No power to wheels

Wellactually

Hi, anyone have any input as to where the problem is or similar circumstances.

04 BMW 78k fsh, going great no issues whatsoever, up for nct Thursday no related faults.

Backing out of spot on saturday heard a clunk, moved forward maybe 20ft before car lost power and had to pull in.

No matter what gear its put in nothing happens when release the clutch, even completely out nothing at all.

Can also put it into gear with engine running without using the clutch, again no noise or stalling nothing at all, even started it once in gear and nothing happened.

Clutch resovoir full, cant see any leaks, pedal operating as normal.

Any ideas? If it was clutch related would it not have been more gradual or some signs before complete failure? Gearbox maybe?

CiniO

Maybe driveshaft cracked, but fact that you can put in gear while engine running without using the clutch quite excludes it.

Is there any resistance when you put the gear in when engine running without pressing the clutch pedal?

Wellactually

CiniO wrote: »

Maybe driveshaft cracked, but fact that you can put in gear while engine running without using the clutch quite excludes it.

Is there any resistance when you put the gear in when engine running without pressing the clutch pedal?

I thought driveshaft myself at first.

No it just goes in as if were pressing the clutch, maybe a very faint `rotating` noise while its there but nothing else

Machinestalker

It's a BMW. Bring More Wonga... NUFF SAID!

kneemos

Gearbox probably.

TherapyBoy

I had something similar happen in my old E30. Putting it into reverse to back out of a spot, heard a clunk & couldn't engage any gear. Turned out I'd snapped the linkage arm between the gearstick & gearbox in half (mechanic said it was just age/wear & tear). Got the car home on a tow truck, removed the linkage, got it welded back into one piece & refitted it and everything was back to normal.

Moving the gearstick around just after the break happened felt like I had the clutch pressed in. Gearstick was moving easy into all gear positions, even with the clutch out & engine running, but nothing was engaging. Play around with your gearstick, is just the stick moving around in the gate?

Check to see if something like this could have happened to your car, welding a linkage would probably be easier & cheaper than repairing or replacing a gearbox/driveshaft. Have a look under the car, the broken linkage was visable underneath mine, I could see the two broken halves of the linkage shaft hanging down.

Whatever it is, fingers crossed its a nice easy cheap repair!

Wellactually

Thanks TherapyBoy, That was actually my first thought after the WTF moment had passed :woot:

Im almost certain its going in though as can feel no difference or play in it, but as you say yours felt the same and was broke.

I haven't really been near it since it happened but ill have a look at the linkage and see(hopefully).

Ill report back here with the outcome eitherway, hopefully help someone else

Wellactually

Not the Linkage unfortunately, all attached and engaging as described above :-(