So I'm driving home the other day from work, all of a sudden I press the clutch and I can't get into gear easily, the clutch pedal is feeling strange, so I limp home hoping that I don't have to stop and have to clutch in, and change gear. With some luck I hit no red lights and make it home. When I get in my driveway I try to get the car in gear, and I can't, no matter what, it won't go into gear, the only way that it does is when the car is off, and when I try and start the car with the clutch pedal depressed and in gear, it lurches foward as if the clutch wasn't depressed and it was engaged. So now I'm stuck and can't move anywhere, so I call my friend up and tow my car to a friends shop where I can work on it. I ask around to a few people, and SPEED_NYC explains to me that he's seen this happen before and that it's probably the retaining clip on the clutch collar that is broken. So upon inspecting through the transmission window under the transmission, it seems as though it does seem that the clip is broken, because the collar is moving, but the pressure plate isn't while I depress the clutch, and the so I order the clip, and a new collar from Mazda, take the tranny out, and there it was, a broken clip. I replaced the clip, and put it back together, and it worked, problem solved, funny how $30 in parts will make your car inoperable. Just wanted to know if this has ever happened to anyone else, and if so has it happened more than once with the same pressure plate installed. Just wanted to let anyone on the forum who has this problem in the future the heads up.

 

 

good to know. i'm having problems getting my car in gear as well.

 

its the old F1 addage

"the $20 part that ruined the multi-million dollar race car"

 

I had the same thing happen about a week ago and it was my clutch fork. It broke right in half. That sucked I had to pray for no red lights either on the way to the shop lucky for me it could get into and out of gear once moving but a start stop deal was not good for me on that drive.

 

I hosted the picture and editted it back into this thread.


BTW, yes, I broke my wedge collar as well. IMO, it should be replaced when doing a clutch job if the kit doesn't come with a new one.

 

Congratuations! You are the first case of clutch ring failure that I have heard of.

I was first with glove box latch retaining screws falling out which prevented me from being able to open it.

And I was the first to have an e-shaft oil cooling jet come unscrewed.

 

The saga continues................ to everyone that has read this thread, you're not gonna believe this, my car is having the SAME exact symptoms AGAIN a week later!!! I'll let you know what I find now when I take the tranny down again, but it seems like something is causing the clip to break, I think it may be related to the clutch arm, I'll keep you guys updated as soon as I find out.

 

K, sorry about the long wait, I haven't had time to post, but basically I figured out what the problem was, it was actually the clutch arm that moves the PP was cracked, replaced it, everything is ok now.

 

That would be the clutch Fork. They are now reinforced if you buy them from mazda, and apparently are stronger then they used before. I had the same symptoms you did, but it turned out to be a demolished pilot bearing.

 

I was reading your post and its funny i had the same problem and posted it on the forum almost word for word a while back. i am having the same problem again, but it is still drivable, just a little scared it will break on me on the raod. all i did before was take a look at the clutch system and when i put it back together it fixed itself? well i am going to check it again.......only thing is that i dont know what you said was "it was actually the clutch arm that moves the PP was cracked" what part were you refering to, and what is the PP?

thanks

 

pp = presure plate i believe. He changed his clutch fork and some other parts to make the problem go away.. He'll respond soon enough now that this thread is on the main page for a few..