clutch and gearchange really heavy

On my 2001 TS the clutch and gearchange are really heavy.

Gearchange is almost impossible when the car is cold but when warm is better but certainly far from slick. Also the car tends to allow me wrong slot from second to third, and end up in first again.

Any suggestions?

Secondly, my wife drove car for the first time today and couldn't believe how heavy the clutch was? Is that a feature or can something be freed up. I don't want to countenance a new clutch if at all possible.

Thanks,

Richard

Either worn clutch release, usually the fingers on the clutch plate and release bearing, or Knackered slave cylinder.
Most probably the former.

my TS was like that when i got it - knackered clutch....eventually wouldn't disengage.

Does it bite really close to the floor? If so I wouldn't drive it until it has been fixed otherwise it may leave you stranded.

try using a trolley...save ur back

Thanks for the input.

I found that the clutch pedal was not moving freely through its full travel. By grasping it by the hand and drawing it back fully up and then exercising it a few times I got a marked improvement.

Then I bled the system, and put some grease on the gearbox linkages (i.e the end of the cables at the gearbox end)

I got an incredible difference. I am pretty sure the old fluid and inadequate clutch pedal travel meant that it was not fully releasing even with the pedal mashed into the mat so to speak. (I have also made sure the mat is not impeding the full travel).

Clutch is now light and gearchange easy. Not as easy as a Honda but much more fun!!

Richard

Hopefully that has done it for you Richard.

If you do get further problems then may be worth checking for a slave cylinder leak, as mentioned earlier. I have had this before (Lancia Dedra 2.0), if it is not a serious leak then pumping of the pedal sorts the problem short term.