KA clutch drag

if the plate is tight on the splines or the plate is breaking up it gives that effect, removal inspection and rebuild is the cure.

Ah, I think I see. So the pressure plate is moving correctly but the friction plate gets stuck on one of its surfaces. Once in gear it then unsticks? But then, surely putting it in a forward gear before reverse should unstick it?

it isn't really 'stuck' against the flywheel, it is just not clearing it enough, just dragging, that spins up the gearbox input shaft and gives you the crunch when you engage reverse. Before you take anything to bits it would be worth a bleed of the clutch, just in case there is a drop of air in there which would reduce the total clutch lift a fraction. the other thing that can do it (which is not common nowadays) is if the gearbox is loose in relation to the engine, only likely if the engine or box has ever been out. also used to occur when cars had a worn out spigot bearing (common on sierra), but I am (99 per cent) sure ka does not have one

Thanks. After your suggestion, I have today just bled it but with no obvious improvement. The car is mostly used for short journeys but after a warm up it goes in ok.

The drag is obviously fairly light so I wondering whether a more viscous gearbox oil might help counteract it.

you could change the oil for fresh of the right grade, I would be wary of going for something outside spec. just in case. also check that the idle speed is correct as a high idle will exacerbate the fault. it seems from a quick google that quite a few people have a similar fault !!

IME, Ford gearboxes always seem to graunch into reverse.

Your experience has clearly not included Fords with the MTX-75 box...

Chris

Why, does it graunch into 1/2/3 too? ;-)

Looking it up I have driven one (Mondeo.) When you're used to cars not crunching into reverse it's hard to notice when a car behaves normally! :-)