4200 - Side of the road - again

[GraemeA]

I just got a new WOF (MOT) on Saturday and was looking forward to a road trip on Sunday morning.

The car was running well and I was enjoying my new refurbed buttons and knobs on the centre console. I was traveling at around 100km/hr when bang - I thought I'd run over something. There was an ominous whump, whump sound like something caught an a wheel or driveshaft. So I quickly pulled over to the side of the road, cut the engine and got out to check. Looking at all four wheels everything appeared fine and nothing underneath that I could see. I got back in and started up. No error lights and the engine was running normally so went to select 1st. The gear selected, but when I accelerated nothing happened... no clutch engagement and the gearbox symbol started flashing. I tried R with the same result. Upshot- I called the AA and the car is now sitting in my garage at home.

Does anyone care to conjecture on the likely fault?. To recap: it had a new clutch, accumulator and gearbox rebuild at 86,000km. It's sitting on 93,300 now.

I had the issue with the damaged EV1 pipe which I replaced, but nothing else since. Is it likely the has clutch collapsed or is there some other possibility?

As I said, the car starts fine and there are no errors until I select a gear and attempt to move off.

 

[philw696]

Hi Graeme,
I wonder if the clutch fitted was one from the faulty batch that was around a few years ago.
When and where was that fitted Singapore ?
Phil

 

[safrane]

Hmm suffered tang fail, and there was no bang, in fact no noise at all when it went, just a gradual struggle to get any gear. The secondary noise is out of sync with that as well.

I'm thinking actuator pipes or thurst bearing.

 

[conaero]

I would check to see if your diff has gone.

As the gearbox has been worked on it’s likely.

if the two rear driveshafts don’t feel resistance, ie the wheels are on the floor and drive is to both and not one the car will not move forward. Check the driveshaft joints inboard and outboard. They don’t usually fail but would give the same result.

Try this, select first then Rev to 2500 rpm change to second then third and watch the gear indicator and speedo and let me know what you find.

obviously do this with nothing in front of you just in case drive was to take up but the car would just jump and stall.

 

[GraemeA]

Hi Graeme,
I wonder if the clutch fitted was one from the faulty batch that was around a few years ago.
When and where was that fitted Singapore ?
Phil

Hi Phil

Nice to hear from you.

The clutch was done by Auckland Maserati. I believe at the time they were Torino Motors. I was going to tackle them about their leaving the hydraulic pipes dangling but found the company had changed.

 

[GraemeA]

Thanks for the input. I haven't started diagnosis yet but Conaero, I think I might test out your theory.

If I jack the rear wheels off the ground it should be safe to test right?

Its definitely not hydraulics related as there's no sign of leakage and it's not warning about low fluid. Pump times sound normal and gear engagement sounds good. There's just no clutch engagement happening.

The original bang sounded like I ran over something?? Then the rotational noise had me puzzled. Whatever, I'm sure it's not going to be cheap to sort unfortunately.

 

[GraemeA]

It probably needs to have an SD2/SD3 plugged in to see what it thinks the issue is. The gearbox symbol comes up when take off is attempted. It clears when I restart the car. I'd like to have a better idea, before I truck it to Auckland to have it tested.

If only there was another option available here in Hamilton.

 

[Gp79]

You mention it had just been through the WOF / MOT.
Did you see how the rear brakes / handbrake were tested as serious damage can be done if the roller brake tester is used incorrectly. (I.e wheels spun opposite directions) due to the LSD.
Just a thought.
I always ask for the tapley meter to be used to avoid any issues

 

[GraemeA]

Hi GP79 now that's got me wondering. Curious co-incidence and they do use a brake testing machine....

 

[philw696]

I was there when it was Torino Motors and left when it became Wingers.
Not one of us left there now apart from one Sales guy.
The brake roller has caused the problem in my opinion and I would be contacting them for sure.

 

[Wack61]

Hi GP79 now that's got me wondering. Curious co-incidence and they do use a brake testing machine....

I'd be looking into that before spending money getting it recovered , seems like a bit of a coincidence

 

[GraemeA]

Hi all

Well I've talked to VTNZ and they said they were very careful when testing. The manager said he stayed back to make sure they were careful when he saw it coming through. They said if it was proved the fault was with them, they would address it. I also talked to Auckland Maserati and they said they'd had no issues they were aware of with brake rollers.

I'll do some testing, but it looks like it may have to go to them for the fault to be identified.

 

[philw696]

Hi all

Well I've talked to VTNZ and they said they were very careful when testing. The manager said he stayed back to make sure they were careful when he saw it coming through. They said if it was proved the fault was with them, they would address it. I also talked to Auckland Maserati and they said they'd had no issues they were aware of with brake rollers.

I'll do some testing, but it looks like it may have to go to them for the fault to be identified.

Well that's really interesting as when I worked for Auckland Maserati in Newmarket it was a definite No and we had a Talley meter.
That's the problem with Winger who were Subaru, Hyundai and Suzuki Dealers and not one of the experienced technician's is still working there anymore.
I know as i keep in touch with my old colleagues who now work for Lamborghini, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Torino Motors was a Cool place to work.
Hope you get to the bottom of it.

 

[GraemeA]

Busy day today.

I talked to Lloyd Marx, a Mercedes mechanic who I've known for years and who did my E Type clutch for me some time ago. He put me on to Neil Penfold, who has worked on Ferrari and Maserati cars in the past and now owns Carrera Sport, a Porsche specialist, also in Pirongia. Neil was very helpful and can look at the car for me in a few days. He suggested starting it, selecting a gear, switching it off to see if it stays in gear. I checked and it does - so that may help with the diagnosis. It still doesn't engage the clutch with throttle and soon flashes the gearbox light and selects neutral again.

So I still have no idea what went wrong, but I have a plan of action at least. Pirongia is only 40km away. He's working on a Ferrari 612 currently but should have workshop room soon.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Busy day today.

I talked to Lloyd Marx, a Mercedes mechanic who I've known for years and who did my E Type clutch for me some time ago. He put me on to Neil Penfold, who has worked on Ferrari and Maserati cars in the past and now owns Carrera Sport, a Porsche specialist, also in Pirongia. Neil was very helpful and can look at the car for me in a few days. He suggested starting it, selecting a gear, switching it off to see if it stays in gear. I checked and it does - so that may help with the diagnosis. It still doesn't engage the clutch with throttle and soon flashes the gearbox light and selects neutral again.

So I still have no idea what went wrong, but I have a plan of action at least. Pirongia is only 40km away. He's working on a Ferrari 612 currently but should have workshop room soon.

Good luck, Graeme. An anxious forum awaits the results!

 

[lozcb]

I just got a new WOF (MOT) on Saturday and was looking forward to a road trip on Sunday morning.

The car was running well and I was enjoying my new refurbed buttons and knobs on the centre console. I was traveling at around 100km/hr when bang - I thought I'd run over something. There was an ominous whump, whump sound like something caught an a wheel or driveshaft. So I quickly pulled over to the side of the road, cut the engine and got out to check. Looking at all four wheels everything appeared fine and nothing underneath that I could see. I got back in and started up. No error lights and the engine was running normally so went to select 1st. The gear selected, but when I accelerated nothing happened... no clutch engagement and the gearbox symbol started flashing. I tried R with the same result. Upshot- I called the AA and the car is now sitting in my garage at home.

Does anyone care to conjecture on the likely fault?. To recap: it had a new clutch, accumulator and gearbox rebuild at 86,000km. It's sitting on 93,300 now.

I had the issue with the damaged EV1 pipe which I replaced, but nothing else since. Is it likely the has clutch collapsed or is there some other possibility?

As I said, the car starts fine and there are no errors until I select a gear and attempt to move off.

This happened to me on the starting grid at Goodwood some 11 years ago I think without the clumpety clunk , quite embarrassing , all revved up and no where to go , turns out it was the F1 pump

 

[GraemeA]

Neil can't look at the car until next Friday at the earliest unfortunately.

I did another test last night. I put the gearbox in neutral and jacked up the right hand side and rear wheel and put the lower suspension arm on a jack stand. The wheel turns freely and the axle shaft looks fine. No other obvious damage or leaks and the F1 pump cycle times seem normal. I'll check the other side tonight.

I'm still puzzled about the source of the bang and "whumping" noise when the problem happened..

 

[GraemeA]

Hi all

Happy day!

I went to do the same test on the left side. Jacked the car up and in my tight garage space, got under it and the mystery was revealed.

All 6 bolts holding the left axle shaft to the diff head had come undone and only two were still there. So the bang was the axle shaft coming loose and the thumping noise was it flailing around as it hung down.

I'll get some new bolts and two of the plates that hold them and then make sure they're properly locktited and torqued.

I'm hoping that getting it installed will solve my issues. Thanks everyone for your iinput.

 

[safrane]

Wow... and this was not seen at MOT?...

 

[FIFTY]

Holy carp!

Would they bave been left untorqued after the clutch change??

Well done on figuring it out