Swift D-Clutch/Gear Problem Competent Motors unable to solve the clutch shudder

[Eddy]

I own a swift diesel that has done 55,198 kms. I did my regular oil and filter change along with the air filter cleaning from a local MASS today morning and drove 40km to office close at relatively high speeds. I park the car in the office and in the evening start back and am more than midway. All this while no problem.

Then it starts. I am driving at about 70kmph when I brake and need to downshift to 4th gear, I am not able to do that. The gear is stuck in the neutral position and can't be slotted in any position. I stop and try to put it in gear. It does not work. Then I try shifting it to reverse. It slots easily and then I can move into any gear.

I continue towards my home but am not comfortable with the feel of the car and the gear shift. Some faint noises and wobbles are felt. And when I have to brake and stop at the toll, the car stops with a thud. But then it starts moving normal again as if nothing happened. Another 5 kms or so the problem resurfaces and I have to stop again.

- Now, the gear does not even slot in the reverse gear. the gears don't slot even when the car is stationary and turned off. And the clutch pedal is almost free.

- I call up Maruti helpline and wait for them to arrive.

- After 10 min or so, I try slotting the gears and find that I can slot them when the car is switched off and not when it is started. I could also slot the gears without depressing the clutch pedal. I try starting the car in the first gear. It starts moving even though the clutch is fully depressed with a lot of noise so I stop that.

- The Maruti guy arrives in about 45 minutes.

- He does a customary check of the gear cable and the clutch. Guesses that its a clutch problem but obviously the proper diagnosis could be done only at the service station.

- He advises me to start the car in second gear and drive it to my place about 8-10 kms away. I do that.

- After a drive of about 5-6 kms in the second gear, I just try changing the gears and found that the car was normal. The clutch was back to being normal and the gear shifts were normal. I drove all the way back home and have parked the car.

Now the obvious question is what could be wrong. Solution junta ?

Dr Ishan Tyre Raghava was my phone consultant and he has promised to get back to me with the diagnosis and the solution on Sunday. He has time to drink and think till then ! Thank you sir.

- History: My clutch master cylinder was changed under warranty about 5000 kms ago due to leakage. The swift has a hydraulic clutch. Today the brake oil was absolutely full so obviously no leakage.
During the same time, one MASS diagnosed the gear cable to be faulty. On taking a second opinion, MASS#2 said that a bush at the end of the cable was the actual culprit and the same was replaced.


PS1: Thank God it happened today. Else, I would have been on a highway trip on the car during the weekend and the same problem could have been a lot worse.

PS2: Happy birthday to me

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Eddy

The swift has a hydraulic clutch. Today the brake oil was absolutely full so obviously no leakage.
During the same time, one MASS diagnosed the gear cable to be faulty. On taking a second opinion, MASS#2 said that a bush at the end of the cable was the actual culprit and the same was replaced.

PS2: Happy birthday to me

Hi Eddy, happy birthday to you!

Since the clutch MC reservoir is full, and the clutch is working intermittently, I also suspect (like the MASSes!) that it can be a cable fault! The other likely cause is a faulty slave cylinder inside the clutch bell housing.

The cable's easy to check and change - so is the bush at the end of it. Changing the slave cylinder will require more...

[humyum]

Looks like something is not letting the clutch free from the flywheel and hence the hard shifting and u are able to shift properly when the clutch is set free from the flywheel.

Definitely looks like u need to open up the entire clutch assembly and check.

There are linkages and no cables. Your problem definately points towards the slave cylinder or the clutch assembly.

The clutch assembly is not that costly and clutchplate/pressure plate and flywheel all put together cost somewhere around 5 grand at the authorised service station + labour extra.

[simply_sunny001]

happy b'day Eddy and thats good that you made it to home without anything major.

please get the car checked at some competent MASS.

[humm]

I had a similar problem once in my Opel Corsa. Gear not moving then car is switched on and then moving only if the engine is Off and also those above problems mean its time for a Clutch Plate change.

[fiery enzyme]

Wow! Swift D having so many clutch problems already? My cousin's Swift D has run for 78k and no clutch problems yet. IMO 55k is to soon for the clutch plate to give out.

[GSMINC]

Eddy,
Pls check the clutch release bearing, could be problem, if it is not working properly slotting gears is a problem, my MASS had'nt tightened the bolts properly & later on changed it free of cost, I am posting a photo of the part
hope this helps

[Eddy]

Guys,
On hindsight, the clutch pedal was not completely free. It felt like a petrol clutch than diesel !!!

What are the chances of it being the gear cable ?

[Jaggu]

It can be gear cable (if it has been fiddled with) or a failing clutch release assembly, take it to a garage if this repeats. Not able to pinpoint on anything apart from this for now :(

[Eddy]

Update: drove to office today with very notchy gear shift ! Lets see if I can take it to MASS today or by tmrw max !

[Eddy]

Competent says that it may be a clutch bearing problem !!

What say guys ?

How complex ?
How expensive ?
Covered under extended warranty ?

[Jaggu]

They will have to down the gearbox, thats the only complex thing. If they are ask them to check the whole assembly and replace if worn out (80-90%), you can avoid another trip down the line then.

If its only bearing should be under 2k, that also might be covered under warranty. Full clutch job will cost somewhere close to 5-6k INR.

[Eddy]

Had I gotten a clutch job done without this problem, would the bearing change be a part of it ?

[funkydude]

Had a similar problem in my old 800. Got the clutch wire replaced and problem fixed. Don't know if this would work for you, but worth giving a try.

[Eddy]

Don't think the swift has a clutch wire since its a hydraulic clutch... lets see !