A Class W168 Manual - won't go in gear on start up, restarting fixes problem?

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rossyl

Active Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
693
Location
N.London
Car
CLK 230K W208 Coupe (1999)(Auto)
Hi

We've been having this problem for a while.

Car is a W168 MANUAL A Class.

On start up sometimes the car won't go in to any gear. Foot on and off clutch makes no difference.

Strangely...turning the car off and restarting it and suddenly the car is going in to gear! It then works perfectly.

Any ideas what is causing this?

Thanks
R
 
Didn't you have an issue with this back in 2010?

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/93901-class-occasionally-wont-go-into-gear.html

When you say you've been having this issue for a while, surely this hasn't been playing up constantly since 2010, or is it a different fault?

You obviously have found a work around which works fine, so stick with it.

Is the clutch cable operated or hydraulic? Does it have some sort of servo assistance or pump set up?

Off the cuff, I would say that the pressure in the hydraulic system, if it is hydraulic, has bled back in to the reservoir and when you first start up, there is no pressure. When you restart, the pressure has built back up enough for the clutch pedal to operate the clutch mechanism.
 
Its the same problem but has been intermittent.

Any idea what should be changed to fix it? Pressure idea makes sense

Thanks
 
Had this with one of my cars on the clutch. I looked and found the bottom inspection plate from bell housing inside the boot. Years back i had a repair shop .This chap came in with a Vauxhal Cresta. .To cut it short he wanted a car right away .The Cresta would not go in to gear till it was pressed a few times.I did a swap with my Zodiac .On inspecting it and iremoved all the cylinders [ master and slave ] .I then removed all seals to find one seal the wrong way around..So remove the cylinders and any flexi pipes ,the flexi can perish inside .And replace them .The clutch system is not that big to work on .
 
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Had this with one of my cars on the clutch. I looked and found the bottom inspection plate from bell housing inside the boot. Years back i had a repair shop .This chap came in with a Vauxhal Cresta. .To cut it short he wanted a car right away .The Cresta would not go in to gear till it was pressed a few times.I did a swap with my Zodiac .On inspecting it and iremoved all the cylinders [ master and slave ] .I then removed all seals to find one seal the wrong way around..So remove the cylinders and any flexi pipes ,the flexi can perish inside .And replace them .The clutch system is not that big to work on .

Wow Vauxhall Cresta & Ford Zodiac, those are certainly a blast from the past, both straight six cylinders as I recall :thumb:
 
Had this with one of my cars on the clutch. I looked and found the bottom inspection plate from bell housing inside the boot. Years back i had a repair shop .This chap came in with a Vauxhal Cresta. .To cut it short he wanted a car right away .The Cresta would not go in to gear till it was pressed a few times.I did a swap with my Zodiac .On inspecting it and iremoved all the cylinders [ master and slave ] .I then removed all seals to find one seal the wrong way around..So remove the cylinders and any flexi pipes ,the flexi can perish inside .And replace them .The clutch system is not that big to work on .


This would appear to me to be smart response here. Is there any history of clutch/gearbox work being done?

It does sound like you could have a hydraulic/pressure issue that could be down to a seal/diaphragm being faulty or not seated correctly.

That said, it may be something that is cheaper to live with than to diagnose and fix.
 

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