Broken Motor Mounts (not!)

[Kneale Brownson]

Maybe the rough terrain shook crud loose in the clutch 
hydraulics?????  Slave not responding or MC not pressuring properly as the 
system is somewhat plugged?   Did you try bleeding the clutch hydraulics?



At 03:17 PM 10/27/2001 -0400, Larry C Leung wrote:

>Hello Listers
>
>Still trying to diagnose this. (patient is a type 44TQ, '89 200)
>
>Symptoms - Drove over a rough road (grass and stone) at parking lot
>speeds to park yesterday.
>         After the event I attended, clutch did not dis-engage completely,
>         hence:
>                 1) Could not get into first without shutting off engine
>                 2) VERY difficult to shift, acted like a broken clutch
>                 3) car would creep when a gear was engaged.
>                 4) clutch pedal felt fine
>
>                         Thought clutch hydraulics were gone (though could
>                                 not rationalize the good pedal)
>
>                 Then, after about a 3 minute slow to moderate drive in 
> 2nd and 3rd, no
>stops,
>                 car would shift stiffly, clutch worked.
>
>                 1)shift lever very sloppy (though works, and all gates 
> are present
>                         and accounted for).
>
>                         Now thought a motor or transmission mount broke on
>                                 the dirt, possibly temporarily jamming 
> clutch,
>                                 explaining slopply lever. On hindsight, a
>                                 broken mount will NOT affect an hydraulic
>                                 clutch, unlike my GTi.
>
>So far I have:
>
>1) Brake fluid reservior checks full.
>2)Visually and palpitably checked the motor and transmission mounts. Heat
>shield on the exhaust side mount is intact.
>3) jacked up the engine and transmission about 2" to see which, if any
>mounts
>         separated. Good sign, car lifted up under the engine jacking.
>4) All 4(?) mounts visually and palpitate okay, IOW, no separation at the
>mounts.
>5) Started car, ran front wheels against a curb (gently). Attempted to
>climb curb (not gonna do it, just to observe the gearshift lever for
>excess side to side motion), no motion noted at the gearshift.
>6) opened hood, reved engine. It rocks at most about 1 - 2 inches (about
>visually 5 to 10 degrees).
>
>I'd say the mounts are good, list opinion?
>
>Question - What is causing the stiff shifting and sloppy gear lever?
>
>Any help appreciated.
>
>TIA,
>
>LL - NY