Stranded in warsaw.

[DiscoPol]

Hello all, looking for some advice about my clutch. I have just pulled up at the last lesson of the day in sunny warsaw, but for the last 2 miles have had a very grumbly clutch, I have been able to feel through the pedal that it was not fully disengaging, then for the final 200 metres it has been squealing like a stuck pig. No problem selecting gears but its got the smell and sound of a goosed clutch, now my question is, what normally gives out on community these things? And is it a full new clutch or is there any way I can bodge it with bits from a a scrappy, if its new clutch time then its rip pug as I cant justify spending on keeping a right hand drive car going over here when really its time to swap her for something either left hand drive or the range rover I have been after for a while. Apologies for the posts format I am posting from my phone. Any input appreciated. Wish me luck im going to try and get it back the 20 miles to home in about 3 hours after lessons. Polskipug

[mjb]

First, make sure you've got plenty of brake fluid in the reservoir and get someone to sit inside and apply LIGHT pressure to the clutch pedal while you every so carefully undo the bleed nut and let some fluid out. When the pedal has some movement, close the nut and see if that improves things. This comes from the theory that somehow excess fluid has been caught in the hydraulics (perhaps a duff slave cylinder) causing the clutch to slip

Second, replace the slave cylinder. Round here it's about £19 from dealers - cheaper than factors!

Third, it may be your clutch itself, or more likely the release bearing. Changing just one part or using second hand bits is a total false economy here as the effort involved in changing the clutch is so great.


In the meantime, be gentle on the throttle and try to do 3rd->4th and 4th->5th gearchanges at low revs without using the clutch. The lever will pop out of gear with light pressure as you come off the throttle, then with some gentle pressure towards target gear you should feel when the synchromesh is going to let it go in. At that point quickly knock it in. Changing down is a similar method but requires you to match revs. 1st and 2nd are possible if you're good, but there's a very good chance of getting that awful crunching of gears...

[puggy]

Now then polski old bean , after the shock of reading your thread title and thinking Hitler
had not died and had yet again invaded poland i have now recovered my composure
and can write for about a week before i had my clutch replaced it also squeeled
and did so up until the end of the 80 mile journey to get it replaced . It was the thrust bearing
and when it went it went with a bang and no clutch pedal movement. On inspection could
probably have got quite a few more miles out of it by just putting a new thrust bearing on .
So worth looking at before you retire her

[Welly]

Oo-er these clutches are certainly becoming a talking point of late

I hope you can frigg-up some kind of cheap fix for now

[puggy]

Oo-er these clutches are certainly becoming a talking point of late

I hope you can frigg-up some kind of cheap fix for now

Frigg-up ? i thought frigging was the same as wanking

[Doggy]

It's a techinical term puggy. Professional engineers understand the difference.

On the subject of clutches, mine has the slow-to-come-back-up syndrome occasionally. Since the remap, I think I've caught just a hint of slip under these circumstances.

Polski - mjb's right about changing without the clutch - secret is to have it neither pulling or accelerating to get it easily out of gear. On up-changes, rest the lever against the gear you want to select with light pressure and when the revs match it'll drop in. If it doesn't go, blip the throttle to a bit more revs than you need and it should drop in as the engine slows.

Down changes much the same - a tiny bit of throttle so it's not decellerating to get it out of gear, leisurely throttle blip to a bit more revs than you need, push very gently into gear and 'feel' the resistance decrease as the revs match.

Try to give yourself plenty of room / time to practice at first. I always found going in & out of 5th hardest to get right, (but maybe that's just me), so tend not to use it until on the main road / motorway. It's possible to start it in gear too, but better not done too many times.

Good luck

[DiscoPol]

Cheers for the responses guys,

I have managed to get her back home easily enough but its definitely goosed, i reckon its the release bearing as it still changes gear and selects ok, and once under way the noise subsides in most gears to a mere squeal, in third there is no noise whatsoever.There is no slippage at all and she pulls well enough through the gears its just when it comes time to push the clutch again there is the most awful squeal and constant high pitched grinding noise, my impression is the release bearing or something similar has disintegrated and some of it is catching on the rotating bits in there, there is a bit of drag on the engine in neutral which makes me think its not disengaging properly but this could just be shards of whatever has given up catching between the clutch plate and engine bits.

@MJB thanks for the advice I will check the fluids tomorrow but im not optimistic, im thinking its the release bearing or broken "fingers" if the HDI's clutch has em on the back of the clutch plate.

If its a replacement job i will get a price on parts and a price fitted as labour is a fair bit cheaper over here, but i just cant see me spending any real money on it, which is a shame, the bloody thing had managed to worm its way into my affections recently too

but looking at it from a logical point of view, its RHD in a LHD country it has no aircon, handbrake, rear wiper, engine mounts are shot, all the suspension bushes and drop links are totally fecked and the flexi pipe has flexed its last flex a long time ago, maybe its time to retire the old girl


I will let you know the outcome of tomorrows investigations, thanks again guys for the prompt response and Puggy Im with you on the frigging, I mean what was professional engineer doing up in the rigging after all

Polski

[puggy]

I will let you know the outcome of tomorrows investigations, thanks again guys for the prompt response and Puggy Im with you on the frigging, I mean what was professional engineer doing up in the rigging after all

Excellent !!!

[Doggy]

* shakes head in dismay *

[Bailes1992]

My Uncle Steve had exactly the same symptoms. The trust bearing collapsed and embedded itself in the pressure plate.

[mjb]

The trust bearing collapsed and embedded itself in the pressure plate.

That's where it's supposed to be!!

[steve_earwig]

Through the diaphragm I'm guessing.