:25 AM)

This could be more than a more usual linkage problem. Get the second opinion - still you should see something moving on most of these without taking anything apart for a clue.

That slave cylinder moves a fork to release the clutch. If that's the problem inside with the fork (general idea) then it very well could mean taking trans out and unknowns to repair. Again - I don't know this car specifically but I would be surprised if this was that big of a deal,

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
_________________________________________

http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/

Yea I think he said the fork is bent...but how does this explain the change in tension of the brake?


(This post was edited by Gavvvvvin on May 2, 2008, 12:28 AM)

Just read from the beginning post and forgot about the brake pedal stiffness. These are two different hydraulic systems and really shouldn't be involved with each other except you said they share the same reservoir. The real common denominator would be someone put the wrong fluid in and both have rubber failures or something like that.

Hydraulic brakes and clutch linkage can't tolerate oil products. It's called brake fluid as it must be "rubber" friendly or absolutely will cause problems!!!! Danger if that happened!

The "fork" for the clutch is pushing on a "throw-out" bearing which must slide on input shaft. If that got all rusted or gucked up with something it could bind and perhaps bend the fork - I've never heard of that!

Did you see this fork and where bent? I have my doubts but I'm not there.

In light of both brakes and clutch having problems I really think someone put an oil in the reservoir and that will mean replacing both master cylinders and a full flush out of remaining fluid to pure brake fluid if that happened. There's a chance of more damage than just the two master cylinders and then this would be a nightmare as about all items with rubber would have to be replaced - at each wheel and all the parts that have rubber along the way. This could be incredible money to fix but reports have it that oil will stay on top of the brake fluid (floats) at reservoir and not swell up and destroy all rubber parts if it was just topped off with an oil - like mistakenly Automatic trans fluid - a big NO NO!!

You may see that there is a rubber bellows under the lid of the reservoir and check that the rubber isn't all blown up/swollen. It is designed to bellow down to keep air out and fluid from splashing as some is consumed or displaced by brake wear normally over the life of the brakes. Not all that much though!

I'M OBVIOUSLY WORRIED ABOUT THAT HAVING HAPPENED. Check that out and please report back or ask more questions, or get help fast before using this car and rule that in or out now! That could be a very serious safety issue with the brakes - never mind the clutch!!

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
_________________________________________

http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/


(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on May 2, 2008, 12:59 AM)