Have a 1975 280Z. Decided to take it for a spin this afternoon. For starters it doesn't run that well but well enough for a low mileage spin. I have been trying to decipher problems and fix them as I go.

Today I got about 2 miles from the house, got a bad feeling, turned the car around and headed home. Got to a red traffic light put the car in neutral and stopped. When the light turned green I went to put the car back in first and the shifter won't move. Had it towed home. With the engine off the car will go into all four gears and reverse but strated it won't go into any.

Did I kill something??????????????

Sounds like either the clutch itself died, or either the clutch master cylinder, or slave cylinder might have given up.....

Double check the fluid level in the clutch master cylinder, and if that is OK, check that the slave cylinder has travel when someone else depresses the clutch. If that has a good bit of travel and looks to be working OK, sounds like the pressure plate may have given up.

You didn't do it... old age did.....

Check the fluid level in the clutch master cylinder.

I did a real quick check when I was sitting at the light but will go back out and take a much better look. If those look okay and it might be the pressure plate...is that hard to do yourself??

Depends on how difficult you consider pulling the transmission to get to the clutch is.... it's not the worst job, but it's not that easy either. That is, if it isn't the master cylinder or slave cylinder that is causing the problem.

Shannon, A lot of us have done it. It's not a walk in the park, But it's good goal. It is a "merit badge" of Z ownership job. Own a Z? Drive it like a sports car? You will need a new clutch sooner or later. Have a shop do it? you'll miss out. If you decide to do it, You'll get lots of help here.

Thanks Victor. I am trying to find my repair book for the Z...it's in this house somewhere . Any special equipment needed to remove the tranny and replace the presure plate if not the all of the clutch components??

Grab a neighbor if possible and crawl under the car.

if the fluid levels are ok

the fork could have slipped?, the slavecould be bad?, you won't really know until some one pushes on the peddle when your under the car

good luck!

Dave

Thanks Dave. Will have to wait until tomorrow now...it's already getting dark!! I hate this time of year...not enough daylight to do all the things that you want to do with your car.....

Originally posted by gealicpride

Thanks Victor. I am trying to find my repair book for the Z...it's in this house somewhere . Any special equipment needed to remove the tranny and replace the presure plate if not the all of the clutch components??

Shannon -

A good set of metric wrenches.... For the trans job, 10mm thru 17mm in both box end/open end & 3/8 drive sockets with 3" & 6" extentions will remove & replace parts.

****** Amen Victor ****

- Jeff

Thanks Jeff. Thank God I have all that as the Volvo, also, takes mostly metric...

Have I forgotten to mention lately how great you guys are?!? Thanks!!!!