Clutch on its last legs

[steve_earwig]

Oh, very nicely done sir! Most invigorating

I feel a bit hypocritical as I've never done a FWD clutch (and hope never need to do one!) but a couple of things:
Battery disconnect, no mention of the 3-minute rule, tisk tisk
I'm sure you should be using s copper mallet or drift when you punch the driveshafts out the hubs (probably too hard to get in there though).
"Remove the release bearing" wee clunk!
I always wondered what the deal was with clicking the release bearing into the clutch, I thought maybe it would be one of those "is it in?" jobs but that was pretty positive.

Nice work in marking the bolts once torqued

I remember torquing something up in front my dad (maybe a wheel) and, once I'd done, I went around a couple of times with the torque wrench to make doubly sure I'd done them all, to which me dad pointed out that I'd torqued them right the first time and now I was over-torquing them. I guess I was only doing it because I'd seen other people doing it, including mechanics...

[FarmerPug]

To be honest I'm not sure of this 3 minuite rule, whats it for? The only thing i wait for is the 15 mins for the airbag system.
Copper mallet would be nicer on the driveshafts for sure, there was one lying around they always seem to withstand the ordinary hammer.

As for the strap holding the gearbox it was definitely a tense moment , the strap was right and tight before undoing the nut but the engine and gearbox put a fair bit of weight on quite suddenly.

Its MOT day tomorrow, i adjusted the handbrake up a few clicks on each side, the backplates powder coating still is intact:


The disks showed signs of a stuck calliper:


Sure enough the drivers side one was stuck; took a bit of time with the calliper in the vise grip to get the old pins out, then cleaned the pins with a wire brush and the bores with a wire brush attachment on the dremel. ideally it needs new rubber boots over the slide pin but it will get through, i can put new rubber boots on next week, i think they (the people who remanufactured the calliper) have used the wrong sort of lubricant on the slide pins and they have seized up, the local motor factors say slide pins need copper grease, but as far as i recall copper grease round them rubber seals causes them to break apart, there was a silicone paste i used on the 305's callipers did the job much better.

The exhaust was blowing and that was the clamp between the front section and turbo manifold which wasn't tight enough.
The tyres on the car were complete and utter shite, a chinese brand. the irritating vibration was still there after changing the clutch and balljoints. The tyres were coming near their limits so the car has a set of new pirellis on it, a huge transformation no more steering vibration, the 4 wheel alignement has it sitting going straight on the motorway, and the ride even seems much smoother, haven't had a chance to try them in the wet but they will probably be better there swell.

The only niggles left are that the car when starting makes a violent thud just as it starts up, the mounts are all good with the exception of the exhaust mount on the subframe,
and it feels a bit off in terms of its power delivery. Just not developing the right amount of boost, there is a bit of a stain at the bottom of the intercooler which might be the culprit, although no noticeable level of black or white smoke from the exhaust:

[steve_earwig]

I'm afraid that looks like your incatooler's leaking

I found out the boots on the rear calipers are quite fragile by sticking a fingernail through one

Good luck with the mot!

[jasper5]

NEVER, EVER, use copper grease on anything that needs to slide...the stuff goes hard and causes the slides to stick.
Use white grease or red rubber grease.

[FarmerPug]

The new slide pons ive ordered come with silicone grease which will do a better job, couldnt believe the motor factors advsing copper grease

As for the intercooler i sprayed water round it with the engine running no visible leaks, then disconnected the MAF sensor all back to normal.
What is the point of the maf sensor it seems to run perfectly well without it connected.

Nonetheless The 406 passed the mot test earlier

[jasper5]

The silicon grease will do the same job as white grease or red rubber grease....there is very little difference.