Is the car worth a clutch?

[Sonia406]

Best case scenario: it is the clutch but it holds out till Sunday.
Knowing my luck, this is unlikely.

Bad case (1): It fails on the motorway on Sunday.

Bad case (2): It fails this week down here. In this case it's scrap.

I'll keep you posted... and drive very gently.

If petrol didn't cost THAT much I would come behind you in case you broke down and if you did, tow you there. [Wouldn't of been any issues if I had got the diesel that I wanted......] Jasper5 is an excellent mechanic, with a long time in the trade as it were, he's highly recommended and the best person for the job definitely.

Me, a clutch?
I know my limits and boundaries and I know no where near enough about engines and gear boxes to even attempt such a job...


Good luck for THIS Sunday I believe?
Maybe you should go via a route with plenty of forum helpers along the way
So IF you break down then you can call upon the then more local-ist person to come help you

Totally made that word up

[plod]

I know I had the same feelings when the thrust bearing was going on my old 406
When I thought it had a DMF I was VERY borderline, but when I found out it had a racing flywheel as standard, I was all in for it.

As for the door, i've seen my mate who owns a body shop, twist the top half of doors to get them to sit right.
Looks wrong at first, but it works.

[rwb]

Thanks welly. I did suspect that, but it's hood yo get confirmation.

If we get as far as Sunday then the route will be M3-M1-M6-M65 since then I'll need the clutch to get on the M3 then not again until the M6-M65 cheapo junction. It's only an extra 30 miles.

[rwb]

I hate sutocimplete.

[rwb]

See

[Sonia406]

I hate sutocimplete.

Auto correct?
If it isn't that, I am clueless

[steve_earwig]

I hate sutocimplete.

Auto correct?
If it isn't that, I am clueless

Autocomplete perhaps? I'm not sure how that works, is it meant to complete the word before you finish Italy or correct it even of you press all the wrong chickens?

[Welly]

I haven't got a cooking flue what he's on about either, he's getting all his mucking words fuddled up.

[rwb]

Now what on earth gave you the impression that I might know what I'm on about. I think you've been misinformed

The predictive text / autocomplete / whatever you call it on my phone seems to work against me most of the time . I've never liked the 'soft keyboard'.

[rwb]

Squealed a lot on Monday evening when I started it, then just a bit of 'tinkle-ing' in 5th. Got a lift on Tuesday. Squealed a lot this morning when I started it, but otherwise silent. Hopefully have a lift on Friday. I hope it holds out. Why did it have suddenly to get so stressful?

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of 'the noises of rwb's clutch'.

[highlander]

I remember when I booked the Coupe in for the timing belt change. The appointment was more than a week away from the time it'd been booked. So every time the car made a funny noise, there was a little nagging doubt in the back of my mind "the belt's about to go, the belt's about to go..."

But then one morning as I was turning across a busy junction, the engine cut out BROWN TROUSERS MOMENT

It started up fine at the first turn of the key, and I got it in to a garage to get checked out. Turned out that there was a little gasket between the throttle body and inlet manifold that had worn out, which was letting excess air in to the engine. The ECU basically stalled the engine trying to compensate.

Thankfully never had to change a clutch on any of the four cars I've ever owned (all of which had been 9 years old (or older) at the time I bought them). Hopefully your clutch change goes smoothly and you have no issues before or after.

[Welly]

I bought a Mazda MX6 once which, although it had a full Main Dealer History, I found myself ringing up said dealer a few days into my ownership to check about the Cambelt.........they confirmed the previous owner DECLINED to have the cambelt replaced at the given interval

This left me driving a complex V6 engine with a 3-year overdue cambelt I stopped using it and *nursed* it down to my mechanic as soon as I could

I think you'll be fine rwb but I know how you feel and you won't rest until it's safely down at jasp's getting the full monty.

[jasper5]

Clutch is done, along with a few other bits and bobs

Hopefully all is well now, finished everything by 4pm, rwb has a long journey home now!

[rwb]

Well many thanks to jasper5 & co. Very impressive stuff.

I think the clutch was done in about 4 hours. Scary stuff though, seeing it stripped down so far. The bearing fell apart as soon as it was touched, and about 1mm friction material left on the plate, so definitely had my money's worth out of that. No more pulsing through the clutch pedal, and no more squealing. It also has a lovely smooth movement now -- although that's largely thanks to some grease.

The discs and pads were very diligently cleaned up, calipers freed up, and the handbrake adjusted so that it now works. It's such fun having a handbrake, I can park anywhere! The brakes feel a lot sharper too. Still have the problem with the brake pedal being slow to come back up, but we've eliminated the calipers, and Jasper5 suggested a few things to try.

Strut top bearings weren't as bad as Doggy's, but they weren't good. Still had some grease left in them, but the casings had rusted and they wouldn't turn freely. Decided on the day to put new springs on too since they had a couple of well-developed patches of rust on them.

Found that I need more droplinks. The boots are all split.

So, ship-shape again, and all good for another 200k?!

[FarmerPug]

Great to hear the car is well again

About changing the clutch, Does the subframe have to be removed to change the clutch, and is a special tool required to remove the shaft for the clutch fork?