what clutch to buy?

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Jaro
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what clutch to buy?

Post by Jaro »

Hi I've got to buy a clutch kit for my 1989 1.4 RE manual petrol vin number VF7XBER0008ER2532 LHD of course also I've been told that to replace the gearbox seal is a sensible thing to do at the same time.
Checked on line but got very confused -prices seem to range from £27 to £91 even more on the french sites. nor can I find any numbers for this gearbox seal thingy, please can someone advise which one is favoured by all you experts?
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Tim Leech
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Re: what clutch to buy?

Post by Tim Leech »

Valeo for me, bought a LUK one and it was no good.
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Re: what clutch to buy?

Post by Kitch »

I had a Valeo one which let go, and fitted an LUK. No problems to report!

Sachs are also good.

edit to add: On a TU, don't go for a cheap one. The cover plate fingers are much wider on the budget ones, and as a result the pedal feel is horrible, with a sort of 'step' half way down the pedal travel. LUK or Valeo are a safe bet on a TU3.
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Tinkley
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Re: what clutch to buy?

Post by Tinkley »

As /\ but you will need to change the gearbox oil too, make sure you use the correct Total BV. Not sure about the TU 14 gearbox - as to which release bearing type you may have. There are certainly 2 types on the BE3 boxes for the 1.6 XU engine. So check which release fork type you have before you buy the kit. The release bearing retention is different so not interchangeable. The kit should include the bearing. FWIW the Valeo kit has a plastic centreing tool to aid alignment, though it's not that hard to do without it.

I got away without changing the 'gearbox seal', which is if I remember correctly fitted at the gearbox end of the shaft from the clutch. However if there is any oil weeping from it, worth changing. I seem to remember a sealed unit with three mount bolt/screws. I did change the driveshaft seals, but again some have got away without doing this. Depends on mileage, age and condition for all these seals.
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Re: what clutch to buy?

Post by Kitch »

I'm not sold on the Total BV thing. I've got some old whatever stuff in the 16v, and you could probably run cooking oil in an MA box!
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Re: what clutch to buy?

Post by Tinkley »

TBH I've never tried anything else other than the Total stuff. All the decent independent Citroen 'techs' I've ever encountered have made a distinct point about using it rather than anything else. Quite a few tales of boxes giving trouble with other oils.... :wink: but almost none when the oil has been the recommended, and they themselves will not use anything else.
As these guys have been very good on BX knowledge (all models) and capable, I would rather go with their advice, might be cheaper and a lot less aggro!.
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