washed engine compartment, then trans would not engage?

[tommyturbo]

So the other day my upper radiator hose split, and sprayed coolant all over the engine compartment. Fortunatly it happened very close to home, so it didn't overheat.

Fixed the hose, and washed out the engine compartment. After that was going to go for a drive. Started the car and it refused to go into any gear. It's an 88 daytona z with a stock a-555. Turn the car off, car will go into any gear just fine. Checked the cables, they were fine and still attached to the trans, and clutch looked like it was releasing when I had a friend push the clutch pedal down, the arm on the side of the trans moved up like it should.

Had to go, ironically to fix a cooling problem in my aunts sable, so took my gtc instead.

Came back this afternoon, and started it up, and every thing was fine once it was dry. no problems engaging gears, while driving or stopped. what would cause this? why would the clutch not release or the trans engage a gear if the engine gets wet?

[onerippinturbo2]

sounds like water got down into the clutch through the timing window.

[tommyturbo]

make sense, but how would water cause the mechanical action of pushing down on the clutch, keep the clutch from releasing?

[Marcus86GLHS]

yes that sure sounds like the clutch not disengaging from the flywheel alright, had the exact same thing happen to my omni only my car sat for months post-washing so the clutch was literally bonded to the flywheel, had to replace both parts...........i now have an NOS timing window rubber plug.

[roachjuice]

I've had that happen before too. I kept hitting the clutch and it finally let loose.

[shackwrrr]

Most clutches have some sort of metallic material in yhem. I could have flash rusted to the flywheel.

[tommyturbo]

it seems fine today, and it worked fine last night. ok, now in the future I'll try and block off that window on the top of the trans case if I need to clean anything out.