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Camry 1999: Clutch/gear-box problem

Hi everybody,

I guess it's my turn to have (serious) problems with my car. It's a Camry, 1999, manual, .au model. Today, as I was merging on the highway I tried to downshift from 5th to 4th, only to miss it and pinch a bit of the reverse. I quickly realised my error, and stuck it in 4th, then third, and then second. As I was accellerating to up-shift into third I realised that it got stuck in second. No mater what I did, it was impossible for me to take it out. Luckly I had enough momentum to get over the small hill and slide on the shoulder of the road. There I had time to try a few things before RACQ came and picked me up to take me home.

It seems that: 1). with the engine off, gears can be selected just fine. 2). with the engine on, clutch pedal pressed to the ground, none of the gears can be selected. 3). with the engine off, first gear selected, clutch pedal pressed to the ground, trying to start the engine only moves the car as if the clutch wasn't pressed at all. 4). Clutch external visible hydraulics seem to be working and there's enough fluid in the jar. 5). At idle, in neutral, the engine seems to be vibrating much more than before. 6). The RACQ guy managed to park the car by sticking it into reverse and then first gear and just trying to start the engine. (Yes, I realize some of you may cringe, since the whole weight of the car was moved just by the starter motor) While doing this I did not hear any weird sounds from the gear box, it all moved smoothly, no crunches, no bangs, no nothing. I could be wrong, and if I am - then please disregard this point.

So, my question is, what could be wrong? Is it the clutch or is it the gear-box? At any rate, it seems to me that it'll need to be opened up to get to the clutch, or the gear-box (as Mr. Murphy has it, whichever is the most expensive).

Cheers,

Bogdan.

--
I have seen things you people wouldn't believe.  Attack ships on fire
off the shoulder of Orion.  I watched C-beams glitter in the dark
near the Tannhauser Gate.  All those moments will be lost in time,
like tears in rain.  Time to die.
Reply to
Bogdan Iamandei
Loading thread data ...

It sounds very much like the clutch has colla[sed or a piece of the clutch plate (friction-plate) has broken off and lodged between the clutch-plate and the pressure-plate, hence causing the whole thing to remain engaged.

Are you sure you didnt manage to put it in a gear too low for the road speed you were doing, then let the clutch up causing a clutch over-speed? This can cause the clutch-plate to literally fly-apart.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

I did have another look now that it's morning, and it seems to me that the clutch plate is not moving at all, it spins but it doesn't translate to a side when the pedal is pressed. Another thing is that the whole assembly vibrates rather badly, transmitting the vibrations through the pedal. It's as if something out of balance is spinning there.

Since it's still holidays here, I'll have to wait for today, and ask someone tomorrow to come and have a look at it.

Thanks, Bogdan.

--
I have seen things you people wouldn't believe.  Attack ships on fire
off the shoulder of Orion.  I watched C-beams glitter in the dark
near the Tannhauser Gate.  All those moments will be lost in time,
like tears in rain.  Time to die.
Reply to
Bogdan Iamandei

clutch

clutch-plate

speed

can

Thanks,

If it vibrates, that lends credence to the theory the clutch plate has shed some of its lining, which has then positioned itself at the outer edge (retained by the pressure plate) and hence when spun, caused imbalance and vibration.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

Thanks, I'll have it fixed and let you all know what it was.

Oh, and another thing. How long's a clutch plate supposed to last anyway? And the classic question, go for original parts or good quality "Something Else (TM)"?

Bogdan.

--
I have seen things you people wouldn't believe.  Attack ships on fire
off the shoulder of Orion.  I watched C-beams glitter in the dark
near the Tannhauser Gate.  All those moments will be lost in time,
like tears in rain.  Time to die.
Reply to
Bogdan Iamandei

its

My dino-computercan't handle those links but I get the picture ('scuse the pun). It has been a while since I've eye-balled a clutch plate.

One of Rautger Hauer's better acting parts.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

Ok. Go here:

formatting link
and plug in those funny strings. Hit decode and you've got the URL. :)

Bogdan.

--
I have seen things you people wouldn't believe.  Attack ships on fire
off the shoulder of Orion.  I watched C-beams glitter in the dark
near the Tannhauser Gate.  All those moments will be lost in time,
like tears in rain.  Time to die.
Reply to
Bogdan Iamandei

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