Hello,

My first post here and when helping / replying please bear in mind that I know VERY little about any kinds of car repair

My Mazda 323 saloon (1990 - I believe) is sometimes hard to get into gear with the engine running; sometimes it's absolutely fine. When it won't go into gear, the clutch feels 'too light'.

This hasn't happened when the engine's off and, when the car won't go into gear, turning off the engine meant it could easily go into gear. I'm not 100% sure but I think that yesterday, the engine was 'pulling' (if that's the right word) even with the clutch fully depressed.

Thank in advance

 

If you have a hydraulic clutch it could be low on fluid and needs to be topped off, if its a cable actuated clutch then it could be the cable needs to be adjusted. To see if you have a hydraulic clutch look for a very small reservoir on the firewall close to the brake reservoir on the ummmmmmmmmm lets just say drivers side since I dont know exactly where you live but you said "saloon" instead of "sedan" so I bet your from the Commonwealth, if there is one then you have a hydraulic clutch and you just need to check the fluid and top it off with DOT 3 brake fluid (or what it says on the cap). Cable clutches are a bit more tricky in adjusting so that should be left to a mechanic if your not that inclined to repair yourself. The only reason a hydraulic system would have issues is if you have a leak or the clutch is getting so worn out your using all the available fluid in the system to operate it.

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Dear Mike1980

This hapend a lot to older cars.
What I would do is simply when the car is running before you put it in reverse, put in in 4th gear, take out and then put it in reverse. I have tried that and it worked for me.

Good luck friend.