Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi all,

Yesterday, when pulling out of junction in 1st gear, there was a sound and hesitation as though the car had jumped out of gear and there was a total loss of drive.

The engine continued to run fine, there is pressure on the clutch pedal and the slave cylinder actuates - I have been underneath the car to check.

The gear lever moves fine through all the gears but I can move from each gear with the engine running and without the clutch pedal depressed.

When I am in gear there is a slight connection between the engine and gearbox as there is a very slight dip in engine revs.

I am supposing that the clutch pressure plate has somehow become stuck in the depressed postion but I am stumped as to how this would happen.

My car is a 1971 +2 with the 4 speed gearbox and a new clutch was fitted last year.

Any ideas what could be the cause of this would be helpful.

Thanks in advance

David

"A new clutch fitted last year".now there's a clue if ever i saw one.
Looks like you're going to have to split the bellhousing and pull the engine forward a little bit to find out what is the matter?
John

I tend to agree with John that its "probably" clutch related but before taking apart make sure it has not broken an output shaft on the diff, plus 2's seem to do this probably because of the extra wieght.The shaft sheers of at the end of the splines inside the diff with no outward signs of damage.

I believe that you snapped an output shaft from the differential housing, jack up the car and start it up and put it into any gear and look to see if the prop shaft is spinning. if so, it in the diff.

Gary
it's happened to me before and I have the trophy on the window sill.

Thank you all for the replies so far.

The only query that I have about the output shaft suggestion is would I be able to change gear with the engine running and no depression on the clutch pedal as is the case?

Wouldn't I still have to use the clutch to change gear?

Thank you

David

Yes, although it may or may not have some noises, do the check for the prop turning as Gary suggests.

I shall do. It is a bit of challenge to work on the car as I only armed with a Swiss Army knife and a pair of eyeballs. Away from home you see.

Thanks very much

David

It is at the back end.
The prop shaft turns at the diff but the neither half shaft goes around.
There is also seems to be oil on the exhaust directly below the front of the diff.

Would it be more differential related than output shaft in that case?

Thanks very much.

David

DavidHarland wrote:
The prop shaft turns at the diff but the neither half shaft goes around.
There is also seems to be oil on the exhaust directly below the front of the diff. Would it be more differential related than output shaft in that case?David

I doubt it, if it were the pinion and or the crown wheel you would likely get some loud grinding noises, the oil leak is probably just the seal leaking but you will likely have to take out the diff anyway. It is possibile to replace the output shafts with the diff in but getting the sheered part out is a problem, not only that there is likely to be metal particals in the diff. When you get underneath feel the pinion flange for any play (up & down) the collaspable spacer also has a habit of looseing its tension (bearing pre-load) and results in an oil leak usually from inside the pinion flange around the nut. This is evident when you take off the prop shaft and oil leaks from the nut.

Its been a while but I believe that I used the clutch to engage 1st gear but once the gearbox was in a gear I just changed gears without useing the clutch. Maybe it wasn't nessessary to use the clutch at all, I don't remember. I did the repair with the diff in place and just disconnected the donuts and removed the snap rings for the output shafts and pulled them out. I think I was lucky and guessed the correct side and only undid one side, I fished out the broken stub shaft with a loop of wire or a magnet, I don't remember which.

Gary

not that big of a deal really

Thanks to you all for the help. I shall tackle this on Wednesday.

Thanks again

David

The problem is the output shaft on the left side. It has broken. I guess it is best to replace both sides as the diff is out.

Thanks to all for setting me off in the right direction.

David