Help! Clutch has gone.

[DurhamRed]

Help, especially any north east members who know of a reasonably priced garage that fits new clutches (I'm 15 miles from Durham City).

My 2.2 Sri has a very poorly clutch, when you press the clutch pedal down it creates a violent whirring sound, releasing the pedal and the noise goes away, i guess it must be the thrust bearing. It also now whirrs as the revs increase - especially prevalent in first gear, followed by a whirr (decreasing as the revs drop) as you go to change gear!Its really loud, its sort of been getting worse as the week has gone on and its also been accompanied by a vibration when pulling away and / or accelerating hard in 3rd gear etc.
Gearbox remains ultra smooth, I can change gear ok, but I am worried about using the car so I've booked a days holiday for tomorrow to get it booked into a garage. I am wary of these fast fit centres, so can anyone offer some advice?
Oh and just to rub salt into the wounds its now snowing like mad! Fkin winter.

[jameslxdt]

sounds like one or two of the springs on the pressure plate are bent and the release bearing is just hanging on to the pressure plate, my HDi started doing this and then 15 miles later, BANG no clutch

[djp30djp]

Same noise as one of mine, the release bearing had siezed & worn a hole throught the ressure plate.
Took me a day to fit a new clutch.

[jameslxdt]

mine took 3, it was one thing after another

[DurhamRed]

Cars gone into a garage for a new clutch - estimated cost £300. It was the release bearing as some have said, luckily it made the 7 miles to the garage.
One Fastfit centre wanted £470!!!!!!!!!!! for a new clutch. Expect 7 hours labour apparently. Get the car back monday night all being well.

[DurhamRed]

Car back, now with an excellent lowish biting point, much better than old clutch.

HOWEVER, as it was late when I picked the car up and the garage was about to close, I paid the bill and got in car and drove home with stiff steering!

The pump seems to be working, its not too difficult to go from lock to lock stanfding still but the car feels heavy at the front and the steering isn't so precise as it was. Any ideas what i should look for? The obvious is to check the p/s fluid tomorrow, to check theres some in, but my gut feeling is ball joints or steering rack, not correctly attached (e.g. over tightened!). Or would something as simple as putting the l/h tyre on to the r/h side and vice versa upset the steering? Crazy to suggest this but I'm not at all happy with steering at all as it was was very very light before, but really precise as well.

Any suggestions welcome.

[jameslxdt]

your spot on there
more than likely though the subframe is misaligned, my one was like this after doing the clutch

[DurhamRed]

your spot on there
more than likely though the subframe is misaligned, my one was like this after doing the clutch

Ok thanks James.
If it is mis-aligned, how would a small independant garage (i.e the one who fitted the clutch) go about rectifying this? Because if like you say, its mis-aligned, then how do I prove this and is it easy to put right? Also based upon what you say I will take the car back friday when I finish work at lunchtime and complain.