Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 4/4 - Can't get into / out of 1st and 2nd Gears

I'd welcome thoughts on why occasionally I can't get into or out of 1st and 2nd gears. It's happened a few times when the engine has warmed up and at roundabouts / junctions. I have a year 2000 4/4. Many thanks!

What type of clutch - cable or hydraulic?

Hydraulic ... thanks for getting back Paul.

Peter

Where is the biting point of the clutch?

Assuming all the bits and bobs are fine, but at 13 years old, something may not be right, but it sounds like a small amount of air in the clutch hydraulics.

Certainly worth a change of fluid and bleed.

Added - not unknown for the master or slave cylinders to fail utterly when bled at this age, but there is good chance that if they do, it was the real source of the problem.

The biting point is pretty close to the floor. Thanks for the advice and I'll try the change of fluid and bleed.

Sounds like air in the system somewhere so try bleeding everything first, if all ok for awhile then there's air getting in therefore needing further investigation?

Thanks everybody ... you have all pointed me in the same direction. I'll investigate and report back.

I will be VERY interested in what you find. I struggled to change the fluid in my system as couldn't find the bleed nipple. So had to extract as much as I could with an old basting syringe and refilled with new. Not ideal but the suggestion was the nipple was in the bell housing but not able to find it. (Mine is a 2002 black top zetec and assume is the same as yours)

I've just had a wrestle after changing the clutch slave cylinder on an MGB. Couldn't get pressure and couldn't find a leak so put in a new master as well. Still no joy after a bit of web searching I found that it wasn't unknown for air to get trapped behind the piston in the slave but in front of the bleed nipple so it remained after bleeding. Solution was to wedge the clutch pedal down the open the bleed nipple and force the piston as far back as possible. Right enough air bubbles were expelled and I now have a clutch that works as intended. I'm told these are the joys of our hobby and old cars!

With things that get difficult bleeding, what I call sidestepping the pedal can help as it shocks the system and moves the air bubbles.

If you are bleeding alone, and using a valve on a tube to stop air getting back in, bleed as normal, and on the bottom of the pedal stroke, instead of what most folk do which is a steady return, move your foot off the pedal sideways, thus allowing the pedal to return to rest quickly and with a bang.

You'll get 'nil points' for mechanical sympathy, but this technique does work. Taught to me by my father, and most recently used on a year 2000 landrover clutch that was being difficult. Technique also used on brakes for the same reasons.