Hi, I've got an R reg 1.8 Diesel, and I've just had the clutch replaced. I took it out for the first time today, and I'm a bit concerned as the gears keep grinding every time I put it into 2nd.
I wouldn't have thought that a new clutch would need to be 'worn in' a bit, but is this normal?
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 18/02/2008 at 20:51
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Can't help with your problem Patricia but an R reg what?
I seem to remember you posting about a Mondeo a while ago. Is it that?
(Just so it helps others when they turn up :-))
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Sounds like the clutch is 'dragging' - it probably needs adjusting slightly> Take it back to the place that did the job and explain that you don't think the clutch is clearing fully when you depress the pedal.
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Cheers - yes, it is a Mondeo 1.8 TDi {added - DD} - I should have said!
Its a sod cos the guy dropped it off for me as they didn't have it ready for collection yesterday - so he must have known it wasn't right.
Either changing up or down - theres a real grind when I put it in 2nd - so I'll get back to them tomorrow.
Again, thanks
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Right, well he told me that its because the gear box synchro has gone - he said that because it had to be driven for about 20 miles to get to the garage when the clutch had gone and there was no drive, that the gear box is scored and therefore its slightly out of line.
He says that it wont cause a problem for the clutch and its just a matter of getting used to it and working out a new technique ... and if it ruins the new clutch - they'll put in a new one under warranty.
He doesn't think its worth mending as it will cost lots of hundrds ...
Any comments guys?
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I'm no expert, but I'd be suprised if it's ok to a run a gearbox with no synchro, would think that it would cause terminal damage to the gearbox?
Like I say, I'm no expert and I certainly hope that I'm wrong, and that it is just a case of figuring out a new technique for gear changes, I'm sure someone will be along soon who knows!
Blue
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Was it crunching b4 the new clutch was fitted?If it was not then there is a problem with the clutch that has been fitted.The explaination and cure sounds a little unusual.
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Right, well he told me that its because the gear box synchro has gone - he said that because it had to be driven for about 20 miles to get to the garage when the clutch had gone and there was no drive, that the gear box is scored and therefore its slightly out of line.
Can't understand that - sounds a load of rubbish. If all the other gears shift OK then it could be that the syncho on 2nd is damaged (was it 'catching' on a 1-2 upshift, especially when cold, before the new clutch?). If the other gears are also cruching or being obstuctive then its a clutch problem.
I would take it to another garage for a test drive - get their opinion. Should cost much.
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The clutch on the R-reg Mondeo is hydraulic, so there is no adjustment, but there may be air in the hydraulic system, which needs bleeding out.
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Sit in the drive with the engine running, press the clutch and engage 2nd gear does if crunch/grind, if so the clutch is dragging. Engage 1st and slowly let the pedal up and fine the biting point i.e. when the car tries to move. Is this point way down near the floor. ? Regards Peter
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Sorry its taken me so long to respond.
Ok. The bite is quite low - although not impossibly low.
The gears changed completely fine before - no crunching or grinding so it isn't something that was pre-existing
All the other gears change completely fine - no grind. Its just 2nd (although I have noticed that the first 3 or 4 changes when cold seem to slip right in ok).
Im gonna have to ring them and get them to accept theres still a problem - any tips??? He could tell me anything really, and I don't have any knowledge to dispute it :(
Again, thanks!
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2nd is usually the one that gets the most where on the syncro ring but thew dite being so low down may be the cuase that is highlighting the slight weekness.
Your gagage are talking rubbish about scoring the gearbox and out of alignment. Regards Peter
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I think the key to this may be in your comment:
"he said that because it had to be driven for about 20 miles to get to the garage when the clutch had gone".
This rough treatment could well have destroyed the 2nd gear synchromesh. Hence the liability would seem to lie with whoever drove the car in this condition.
It is perfectly possible to drive a car without any synchromesh whatsoever, without causing any damage. Synchro was only introduced from the 1930's onwards, and then only on the higher gears. My 1973 MG Midget has no synchro on first as standard, in common with many cars up until the late 1960's. It requires careful judgement on upward changes and double de-clutching on downward changes. Techniques not tought today but necessary when I learned on my father's Morris 1100 with no syncho on 1st and broken synchro on 3rd!
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Yes who drove the car to the garage and if the clutch was gone how was it done. You can't damage a gearbox with a duff clutch. If you abuse it it just fails to move. Regards Peter
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If all the other gears shift OK then the clutch is OK and its a gearbox problem. So the possibilities are:
1. Some kind of misuse, resulting in damage to the 2nd gear synchro.
2. The garage drained the gearbox oil when they did the clutch and refilled with the wrong grade of oil (too thick).
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Hiya,
I work in a ford main dealer parts department, and have done for over 16 years.
I'd suggest that the garage that did the work on the car didn't replace the clutch slave cylinder/release bearing assembly. Ford always recommend changing this whenever the clutch is renewed, and with good reason. When a new clutch kit is fitted, the cylinder will return further than before, and more often than not this will cause leakage problems. They only need to be very slight to reduce the effort the cylinder can supply, resulting in a draggy clutch. Basically, if we get a clutch returned as faulty and the customer didn't fit a new cylinder, then there's little chance of ford paying us out on any warranty claim we submit.
Of course, it could also be the seals on the end of the clutch pressure pipe weeping if a new cylinder was fitted.
Hope this helps
Graham
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