Clutch slipping - am I now poor? - Page 2

Fraser Mitchell · 21st July 2008, 19:29

Louis, the owner-mechanic of the garage where my 75 is serviced has just had a Ford Focus diesel in for a clutch - car had done 60k miles

It also had the dreaded dual-mass flywheel, which was knackered, so its replacement, (and the clutch), will be costing the owner around £800 plus VAT using 'after market' parts. This exposes the myth about the economy of diesel cars, as it is exclusively they that have this dual-mass flywheel to reduce vibration and harshness; petrol engines don't need them. I expect Dave***t's MG diesel has a similar set-up. Louis was charging about 6 hours labour for this job, and seeing him partway through the job, that looks like a good offer to the customer !

The trouble is that people tend to use the clutch as a primitive 'fluid flywheel' and ride the clutch in traffic and when on hills waiting to go, instead of using the handbrake. This piles a lot of heat into the flywheel, and over time, the rubberish compound connecting the two masses, (hence the term "dual mass"), breaks up, so the poor owner needs a new clutch and also the flywheel replacing. The technology used is similar to tramcar 'resilient wheels', invented before WW2, which are also used to cut out harshness and wheel squeal as they negotiate tight curves in the street tracks like at junctions.

So the moral is if you own a diesel car, be careful how you use the clutch in traffic.

Jamie · 21st July 2008, 20:15

Actually chaps.....there can be another ending to the story.....I changed my own clutch at home on the driveway....it was very straightforward and could easily be done by decent home mechanic in a weekend...and thats taking your time. it was much easier than some cars Ive worked on...fear not. (or should that be Dreadnought?)

I chose to swop the the pressure plate, friction plate and relaease bearing/slave cyinder.....the DMF does not always need changing, mine was fine, a little blueing on the DMF is noirmal by all accounts, three other chaps have done the same at home and reported similar findings and saved a packet to boot....total cost was less than £200 and I spent some time changing the gearbox oil and wrapping various componenets that chaff out of sight.

If you wanna have a go...I would be happy to provide tips and moral support.....big difference between £1000 and £200.

Go on Guys get the spanners out!

Dave Goody · 21st July 2008, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGOracle

My Clutch has been slipping on and off for the last 12 months and 25k miles.

Most of the time is aboslutely fine but if I do an uber quick gear change and accelerate before the clutch is fully released it will just spin up, but if I let off and reapply its fine.

I found my pedal wasn't fully returning to its natural position.

However, now I rarely use my clutch. Its possible to drive the car completely normally withouth the clutch except for reverse and first pulling off in the morning.

Approaching lights or junctions, let the car slow right down then push the stick forward into 1st and it will just glide in.

I think you bought an automatic by mistake

Tyler Durden · 22nd July 2008, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGOracle

However, now I rarely use my clutch. Its possible to drive the car completely normally withouth the clutch except for reverse and first pulling off in the morning.

Approaching lights or junctions, let the car slow right down then push the stick forward into 1st and it will just glide in.

OMG I havent laughed so much in ages. Sorry.

<James|Rover> · 22nd July 2008, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGOracle

However, now I rarely use my clutch. Its possible to drive the car completely normally withouth the clutch except for reverse and first pulling off in the morning.

Approaching lights or junctions, let the car slow right down then push the stick forward into 1st and it will just glide in.

I used to drive like this for miles and got really good at it actually and used to "dare" myself to see how far I could drive without using the clutch (boredom finds ways of eleviating itself I guess!) As MGO states, once you have learned the revs etc it becomes real easy. It's much easier changing up 1-2-3-4-5 through the gears than down though. That said if the clutch needs changing I hardly think this alternative is a satisfactory recipe for ongoing driving enjoyment!

Tyler Durden · 22nd July 2008, 13:40

Yeah it can be done, but there is no need nor necessity to do so on any road. The only gain your gonna get out of it is seeing what yer gearbox looks like when its out for a rebuild

Fine on most sportsbikes, useless and pointless for your average car

Mac_rouser · 22nd July 2008, 14:18

hi dave, sounds like your clutch is slipping for sure, when under load it will be even more noticeable just don't do any towing right now or it will go kaput before you get out of the drive. As I recall there is only one choice of clutch for the MG ZT+ CDTi and is either a two or more likely a three piece set up, the job is likely to take around five to six hours or possibly quicker for an experienced mechanic, which may be why you have got a quote for a wallet busting £1000

By the way, the actual cost of the replacement clutch kit is around £142 so you may want to consider doing it yourself or get a mechanically minded mate involved, clutches are more time consuming and knuckle scraping than anything else, basic tools apart from the aligning tool which is cheap enough to buy

just spotted comments about clutchless gear changing I have also driven many miles using this method, simple game of matching engine speed to revs, and as posted its only getting started that may cause you grief ... like on traffic lights

I had reason to deliver a motorbike with the clutch totally kaput, and a dodgy spark plug lead, which i had to keep wiggling from time to time as i rode, fine until it started bl@@dy raining what a wallop

david_geng · 28th July 2008, 10:50

I had mine done at Mr Clutch for 270 quids for the clutch, inc labour. I also had the slave cylinder changed at that time. I supplied my own LandRover cylinder which costed me about 50. They charged another 30 for fitting and bleeding.

Mac_rouser · 28th July 2008, 11:05

Hi dave that was a very good price, looks like Mr Clutch is the place to go

21st July 2008, 20:15	#12
Jamie Posted a thing or two In Limbo Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1,685 Thanks: 4 Thanked 12 Times in 6 Posts	Actually chaps.....there can be another ending to the story.....I changed my own clutch at home on the driveway....it was very straightforward and could easily be done by decent home mechanic in a weekend...and thats taking your time. it was much easier than some cars Ive worked on...fear not. (or should that be Dreadnought?) I chose to swop the the pressure plate, friction plate and relaease bearing/slave cyinder.....the DMF does not always need changing, mine was fine, a little blueing on the DMF is noirmal by all accounts, three other chaps have done the same at home and reported similar findings and saved a packet to boot....total cost was less than £200 and I spent some time changing the gearbox oil and wrapping various componenets that chaff out of sight. If you wanna have a go...I would be happy to provide tips and moral support.....big difference between £1000 and £200. Go on Guys get the spanners out! __________________ Finally given up trying to buy the last new rover V8 from Bristol, 2 years of haggling got me nowhere!

22nd July 2008, 13:40	#16
Tyler Durden Avid contributor MG ZT CDTi 135+ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Suffolk Posts: 161 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yeah it can be done, but there is no need nor necessity to do so on any road. The only gain your gonna get out of it is seeing what yer gearbox looks like when its out for a rebuild Fine on most sportsbikes, useless and pointless for your average car __________________ "Sometimes you're the pigeon, other times you're the statue"

22nd July 2008, 14:18	#17
Mac_rouser Loves to post Rover 75 Saloon and 75 Tourer Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Leeds Posts: 285 Thanks: 145 Thanked 69 Times in 34 Posts	hi dave, sounds like your clutch is slipping for sure, when under load it will be even more noticeable just don't do any towing right now or it will go kaput before you get out of the drive. As I recall there is only one choice of clutch for the MG ZT+ CDTi and is either a two or more likely a three piece set up, the job is likely to take around five to six hours or possibly quicker for an experienced mechanic, which may be why you have got a quote for a wallet busting £1000 By the way, the actual cost of the replacement clutch kit is around £142 so you may want to consider doing it yourself or get a mechanically minded mate involved, clutches are more time consuming and knuckle scraping than anything else, basic tools apart from the aligning tool which is cheap enough to buy just spotted comments about clutchless gear changing I have also driven many miles using this method, simple game of matching engine speed to revs, and as posted its only getting started that may cause you grief ... like on traffic lights I had reason to deliver a motorbike with the clutch totally kaput, and a dodgy spark plug lead, which i had to keep wiggling from time to time as i rode, fine until it started bl@@dy raining what a wallop __________________ Take care mac Rover 75 a classic Last edited by Mac_rouser; 22nd July 2008 at 14:23.. Reason: just spotted comments about clutchless gear changing

28th July 2008, 11:05	#19
Mac_rouser Loves to post Rover 75 Saloon and 75 Tourer Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Leeds Posts: 285 Thanks: 145 Thanked 69 Times in 34 Posts	Hi dave that was a very good price, looks like Mr Clutch is the place to go __________________ Take care mac Rover 75 a classic

21st July 2008, 19:29	#11
Fraser Mitchell Gets stuck in Rover 75 2.5 V6 Club Auto Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Crewe Posts: 898 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Louis, the owner-mechanic of the garage where my 75 is serviced has just had a Ford Focus diesel in for a clutch - car had done 60k miles It also had the dreaded dual-mass flywheel, which was knackered, so its replacement, (and the clutch), will be costing the owner around £800 plus VAT using 'after market' parts. This exposes the myth about the economy of diesel cars, as it is exclusively they that have this dual-mass flywheel to reduce vibration and harshness; petrol engines don't need them. I expect Dave***t's MG diesel has a similar set-up. Louis was charging about 6 hours labour for this job, and seeing him partway through the job, that looks like a good offer to the customer ! The trouble is that people tend to use the clutch as a primitive 'fluid flywheel' and ride the clutch in traffic and when on hills waiting to go, instead of using the handbrake. This piles a lot of heat into the flywheel, and over time, the rubberish compound connecting the two masses, (hence the term "dual mass"), breaks up, so the poor owner needs a new clutch and also the flywheel replacing. The technology used is similar to tramcar 'resilient wheels', invented before WW2, which are also used to cut out harshness and wheel squeal as they negotiate tight curves in the street tracks like at junctions. So the moral is if you own a diesel car, be careful how you use the clutch in traffic.

28th July 2008, 10:50	#18
david_geng Newbie Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Durham Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I had mine done at Mr Clutch for 270 quids for the clutch, inc labour. I also had the slave cylinder changed at that time. I supplied my own LandRover cylinder which costed me about 50. They charged another 30 for fitting and bleeding.