TONIGHT WAS HORRIBLE - CAR DEAD IN CARPARK 15 MILES AWAY! HELP!

[i-espedair]

Yes there are worse places to break down than a pub, a nice country pub at that!

-Mk3 98/R 8 valve GTI-

Clutch has been on its way out for a while now (see previous posts). Was gonna change it out this month. Anyway get into pub carpark just manouvering into space then *Bang* cluch pedal hits the floor and won't come back up and the car lurches forward and stalls.

Pushed the car into the space with my bird helpin (she weren't best pleased). Arranged a tow for tomorrow morn and went and had a beer or 2!!! Was thinkin about drivin it home usin the gears and no cluch, this can be easy if you get the timing and speeds matched jus right, but i really don't wanna screw the gear box too so a tow is safer.

The pedal moves fine up and down but there is no resistance and it won't spring back, so you can push it down then have to pull it back up. Looking in the engine compartment the cable seems fine and moves the arm no prob but there is no resistance. My guess is that the cluch has just fallen apart as the springs have died?!?! Could it be the master cylinder tho? The cluch has been juddering when engaging in first for ages which suggests worn springs - which is why i was gonna get it changed this month anyway.

Home now, car stuck in a village pub car park 15 miles away! Not gonna sleep tonight!!!

Any advice/help/support/ very welcomed!

Cheers guys and babes!

[Dizzie]

I had that exactly the same problem. I was 30 miles from home in the middle of town at the time! I drove back to my gf's with no clutch cos we were only a mile away. then had a coffee and drove back.

Driving with no clutch is fun! you just can't stop. when you want to change gear move the revs up and down until the gear drops in. it takes a few mins to get use to it. but once you do it's easy.

my first guess would be the small arm that lifts the clutch has broken and slipped round. it's a case of removing that big maybe green plug off the end of the gearbox. remove the clips. and pull that arm u can see from the engine bay out. pick the 'hammer' out too. you should see it split. you might need a new arm aswell as it has an annoying habit of fouling the thread on it so the new arm won't go on properly. I think I got one for ?10 from the scrapper.

[Blue MK2]

We talking about the clutch rachet here?

[kniterider]

never had this prob YET on a vw dizzie may be right i fnot checkit ou tsound s like a clutch prob

[i-espedair]

So your thinkin its not the cluch its self then!? Even tho its not been right for a while!???

[Blue MK2]

when i was looking under my drivers side dash. i saw a spring.  think it was for the clutch to come back up

could it be that?

[i-espedair]

Cheers for the suggestions guys - guess i'll find out how much its gonna cost when i get it back home and can start takin stuff apart! Either way it needs a new cluch. IT could have happened at a worse place and time!

Gotta get to bed now, getting moned at for bein on computer late "bloody car rules our lives".... I did suggest takin her car earlier!!!

Will let you guys know what i find tomorrow, its gonna be a harsh morning, i've never done a tow before!  

[Dizzie]

when towing remember the car in front doing the pulling and you do the braking. my dad would stop in the middle of traffic, get out and shout abuse at me if I let the rope go slack  

[kniterider]

towings a pain, have used one of them 'towbars' before there alot easier no jerky jerky as the cars are joined with a bar,  

[Blue MK2]

mk2 handbreak mechanisms seize alot.  what would you do if the car didnt start and you couldnt press the foot break?!! WAK! straight behind the towwer