Hi All,

Took my 1971 914 out to the pumpkin patch with the family yesterday and barely got home (in 2nd gear). Car was making squealing sounds when idling, stopped and in neutral, could only get it into 2nd gear. Managed to get home and got it in the garage, have not yet put it up on jack stands. Car was purchased about 4 years ago from a fellow member and is very well sorted by prior owner - all original. Figured I would ask for advice before I started poking around. I am pretty competent working on the car but have never adjusted the clutch - have had no issues with the transaxle. Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best,
Reg

Could you describe the sound and location of the squealing? And what did the clutch and shifter feel like as you tried to select gears, both stopped and moving? Could you select all the gears with the car stopped and the engine not running?

I'm wondering if you fragged a throwout bearing...

HI - thanks for the reply. If I remember correctly there was a squealing sound as I pushed the clutch pedal in and out, guessing tranny issue, a bit of a howl sound too. perhaps I was not really disengaging the clutch. Plus I could only get it into 2nd gear when the car was running. Have not messed with it yet in the garage...thanks.

A critical point of troubleshooting is exactly when it squealed... While the pedal was in OR out? A squeal does make me think throwout bearing as mentioned, but that would only apply if the bearing was spinning (clutch pedal in, clutch disengaged).

^^^What he said. If the squealing was only with the clutch pedal in, I'm thinking throwout bearing, maybe clutch. And if you can easily select all gears with the engine off and the clutch pedal in or out, that reinforces it.

Try gear selections with the engine off, try diagnosing the noise during clutch pedal engagement, engine off and on, and let us know.

Thanks Guys - appreciate the help - hope to check it out today or tomorrow....will follow up with my findings.

Hey Reg,
Sorry to hear that the 45 year old clutch assembly is giving up some of its reliability. Give me a call & maybe I can help look at it....

Regards,
John

If needed, I have a lift and spare transmission. I might also have a clutch cable and T/O bearing. In marriottsville.

I bet its clutch as well. If you could get reverse, then you have internals of the box functioning (until they are ruined by clutch not letting go). Cant get 1 or 2 easily due to clutch drag. Upper gears will be less of a problem as you approach 1:1 ratios.

Dear All - thanks for the help - will go out and see if I can get it into reverse and any other gears and report back. Thanks again, Reg

Ok - so I can get into all gears "except" reverse - and apparently that is not good per Dr. Evil; and the clutch is super spongy, I don't have any resistance until the pedal travel is like half way, and unfortunately I need to move a bunch of junk to get the car up on jackstands so that is the next step. Thanks again in advance for weighing in on this..Best,Reg

I’ll bet the throw out bearing failed. I had that happen on my 83 SC Targa daily driver on the way to work one morning. I popped the motor and trans out and replaced the clutch while I was at it along with the chain tensioner upgrade. All was good after.

Charlie

Clutch is not releasing. Drop the trans and take a gander.

Dear All,

Thanks for all the assistance, and wanted to provide a follow up. Wndsrfr (prior owner) bailed me out - over the last 2 weekends in two trips with little assistance from me he pulled the transmission and turned out the throwout bearing was seized, as of today new clutch kit installed and all is good. Thanks again John! I definitely owe you!

Best,

Reg

Nailed it, post #2. Glad you got it fixed!

OK, Great news, now......

Yep, it's toast....Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Yummy, all the balls look missing?

Here is a pretty picture!Click to view attachment

Purdy! but I was talking about the car!