Worn clutch fork bush?

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Retrofrench
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:08 pm
Location: South Devon
My Cars: 1993 BX TZD estate
C15 D
Former Citroens
1988 BX 16TRS in white
1988 BX 16TRS in red
1990 2CV6 Special
x 4

Worn clutch fork bush?

Post by Retrofrench »

Good evening fellow BXers. Question regarding my 1993 BX 1.9d with the BE1 gearbox. There is up and down movement/play on the clutch fork which comes out of the gearbox. Someone has wedged a small piece of plastic between the top of the fork and the gearbox casing to remove this play. If you take it out the fork moves up and the little pin between the lever and fork (no.12 on the diagram) gets pushed out of shape and you can’t properly operate the clutch. The clutch is relatively heavy but doesn’t feel excessive. The boomerang shaped level is the newer modified one and operates fine - I’ve removed it and greased the pivot bolt.

Does this play indicate a worn plastic bush on the clutch fork itself? Or a worn release bearing? I am also missing the return spring (no.9) if this makes any difference. If either of these components need replacing it’s a gearbox off job I presume? In which case it’d be daft not to replace everything. Gearbox pictures stolen from Miles Moss from Facebook!
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Jaba
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Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:54 am
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x 88

Re: Worn clutch fork bush?

Post by Jaba »

I am struggling to understand what is going wrong. That pin (12) is metal and can't be bent out of shape or position. It is normal for that forked lever to have a sliding lateral movement in and out to bring the release bearing into contact with the clutch pressure plate. But it should not move very much in other planes. That plastic spacer seems a bodge to compensate for wear elsewhere.
Can you post pics or a video to demonstrate.
Yes you have to remove the gearbox to find out what is wrong inside.

I got fed up with that push type of clutch release lever mechanism and converted mine to the pull type used in diesels and the16v.
Don't worry about the missing spring BTW it is not essential.
The Joy of BX with just one Citroën BX to my name now. Will I sing Bye Bye to my GTI or will it be Till death us do part.
Retrofrench
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:08 pm
Location: South Devon
My Cars: 1993 BX TZD estate
C15 D
Former Citroens
1988 BX 16TRS in white
1988 BX 16TRS in red
1990 2CV6 Special
x 4

Re: Worn clutch fork bush?

Post by Retrofrench »

So, the fork is supposed to have lateral or side to side movement - that is how it operates but mine feels loose and can be moved up and down also - see picture. Consequently the small metal pin also moves up without the improvised plastic wedge in situ (when it should only move sideways) reducing the range of motion on the mechanism. A video will probably help, I’ll try and get one tomorrow. It’s probably all a bit academic - whatever the issue is means the box needs to come out!
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Jaba
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Posts: 1937
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:54 am
Location: Usually in the garage
My Cars: BX GTi, C3 Auto
x 88

Re: Worn clutch fork bush?

Post by Jaba »

From what you say I reckon you have a problem with the forked lever bush. It should fit securely to a ball joint which is part of the gearbox housing. The lever might have just popped off the ball due to intervention of some kind but however it happened you will need to get the box out and sort it out with new parts making sure that the release bearing is properly mounted.
Welcome to the world of BXs.
The Joy of BX with just one Citroën BX to my name now. Will I sing Bye Bye to my GTI or will it be Till death us do part.