[Mk2] [Turbo] Strange Gearbox/Clutch Issue

[Mike]

So, on Thursday I pull out of a junction and attempt to change from 1st to 2nd and I can't physically get the car into gear, any gear in fact. Pulled into a safe spot and no amount of fancy clutch work or wrenching on the gear stick will find a gear. The clutch pedal felt fine.

I check the clutch master cylinder and the level is fine, I then discover that I can select gears when the ignition is off so stick it in first and basically bump start it, car runs fine for about 2/3rds of a mile before I lose the gears again. Thankfully I managed to repeatedly bump start it home and parked up.

Today I decided I need to get the car to my lock up which is about 2 miles away, I planned to try to get it into 2nd and limp it there but to my surprise the car drove and changed gear perfectly, no issues whatsoever.

The only thing I'd done in the interim was ensure that the positive terminal on the battery was secure as the revs had been dropping a little, other than that the car hasn't been touched. So what's the likely issue? Surely if it was the slave cylinder, the issue would remain and I'd notice a drop in fluid in the master cylinder wouldn't i? Before all this the clutch had been absolutely fine, no signs of imminent failure anyway.

[mr2magic]

Does the throwout bearing lever actually move when you depress the clutch? Did it grind while you were trying to find a gear or did it just lock up?

[Mike]

No grinding, the gear stick moved freely around the neutral position but wen I tried to select a gear there's just complete resistance, the lever just will not push into gear.

[mr2magic]

Sounds like either your selecting bellcrank or the shift fork shaft assembly is blocked. You can check whether the bellcrank moves without taking anything apart.

I would remove the shifter cables first and check that you can move the shift lever through all positions. If so then check the bellcrank, if that's ok it's time to drop the transmission.

[2tmike]

Just a thought, I had something a little like this on the st205 and it was the slave. I'd fitted a new one and it turned out there was a score mark in the bore that sometimes made it stick (and maybe also allowed some bypassing)
One minute the clutch was fine, the next it either didn't engage or slipped