Clutch adjustments and the footwell?

[Turboalternator]

Hallo Defender!

I think that you have hit the nail on the head with regard to the thump. Valeo have two part numbers:

006745 and 801258. Because both part numbers came up when I did a search on thier site I called them and asked for clarification.

They told me that the difference was in the thrust bearing. Actually, I mentioned before that I had a Valeo clutch in my car. That may not be true as I confused that with the spare clutch that I now have in my possession. I now have a spare Valeo 006745 which Valeo confirm is the right one for my car.

So it could be that the clutch that was fitted 40K miles ago could have been the wrong one... or at least the wrong thrust bearing .. thus verifying your comments, Defender. I got it from GSF car parts. I should not blame them too much because there is something that has gone awry with my log book/ registration number details. No one can make sense of them and I usually have to give Citroen dealers my RP number to get the right part.

By the way for those interested in th Valeo link:

http://www.valeoservice.com/html/unitedkingdom/en/

then click on "Valeo Web Catalogue" >> opens new window >> click on vehicles >>

Useful to get the Valeo part numbers and then looking onwards for the part on the internet.

Anyway many thanks to everyone! I'll get back and report once I get down to doing the job .. in the meantime if anyone has comments please post as I will look in periodically.

[citronut]

if you were sold the wrong clutch kit the thrust bearing would not fit, as the early modles had a completly diferent clutch fork, and the thrust bearing had a metal backing plate which hooked over the old style pressed steel fork,

were the later bearing has little plastic latch's which snap over twp metal fork arms which pertrude/welded to pivot spindle,

neather will interchange with the other unless you swap the complete fork and i think from memery the actuatting lever as well

regards malcolm

[Turboalternator]

Hallo Ken,

On the other thread on clutches, (Clutch drag?), you talked about the fingers on the pressure plate breaking off one by one.. could that be what's going on here? i.e., adjustments not working after a few hundred miles due to the fingers breaking off?

That could also lead to the bearing sticking on then letting go to create the thump as postulated by Defender.

Is this a common failure with clutches? I must admit that I've never heard of that happening, although, of course, it is perfectly feasible.

regards,

[Defender110]

Have you eliminated the cable then?

[citronut]

Turboalternator wrote
" fingers on the pressure plate breaking off one by one"

VALEO recon this is down to a wrongly adjusted clutch,

i sent a clutch kit back under warenty a few years ago and that is what they said,

regards malcolm

[ken newbold]

What causes the fingers to go is the thrust/release bearing that seizes up under load, so instead of turning, it burns it's way through the metal fingers acting more or less like a grinder.

If the clutch was adjusted too "tight" I suppose it's possible for this to have happened prematurely.

It does look like the box is going to have to come out to be certain.

[Turboalternator]

Hallo Defender,

No .. I haven't done anything about the clutch as yet.

I have other more pressing woes .. like a serious coolant leak, that I fervently hope isn't a cracked block but, that appears to be coming from the water pump area.

I am going to attempt fitting a new water pump this weekend unless the weather turns and threathens to drench me.

Anyway thanks to all you fellows I have a lot to check & verify.

It is just that what Ken said had me petrified! (Heaven only knows what other damage could be caused by flying metal debris .. like a hugely expensive gearbox).

By the way wouldn't a siezed or hot running thrust bearing make an unmistakable din?

Regards,

[ken newbold]

A seized bearing would make a noise yes, but then goes quiet for some reason.

My mates C15 was squealing a bit a few weeks ago, I said I thought it was the thrust bearing, but then it stopped.

Two weeks later it was gearbox out time and new clutch in.

I wouldn't worry about the flying bits of metal, they won't get in the gearbox, just the bellhousing. Give it a clean out when you get the box out.

Also it's worth getting a couple of new nylon bushes for the clutch release lever shaft. They're only a couple of £ from the stealer's.

[Turboalternator]

Hallo everyone!

Just an update on this. I have this afternoon only just been able to try and repair the clutch problem on my car.

Well there are two problems:

1. Cracked pedal box

2. Frayed clutch cable. (pedal box end).

The pedal box is cracked but I think it can be repaired and I would really like some feedback on how best this should be done.

I know that Kevan, (Defender 110), has posted some great stuff on welding and I would appreciate more advice on this specific pedal-box-welding task. (Rather than general welding advice).

I am betting that it will be Kevan to whom we all look to but any comments by anyone will be very helpful and welcome.

If anyone is in the London area and is an expert at welding as per Kevan then please PM me.

At present the pedal box is off the car and is keeping me company in my living room.

I'll be able to describe matters reasonably well if there are questions.

Best regards to all

[Defender110]

Sorry for the delayed reply I've been away for a fantastic weeks diving in the Isle of Man.
Thanks very much for the positive comments, how have you gone on with the pedal box? If it's feasable to post it to me I would be happy to oblige?

[electrokid]

On mine the original clutch was replaced at 115K before I owned the car, and I had to replace it at around 190K. I had to adjust regularly towards the end and the amount of travel between clutch engaged and disengaged became enormous - the last adjustment to get the car to Andy for him to fit the new clutch my knee was hitting the steering wheel.

With the old clutch out it was obvious the thrust bearing had jammed and was eating its way through the fingers - four or so had worn right through and been chopped off at the thrust bearing ring.

The new clutch has just the tiniest travel between on and off - I would guess that once you've sorted the pedal box and the cable - if the travel between on and off is still excessive you could still need to look at the clutch itself. It's possible that excessive strain on the cable took out the cable and the pedal box but that may have originated with a dodgy thrust bearing in the first place.

The pedal box cracking is a known weak point but a properly lubricated cable should last and last - when Andy put in the new clutch at 190K he left the old cable in because it was ok - maybe it was fitted at 115k.

[citronut]

BX cables usualy go when either it has been fitted badly, or the three spot welds that hold the bracket on the pedel box fail, in both case's the cable fouls at some point and wears through,

Brian wrote
"The new clutch has just the tiniest travel between on and off"

if this it at the top of the pedel travle it is wrongly adjusted,

the biteing point should be no more than half way up its travle from the floor,

regards malcolm

[electrokid]

if this it at the top of the pedel travle it is wrongly adjusted,
the biteing point should be no more than half way up its travle from the floor,

No - it's fine thanks Malcolm. From memory it's about 1/3 up - it feels exactly right and that's the most important thing. I think the short amount of travel between 'on and 'off' is right too - tells me there's no slack / floppiness in any part of the cable / pedal etc - feels precise.

My previous 2 BXs both had quite a long travel between 'on and 'off' but they were both very long in the tooth being quite close to 300K - maybe their clutches were on the way out too - I think the design of the clutch in the BX is very robust so it's still driveable even when the thrust bearing jams - looking at the clutch that came out of mine at 190K you wouldn't think it had been driven to the garage