Gutted, Clutch has just gone

[guysy]

Lowered my car yesterday, Been enjoying the lower looks and nicer rider on eibach, Went onto a roundabout tonight and straight through a pot hole, Clutch has gone.

RAC towed me home and told me it feels like the clutch has gone,

The car bits loosely so to speak and does move but its hard work.

Was happy with the car, Something was bound to spoil that. Oh well.

Its a 1.2, 2003. 64k on the clock.

Mums given me stick that lowering the car might have done it, Yep its a harder ride but it was a bloody big pot hole and the RAC man agreed it was just the sudden pot hole hit.

How much am i looking for a new clutch? How many hours labour etc.

Im toying with the idea of doing it myself, RAC bloke told me very basically what needs to be done.

Help please.

 

[MikeB]

£323 inc fitting and vat
sachs clutch
would not advise doing it at home on the floor unless you are very confident

 

[James.f]

Are you any good with a spanner?

gearbox is much easier on a 1.2 than a sport, and it was the first time i done it, so technically you should be fine.

What mike said, but i did it on the floor in the back car park, only struggle i got was putting it back in, dont see the point in paying someone when it's not that hard to do.

 

[Alastair.]

yer do it ya self with maybe a mate along side who is mechanically minded. 64 on a 1.2 clutch, thats not good.

 

[MikeB]

lol ^ we had a customer who burnt his clutch out in 750 miles! just town driving lol

 

[guysy]

Cheers for the replys, The roundabout was clear so i went straight over it at about 15-20. didnt feel that hard but i lost the clutch.

Bloke said driveshaft out, Oil out... as a basic guide ha ! i get what me means though, Any guides nocking about?

Yeah im good with a spanner, But i really dont know if i could do the job

Id like to just to save money and for the experience,But my dad said he will get it done and paid for.

Whats the pro hour time for getting it done?

 

[MikeB]

4 hours book time

 

[James.f]

^ he must have done something wrong then,

first time ever i done a clutch on my sport whilst doing a conversion on it, and its still going strong, done over 1500 miles since its running and yet to come across a problem.

So if it was easy on a sport it must be simple on a 1.2,

 

[Sean6545]

Are you sure the nearside diff circlip hasnt popped out?

I take it theres no drive at all?

Does the speedo register when you attempt to drive it?

 

[James.f]

^ speedo register's from Abs iirc,

 

[MikeB]

if you are in essex i may be able to offer a hand but dont hold me to it

 

[RDP197]

Give Mark Fish a call, I'm sure he'll give you an outline of what's needed - and a cost for a pro to do it. Or Taylor's Service Centre in Great Dunmow. Both Essex based if you want someone to give you competitive pricing.

 

[guysy]

Are you sure the nearside diff circlip hasnt popped out?

I take it theres no drive at all?

Does the speedo register when you attempt to drive it?

I havent driven it fast enough for it to register i dont think, havent looked.

It moves but the clutch bite point is quite high.

Im considering doing it myself, Cheers to james.f for offering to knock up a guide.

All help appreciated keep it coming

 

[guysy]

if you are in essex i may be able to offer a hand but dont hold me to it

Cheers fella, Im in theydon bois, If i do DIY it ill try you for a hand but no worries if your busy.

 

[MikeB]

just drop me a pm mate il try and come down

 

[guysy]

Just wondering if it definatly is the clutch? Its very revvy and feels weird to bite so im guessing it is...?

 

[midge]

does it smell?

just the 4 hours in book time? seems a bit quick to me!

 

[MikeB]

4 hours for someone whos done it before with a ramp air tools etc

 

[guysy]

Cheers to james.f for the guide! Should post it up in the guides section if you havent already mate.

Looks a big job, Im going to ring some garages tomorrow for quotes.

Nope it didnt smell, I think its the impact thats killed the clutch not wear, Is it possible it might just need putting back together so to speak?

 

[Jonny1*2]

Defo the clutch from a bang? Ds or gearbox maybe?

 

[guysy]

I can put it in all gears easily, Its just getting the biting thats hard, Clutch pedal doesnt have that normal feel to it.

It went as soon as i went over the pot hole.

Im hopeing it could be a cable or something easy, But i think its the clutch, Im not a mechanic so i dont know, But it moves.

Tomorrow i might try and take it up and down the road, Isit safe to do this for the car?

 

[Martin_172]

id be checking the cable and pedal, i done 140k on a standard 1.2 16v clutch lol

 

[guysy]

^ This is what im thinking mate, If it was fine before.. Either the impact had done something to the springs (can someone explain this to me? the RAC bloke said the impact may have expanded or knocked the springs out? I know what they look like on a clutch just dont understand the gone wrong possibilitys)

The pedal just feels like theres no bite there untill it comes, Clutch pedal feeld different and i dont know if thats because the clutch has gone or a cable or something simpler has gone.

 

[jaysjetski]

you wouldnt usually do a clutch from hitting a pot hole.

how much lower is it????

i would guess at cable, drive shaft bust,or cir-clip popped out.

if the clutch is slipping then yes get a new one(it may have dislodged the clutch friction plates but that is very rare)

 

[Beef-Mc]

I burnt out my old one on the 1.2 at just over 76K, cost £350 to replace from McConechy's.

Could have got it cheaper, but I needed the car pretty much straight away.

 

[guysy]

I lowered my car yesterday, Could something ive done effected the clutch? I know the drive shafts can pop out lowering but once its all back is there any danger of that happening? Its moving so im guessing its not that.

I feel something has failed or dislodged, The clutch pedal was hard before but not high i would say?

I dont think ive burnt it out just something has come out of place, Either that or the impact has f**ked it?

Its on eibach prolines, so id say about 25-30mm all round, Not that much lower at all, a bit stiffer though.

 

[st3ve]

My guess would be you've knocked something when you fit the springs yourself, I've driven over many a potholes on apex suspension (hard as nails) at higher speeds than 15-20 and it's caused an almighty clunk but it's been fine.

That was on a 1.4 16v on 60 odd thousand.

 

[guysy]

I dont think i can have done anything to the car when lowering but a possibility because its a bit lower and stiffer suspension going over the pot hole had damaged somthing.

Im hoping the clutch is ok.

Any cables i can check? When pushing the clutch down the cable moves (the arm just below the air box)

 

[EllD90]

Hi mate, PM me if you want me to pass you on to a mechanic. Based in Barkingside, works for Fiat but works privately in his brother's garage too. Very reasonable! He's done lots of work for my family and friends.

 

[James.f]

I dont think i can have done anything to the car when lowering but a possibility because its a bit lower and stiffer suspension going over the pot hole had damaged somthing.

Im hoping the clutch is ok.

Any cables i can check? When pushing the clutch down the cable moves (the arm just below the air box)

Lowering wont affect it fella,

mines been slammed for over 2years never its done any damage, so you can rule that one out,

Have you checked the driveshaft itself on the passenger side? it may have popped out abit, causing the biteing point higher,

 

[guysy]

Live close to a dealers so walked down and got a mechnic to pop in on a test drive he was doing.

He felt the clutch, Moved the car and played with the cables and said it does feel like the clutch has gone and its just unlucky that the impact has finished it off?

The pedal has lack of a springey feel and bits high, also doesnt stall in reverse which he said it should...

He said dealership costs around 600, But he will do it privatly for around 295, Which is good i think... But hes yet to confirm the cost...

Wishing it was a cable, Or an easy fix ! Oh well

 

[guysy]

If it was the drive shaft wouldnt i just have trouble moving it? Ive got a mate with a corsa whos driveshaft popped out and it just didnt move, The clutch felt normal though, And we couldnt get the drive shaft back in..

Yeah from having the hubs moving about and then the impact i suppose theres a slight change one of them might be fucked? But the mechanic is saying clutch so im going with it at the moment.

 

[Jonny1*2]

if the DS were out the car wouldn't move no. No shaft, No Drive Depends if they have come out though. Could be gear selector maybe? might have knocked that?

When you say it move, do you mean at high revs? or just normally?

 

[guysy]

Revs are quite high yeah, Car moves but high biting point, Doesnt stall in reverse which he says should happen, Looked at that gear selector under the car and it seems fine.

 

[Jonny1*2]

hmmm, strange for sure. Biting point suggests clutch, but have you checked the cable?

 

[guysy]

He pushed the pedal down, and the (not sure what its called) arm moved that you can see at the top, It doesnt have the springey feel it usualy does as said, But seeing as it moves im guessing its not that, Anything else i can check.

Or feelings i can check for?

 

[Martin_172]

sounds possibly clutch cover or cable related if its lost its springyness!

 

[Martin_172]

either that or clutch release arm has poped out of place maby?

 

[guysy]

It whirs in reverse, like its slipping, Clutch pedal now is rediculously high, The cable works. So like the bloke said somethings been nocked out of place, Or the clutch has gone.

Either way when driving about my left leg hurts a lot more than it used to so i think the pedal has got higher and i just havent given it that much thought.

New clutch going in monday, Via a renault specialist working off hours £295 all in which i think is pretty good. Whilst the box is out its worth getting a new one in i think.

 

[Martin_172]

is he supplying the clutch?