Problem engaging first gear and reverse Gansport

Hedgetrimmer

Junior Member
Messages
145
I am having problem engaging first gear and reverse with my Gransport. The problem started after a short drive this morning. The car was serviced in Jan and the clutch wear was only 10% therefore unlikely to be clutch wear.
I can hear the F1 pump prime for 5-6 second therefore I dont think there is an issue with the pump.

The dealership suggested over the phone that the brake switch could be sticking. However I can feel the car trying to engage gear when I pull the up paddle to select first gear from neutral. The car rocks forward a little and there is a jolt from gearbox everytime a pull the lever. I eventually get second gear and the car pulls away.

Once up and running the gearbox seems to be sluring between gears more so than usual. The car is struggling to pull away and I can feel the car slipping the clutch between.

I have read that the gearbox relay can cause issues but I wondered whether anyone had experienced a similar issue.

Any wise thoughts? I live in Newcastle therefore the nearest dealership is Leeds.
 
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Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
The brake switch can be a bit flaky. A quick initial check would be to press firmly on the brake pedal and see if that makes a difference.
 

Hedgetrimmer

Junior Member
Messages
145
I tried pressing very ******* the brake pedal and this has made no difference. I am going to get into the footwell tomorrow and see if I can remove and clean the switch. I would have thought that the gearbox would make no attempt to engage gear but I can feel the gearbox still trying to engage.
 

Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
I tried pressing very ******* the brake pedal and this has made no difference. I am going to get into the footwell tomorrow and see if I can remove and clean the switch. I would have thought that the gearbox would make no attempt to engage gear but I can feel the gearbox still trying to engage.

Doesn't sound like the switch then. No harm in cleaning it, but it's a very simple plunger. It's either on or off. What's you're PIS set at?
 

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,301
First off i would try a battery reset for around 20 mins , give the gearbox ecu plenty of time to totaly discharge , also take out the reverse lever ( this operates reverse and first) so could well be a faulty intermittent connection, its only a small micro switch so listen out when ou go to try it , you will be able to hear it click in and out

Probably not pump related otherwise you would have the cc light on occasionally

Failing any of those could be F1 sensor , but that would be a dealer diagnostic check to confirm ........................be sure to let us know how you get on


regards loz
 

Hedgetrimmer

Junior Member
Messages
145
Thanks for your comments so far guys.

Loz do I simply need to turn the battery off for 20 mins to using the dial? Also how difficult is it to take the reverse lever out?

Thanks again for the help. We really need a Maserati dealership up here in Newcastle!
 

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,301
Thanks for your comments so far guys.

Loz do I simply need to turn the battery off for 20 mins to using the dial? Also how difficult is it to take the reverse lever out?

Thanks again for the help. We really need a Maserati dealership up here in Newcastle!

Yes battery off at the dial knob , drop the window first an inch , what are we talking 4200 or gransport


If its 4200 then its simple , there are 2 star shaped screws that hold the oval plate down on the centre console , undo those and lift the whole plate slowly , you will have around 4 to 5 inches play , you can then check the connection to the swicth , worth checking this before the battery reset


regards loz
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Sorry to be the barer of bad news but I had exactly the same fault.

It turned out to be clutch fingers on the clutch pressure plate had collapsed on one side.

Mine happened on the middle of France and had to be recovered back to the UK

Basically it was fine then I pulled up to a roundabout. Tried to engage first, and it went: clunk, clunk, pause, clunk clunk, pause, clunk clunk, then engaged second.

When on the motorway the clutch would slip too. I hit a traffic and gave up and called recovery.
 

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,301
Sorry to be the barer of bad news but I had exactly the same fault.

It turned out to be clutch fingers on the clutch pressure plate had collapsed on one side.

Mine happened on the middle of France and had to be recovered back to the UK

Basically it was fine then I pulled up to a roundabout. Tried to engage first, and it went: clunk, clunk, pause, clunk clunk, pause, clunk clunk, then engaged second.

When on the motorway the clutch would slip too. I hit a traffic and gave up and called recovery.



be surprised Matty , he only had clutch wear check at 10% a few months ago


regards loz
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
It's not the plate, it's the tangs on the cover that collapsed on mine.

Mine was showing 27% wear when it went.

I am pretty sure the cover has collapsed it sounds identical behaviour to when mine went.
 

Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
It's not the plate, it's the tangs on the cover that collapsed on mine.

Mine was showing 27% wear when it went.

I am pretty sure the cover has collapsed it sounds identical behaviour to when mine went.

Ouch. Was that on the GS Matt?
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
It was Miles. A weekend round Le Mans and the thing gave up the ghost.

Mind you in the 2 and a half years I had the thing that was the only major issue.

The car was 4 days out of warranty when it went. I layer it on thick with Masetati UK and to be fair they were very descent about the whole thing, so I thank them for that.

In the end Maserati UK supplied the parts and I paid the labour.

Meridien did the job and it cost me around the £700 mark. Parts fitted where plate, cover, clutch bearing, spigot bearing, bell housing rear bearing.

What I would do is have a word with Maserati if the clutch is under a year old or recently out of warranty. If it was showing 10% wear then it sounds like a recent replacement. When the clutch is removed, demand to see the cover and see if it is a dual or single tang cover. If it has recently been fitted with a single tang cover then you have had a obsolete part fitted.

If its being done at a main dealer, then I would want to be present as the cover is removed from the flywheel.
 

Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
Given the apparently low wear, it would be interesting to get a manual check? If the paperwork is there from the clutch change, the mileage covered since would be a reasonable guide, and in the hope that the fingers haven't collapsed, a PIS reading would also be interesting. If it's set at it's maximum, it may just be hunting?
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
It is entirely possible Miles we need more of the history of the car to validate our thoughts.

I hope I am wrong and it's something simple, but the characteristics are identical to my own failure.
 

Hedgetrimmer

Junior Member
Messages
145
I purchased 2 months ago from John Holland Car sales in Sheffield so it is still under their own warranty. I will do the things that Loz suggests first before I give them a shout. The Maserati warranty ran out in Feb so there may be an element of goodwill to be enjoyed.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Well at least it has a warranty, now being after market it might be tricky. I think the aftermarket warranties only pay for parts that have physically broken and the plate and cover come as a set so you could be in lucky.

I would message Dickgrace and get his advise on the warranty as he supplies them too.

Either way, with 10% wear the clutch with have been done very recently or someone has been playing with the PIS indicator!
 

Hedgetrimmer

Junior Member
Messages
145
I tried everything Loz suggested this morning and unfortunately the problem still exists. Car is now being recovered to a Maserati specialist near the dealership that supplied the car. Fingers crossed but I am sure that the issue is mechanical now.
 

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,301
Far be it from me to advise someone to cheat the system , but i would be inclined to tell the dealer of the common problem of the clutch fingers bending/breaking(perhaps a little extra help from the tech), that way even warranty wise wouldn't be able to wriggle out of that one


regards loz
 

Hedgetrimmer

Junior Member
Messages
145
Far be it from me to advise someone to cheat the system , but i would be inclined to tell the dealer of the common problem of the clutch fingers bending/breaking(perhaps a little extra help from the tech), that way even warranty wise wouldn't be able to wriggle out of that one


regards loz

Unfortunately its a garage that is know to the place I bought the car but I have already told them about the fact that the clutch was not warn and fingers are likely to be damaged. I was tempted to send it to the main dealer but if it turns out to be the clutch then it would be a lot more expensive.