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Ok I am game. So what is an air assisted clutch?

If the air assist servo is faulty there would still be clutch, just a lot harder to depress the pedal. I would be looking for lack of oil in the master servo and/or an oil leak.

George

Here are some pics I have somehow managed to get here only fanny foo knows how I did it because I don't. Have to get some more info for you but I am thinking we might wait for our friends to get back here as he most likely will know some bush mechanic to just give us a bit more to go on..
I could move through all the gears without the clutch. No leaks of any sort seen at all in or around the clutch thing attached to the gear box
These numbers are on the gearbox T1
6313N

And these are on the other side of the box.. C10040
Could not check the oil in the gearbox as nut was too tight. The join on the gear linkage pipe from the gear shift to the box is sound.

So the air servo bit is the round barrel thingo with the red sticker on it. It has a little bleeder on the side, if you crack this and pump the clutch pedal you should get fluid pumping out with each foot movement.
Check this operation first and report back

Crack the little bleeder hey? shall do that tomorrow as the access is under the bed and I have just made it and the python is begging for food have been having a good laugh watching 3 caravans trying to back into their site, one guy unhitched and moved the van by hand while his wife was waving her arms and getting redder and redder, I love driver watching..

Very inspiring that you seem to be taking your bus woes all in your stride Dot. Hope you get it sorted soon, there's certainly enough help from the blokes here.

I'm not familiar with that cylinder but it can be worked out by working out what goes through the pipes shown as 1,2 & 3.
Where they come from especially.
You might need to pump the clutch as G cracks that bleeder .... watch out for fluid in his eyes!!
You do have some strange symptoms there ...

Dot, just typing up a plan. George, Dave and I have an idea.

Hi Dot,

George, Dave C (Bandit) and I have been chatting.

We reckon this, and it could be a quick fix to get you on your way.

Please read carefully!

On the photo, have a look at the end of the red arrow. It's nice and shiny. It shouldn't be.

? Why is it shiny? - hold that thought.

Now, the 5B lever is the lever that selects the East -West part of the gear box pattern. So, join the dots, shiny bit and can't select 6th which uses the 5B lever.

We think a thrust washer that fits between the 5B lever and the casing (where the shiny bit is) has broken/worn away or simply fallen off.

If there wasn't a thrust washer, the aluminium cover would grind away.


So, this is what we want you to do..... actually George. You just get to poke him!

We need to know if there is any vertical movement in the shaft (that goes into the gearbox) that is connected to the 5B lever.

Can you ask George to get a screw driver and gently try and lever up the shaft. See the yellow arrow... put the screw drive (or something there) and try and lift up the lever/shaft. (black arrow)

We think you'll get between 2-5 mm vertical lift. If you do; this is great because is supports our theory.

What we would recommend then is to work out a way to hold the shaft up. If has to stay there when you're changing gears. (ie when the shaft rotates.)

Dave and I reckon these ways would work;


1. The shaft looks like its about 15/17mm in diameter. George could try and get some circlips and fit them. They could clip in and keep it lifted.

2. Use some fencing wire and make a long U type shape.

3. Get some flat steel and cut a slot into it and slip it in. Then tie the steel off using wire or cable ties to stop it coming out. See the second picture.

I think I would prefer option 3. This would be the easiest to do and and remove.


We would strongly NOT recommend removing the 5B lever or the aluminium housing. If it is and it drops into the gearbox, you will have to remove and strip the gear box..... ie YOU'RE STUCK THERE.



We do not think there is any gearbox bearing issues because you reported in the last trip it ran perfectly.

We do not think it's clutch because you can stall it and change other gears.

We think it may get worse because the aluminium house will wear away causing the other selectors to misalign too.

We think if you fix the thrust washer with a option three, you'll be good for the rest of the trip.

Good Luck..... tell us if there is any vertical up/down movement in the shaft.

Bruce, I was a little confused with Dot's post, so I rang them. It seems that all the other gears work fine and the bus moves along alright with no odd noises. It seems that it just gets stuck in 6th gear. That's why Jd and I don't think it is the clutch. But, who really knows yet, we aren't there. Hopefully they can get it sorted and get back on their way soon.