QuestionQUESTION: Hi, Hope you can help. My Saab 900 works perfectly after buying it 3 days
ago.....but (and it's a big but) when I first drove it I came to a stop in 3rd and
then it wouldn't go in to first, or any gear for that matter. After turning the
engine off and on again it cleared. I thought at first since it is quite a heavy
clutch, that I wasn't depressing it far enough - without realising. However
since then I have been driving it very carefully and it still does it from time to
time. I can feel now when it is about to go because it gets stiff and harder to
put in to gear just before it happens again. I end up with my hazards on
trying to get the gearstick free as people beep and swear. It doesn't grind it
just won't go in. Thought it might be the hydraulic clutch master arm after
reading Haynes but don't know why this would be only occasional or even if it
is that. Please can you help since this is my first car and I am not an
experienced driver or mechanic. Thanks.
Rob P
ANSWER: Rob:
It does indeed sound like an hydraulic issue. Can you tell me when the problem occurs (not being able to shift), does the clutch feel any different? If it is a slave problem, the clutch pedal pressure would be less than normal. Also, when the problem occurs, if you turn off the engine and put the gearshift lever into gear and then restart the engine with the clutch depressed,what happens? If you then were to let the clutch out, would the car drive normally?
Answers to these questions will help with the diagnosis.
Also, can you tell me what year the SAAB is?
Feel free to answer back or if you wish, you may e-mail me direct to <mrjschwell@comcast.net>.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi thanks for answering so quickly. The year is 1993 a classic shape 900se.
The problem only occurs from time to time and it is always after coming to a
stop. I will stop and first will seem a bit stiff but will go in to gear. Then the
next time it gets a bit stiffer but still goes in, then it wont work the next time
I stop. It will be fine for a whole journey and then it will suddenly start to
happen and finally go. Every time it happens I will do as you suggested - turn
off the engine try and put it in to gear. Sometimes this works straight away
and I can put it in gear whilst other times it will take a few stop starts of the
engine until it finally works again. Usually when it happens the one gear I can
get it in to is reverse but then I can't get it out of reverse and have to keep
turning the engine off and on again until it finally frees up and I can get it out
of reverse. The problem never occurs at speed only when having coming to a
stop and usually when I am coming out of third at a standstill. Because it first
happened as soon as I bought the car (private seller) and since I have only
had the car 4 days I don't know if the clutch pedal pressure is normal or not.
I think it is normal although the clutch is heavier towards the end of it's travel
specifically the last third of it's depression. I think that is normal. If it
happens and I let the clutch out then the car doesn't move as if it is stuck in
gear the engine just revs normally but doesn't move or seem to be stuck in
the last gear I was in. When I turn it off and on again it doesn't always go in
to gear but after a few trys it will go in to gear and after that the car drives
completely normally until the problem happens again. I feel quite helpless
since I will be sat there turning the key in the ignition until it works again.
Last night I drove for half an hour in London stopping and starting often in
traffic and at lights - it was fine until I was about 3 mins from home and it
did it again. Thanks very much for your help. Look forward to hearing from
you. Cheers.
Rob P
AnswerRobert:
Inasmuch your observations are inconclusive, I would suggest you do the following test:
Remove the black plastic clutch cover and have a helper observe the clutch slave cylinder movement ( with the engine off) as you depress the clutch pedal. You should see consistent and uniform movement of the slave cylinder with each depression of the clutch pedal.
Then start the engine with the transmission in neutral, and observe that the clutch disc stops rotating along with the pressure late assembly after the clutch pedal is depress and held there.You will need to look between the clutch pressure plate assembly and flywheel carefully to make this observation.
If neither of the observations are affirmed, then the lack of the first one suggests an hydraulic problem (possible air in the clutch hydraulic line) and if the second observation is not occurring, despite uniform slave cylinder movement, the pressure plate is faulty and needs renewal.
