hi all,

my first post and a curious problem

Skoda Octavia 2000 1.9 TDI 134k 110bhp no mods. Previously had part of the clutch pedal snap off where the master cylinder push rod connects - pedal hits the floor and is completely useless - new clutch pedal sorts this out. Now, over a year later some strange things happen at random. ...

Been driving for an hour at motorway speeds, approach roundabout change down to second at normal speeds accelerate through roundabout, as I exit try to change up to 3rd, clutch feels normal but can't shift gearstick. Try clutch again nothing happens but feels normal. Manage to knock it out of gear and stop. Clutch and box all working fine. Drove on. 100 mile later after lots of good gear changes same thing happens - pump clutch lots of times while trying to get out of gear, off load comes out of gear and everything back to normal again.

Happens at random - clutch pedal feels "normal" , drive maintained while stuck in gear - no grinding noises.

Really messes up your coordination on roundabout exit lines!!

Any ideas.

i had this once with my old renault 19 16v

New gearbox sorted it,well secondhand

Someone on heres bound to have an idea and be able to help you out

Welcome to Briskoda!

Sounds like the clutch hydraulics to me. Next time it happens, try ignoring the clutch, and matching engine speed to road speed. If you're half-way competent as a driver you just might be able to teach yourself clutchless gearchanging (done that with one of my previous cars).

there's not something jamming in the gearchange linkage of top of the gearbox is there??

I am going to say clutch or linkages, having seen someone who had something simillar before.

I dunno if this helps, but after I had my clutch changed, I then found that sometimes when pressing the clutch pedal down, it would remain stuck to the floor and I would have to get my foot behind it and pull it back up. This resulted in a replacement master cylinder (something I believe to due to the valves or seals becoming knackered during the clutch replacement - other people on here have had the same issue). I then later replaced the slave cylinder and hydraulic pipe due to a leak in the coupling attachment at the slave end - but that was a separate issue.

An inverted master cylinder seal certainly makes sense. I thought the "how to manage without a clutch" info might be helpful though.

I do sometimes find my car does not like changing to 5th, just feels really rubbery. It has only happened a couple of times, and I am sure someone else on here had exactly the same issue, but and neither of us have solved it. I might change the gearbox oil at somepoint, but it is not high up my list of things to do!

there's not something jamming in the gearchange linkage of top of the gearbox is there??

Didn't this happen to Jason from not re-attaching his headlight cover correctly? (Different engine / gearbox / car I know, but still...)

Thanks for all the advice.

On balance I'm starting to think 2nd gear is just a coincidence, probably to do with my style of driving - heavier acceleration and bigger difference in engine to roads speeds on the change up to 3rd when the clutch decides not to work. Master clutch cylinder is certainly cheaper than a new box so I'll start there.

I'll practice clutchless changes in the meantime

Reckon I'll check the gearbox oil as well just to be on the safe side.

might be worth bleeding the clutch system first before shelling out on any replacement parts.

I only found my had a leak, because the GF used to wait at traffic lights with her foot on the clutch, so it pi$$ed out a lot more fluid then just when I depressed the clutch for a gear change....

My dad once had a car with worn-out slave seals (back when I was a toddler), and he found that out when he left his foot on the clutch in traffic, and it let the clutch out by itself as fluid bled back past the seals.

Gaahhh - this exact thing is happening to my 1.9 tdi GLX (2000)

the tank is 147000 miles old and 2nd gear is really peeving me off... it sticks on the upshift, exactly as described in this thread. This might as well be my car in fact.

last night i had to go 150 metres trying different combinations of engine speeds, clutch pumps and stick pressures before it popped out of 2nd and let me carry on.

I always felt since i bought it 2 years ago that going into 3rd felt a little 'odd' but now i have the solid evidence

also, on some occasions when it lets go of 2nd, there's a mechanical squeal scraping noise (not at all like a crunch or grind) that most reminds me of the sound of a freshly washed dish having your finger pulled across it... squeaky clean gearbox? i doubt it - defo feels like the gear cogs arent moving freely apart in there though.

anyway - feedback most welcome!!!!

hi all,

my first post and a curious problem

Skoda Octavia 2000 1.9 TDI 134k 110bhp no mods. Previously had part of the clutch pedal snap off where the master cylinder push rod connects - pedal hits the floor and is completely useless - new clutch pedal sorts this out. Now, over a year later some strange things happen at random. ...

Been driving for an hour at motorway speeds, approach roundabout change down to second at normal speeds accelerate through roundabout, as I exit try to change up to 3rd, clutch feels normal but can't shift gearstick. Try clutch again nothing happens but feels normal. Manage to knock it out of gear and stop. Clutch and box all working fine. Drove on. 100 mile later after lots of good gear changes same thing happens - pump clutch lots of times while trying to get out of gear, off load comes out of gear and everything back to normal again.

Happens at random - clutch pedal feels "normal" , drive maintained while stuck in gear - no grinding noises.

Really messes up your coordination on roundabout exit lines!!

Any ideas.

sounds like 2nd gear syncro to me :'(