Sticky gearchange ?!

[teedeekay]

First time post here, I'm in the UK, maybe one of you guys can help ?

I picked up a 2002 Premacy for the wife last week, c.60k miles, v good shape all round, from a local garage. Wife complains she can't get it into gear on the afternoon we pick it up, recovery guys say 'clutch not clearing', garage v apologetic and replace hydraulic clutch slave cylinder, car seems OK but not perfect when I collect it. I drive it yesterday and as the day goes on, it gets harder and harder to get it into gear (esp lower gears). I noticed that the clutch pedal is nearly on the floor before I can engage gear even from cold and worse when warmed up. I've floored it in 5th and it pulls fairly OK so I'm not 100% convinced the clutch is worn although there is no record of the clutch having been replaced before. The garage reported no leaks of hydraulic fluid when they had it back and it had been bled by the recovery guy and was full of fluid. Harrumph....

If the clutch is worn, would the bite be at the top or bottom of the pedal travel ? The garage are talking about thrust bearing expansion and clutch plate, but I'm not convinced...

Googling this problem for this car results in nothing but 'Our Premacy is wonderfully reliable with no problems', which doesn't really help.

Thoughts / Opinions / Suggestions welcome ?

Thanks all.

TeeDeeKay

PS - Failing that, any idea how to cram 3 kids in the back of our MX-5 / Miata ?

 

[scottgib]

Sounds like a bad master cylinder. He may have changed the wrong one. I assume you are not losing fluid? Check the resovoir. If the fluid is still there then it is either the master or he installed a bad slave.

 

[teedeekay]

Thanks for the reply Scott. The garage did fit a genuine new slave cylinder, so I guess it could be the master cylinder. There were no leaks though, and the levels were fine too, although I am still convinced its a hydraulic not mechnical problem. The garage have the car now, so I'll see what they say, although I'd still welcome opionins / thoughts on this subject.

Oh, courtesy car = Fiat Punto.