Clutch Problem

[cornishpete]

After a 1500 mile trip to France during the last fortnight my 1990 2.1 Petrol/LPG Syncro arrived at its parking spot on the Norfolk Line ferry (Thank God It happened on the boat), on the return trip to Dover, and the clutch packed up.The pedal would not depress. After being pushed towed off the ferry a full 20 yds (£20 fee!!) Green flag alerted the local agents and a guy arrived from them. He seemed quite knowlegable and fiddled under the van but to no avail. We were eventually recovered home to Cornwall (thank the lord I was covered) Several trains of thought from the recovery men from slave cylinder to thrust bearing to springs in the clutch, anyone had similar problems or got thoughts please

[Fritz]

If you are unable to depress the pedal and your recovery man seems to think the problem is at the gearbox end my point to either the clutch fork has broken or the thrust bearing has worn it way through the fingers on the clutch cover.

Provided everything else at the front end is working as it should then the 'Box' will have to come out.


Regards


Fritz,,,,,,,,

[cornishpete]

Thanks for that Fritz you are dead right, the garage has just phoned to say the thrust bearing was the problem and are fitting a new clutch "kit" and we should be back on the road by midday tomorrow. I didnt dare ask how much!!!

[Red Westie]

3 part clutch kit is around £90.00, labour around 3 hours (on the generous side)
So @ £50hr (back street rates approx) you SHOULD be looking at a shade under £250
Martin

[dearjohn]

Hi guys,
I am interested in the outcome of this problem, as last summer the release bearing on my 1984 1.9 waterboxer seized, and melted/wore its way through the diaphram fingeres. Could depress the pedal no problem, just no clearence. The only way the release bearing could stop the pedal depressing was if seized on the gearbox input shaft? Or am I just complicating things? Anyhow, try and get a look at the removed parts, and let us know. Regardds, Nigel.

[mirams]

Bit late now, but it would probably be worth fitting a new fork if the bearing had fallen off:
http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_25 ... shaft.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If the ends get worn then the bearing is more likely to fall off. Replaced this on mine last year.

Gary

[cornishpete]

Dear John as far as I could tell from the garage owner the thrust bearing had pretty well disintergrated. When he explained the bad conditions it has to work in (no oil, dust from the clutch etc) and the work it has done over 19 years I was amazed it hadnt gone earlier. The gear change is a lot better with the new clutch and a rumbling noise that was present for the last 2000 or so KMS when I just touched the clutch pedal with my foot has gone so mabe the bearing has been on the way out for quite a long time. Re cost quote "lot of siezed nuts van more dificult to do than a car rhubarb rhubarb" so I will report back when I get the bill

[dearjohn]

Dear Cornish Pete,
Rhubarb rhubarb is about right! easier than a car I would have thought! However as we both know, your at the mechanics mercy in such a situation! Still, 2oookms with a dry & rumbling bearing shows how much your van loves you, she could have left you at the side of the road a really long way from home!
Regards, Nigel.

[cornishpete]

,
she could have left you at the side of the road a really long way from home!
Regards, Nigel.

Nigel I will have nightmares about that happening for years! The English green flag boys said the French charged 500 euros just to tow a vehicle onto the ferry their side, and if the breakdown had been further down France recovery is so expensive it's best to leave the van there and abandon it, how true I don't know.
I couldnt get European breakdown cover, HIC wouldnt do it until I renewed my policy with them next year (crazy or what), no others I tried would touch a vehicle over 15 years. I have heard bad things about ACDC (spelling) lately they apparantly have started to scrap the vehicle in question and pay out on the basis of "well its a 19yr old" rather than recover it, perhaps somone can confirm this one way or another?

[dearjohn]

Dear Cornish Pete,
Dont know about ACDC, but I take the view that as we have an old van, you have to bring a good selection of tools! My clutch bearing give up 2 weeks before we were dut to sail to France, on the first good trip we had brought her on. About 35 miles from home on a Friday evening in rush hour traffic.4 Polish lads in an Electricity company landrover were behind me, and I asked them if they would give me a push away when the lights went green, they said "no problem", but made no move to get out of the jeep. I then had to go back and ask them to push by hand! Travelled the next 30 miles without using the clutch at all, till we got to the seaside town that was out destination! A locacl garage man undertyook the job, and good to his word, had it ready in about a week.( he had a cattle lorry in for a clutch in front of me) €400 charged. Got the bus to him and drove it home in time to pack for france the next morning, so a good result all told. Cheers, Nigel.