Morris Minor Owners Club

I got home from work today and my wife said she found it hard to change gear in our Citroen Xsara Picasso.Especially engaging 2nd gear.

So I took it out for a run to see for myself,and the only way I can describe changing gear is as if the gearbox was brand new and tight.(if that makes sense)

(I dont want to put words in anyones mouth but)
The clutch doesnt seem to be slipping just yet,although I tried to force the car to mount a footpath head on,to see if it would start slipping,it didnt but I did notice a slight burning smell coming from the grill on the bonnet.could this be a sign that the clutch is on its way out?

Why would it be difficult to engage gear????

Cheers Mark

It could be the clutch dragging . Is it difficult to get into gear when stationary/ engine running, but easy when stationary/ engine off ?

Yea thet sounds about right.?
What does clutch drag mean
and how do I fix it.

Cheers Mark

Clutch drag is when the clutch is not disengaging drive fully.
could be a number things causing it like a faulty, worn or oil contaminated clutch assy
also lost movement due to wear in the release arm, pedal pivots, hydraulics or cable (not sure what the Citroen has)

how would I rectify this problem

check operation of parts noted above, may need a new clutch though (gearbox out job)

It looks like a Citroen Xsara Picasso will have a cable operated clutch.
You may be able to see the operating lever under the bonnet, you could on earlier Citroens.
It will be a heavy duty cable like on the Minor handbrake and will have 2 nuts locked together.
Unlock them the tighten up the one bearing on the lever a couple of turns.
If it starts to slip back it off a bit otherwise you are in clover

could be worn gear linkages, but that doesnt explain the burning smell.
my brother has a pug 106 with a worn gear linkage and its a right pain to get into gear at times. french cars are rubbish for doing jobs on. as ive found out

hmm sounds odd to me my dad did have one a year ago the older shape and i always remember when i drove it every now and then the gearbox seemed quite clunky..