Clutch question

[sierraman]

Quick question about clutches. In the Mondeo, I've noticed the clutch bites a bit more harshly than normal. It doesn't slip when you do the in 1st gear letting the clutch out against the handbrake test, however on pulling out of a junction quickly it slips. Daft question but have I got a long time left before it goes? It's done nearly 130,000 on the original clutch. Mostly commuting. It's also a petrol for added info.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Sounds like it could be getting close to the end of its life. I think any predictions about how much longer it will last, can only ever be total guesses, so I would treat them as such. Basically its impossible to predict!

[scaryoldcortina]

It's probably not got long left. Slipping when pulling away is normally the first symptom, trying against the handbrake isn't always a good test because the handbrake will slip first.

[stephen01]

clutch on the CRV was slipping underload, ie 50mph putting your foot down being lazy not changing gears. I opted to get it done before my long trips to france towing a trailer as i didnt want the hassel of it packing up in france with a tonn of gear on the back. up until that point i was happy to try my luck as you do.

 

you may get a few thousand miles but you may not, depends how much hassel it will give you if it goes on the way to work, in rush hour, up a hill while, on the way to an meeting about why your late for work.

[sierraman]

I won't be having the clutch done as I'd be looking at £400 for the clutch change and if the DMF is on it's way out a further £150 for that. It's impossible to say if it will want doing as well but by the time I've had the gearbox taken out I'd have no choice. If it went en route to work or whatever I'd use the Focus until I found another Mondeo. It runs fine at the moment but if you boot it out of a junction it will slip sometimes. It's done well though as it's nearly 130k on the original unit.

[Bobthebeard]

Treat it gently, no racing starts or intentional slipping and it will, or may, last ages.

[steve_earwig]

Not up on Fords but are you sure it has a DMF? Thought they were diesel only...

[twosmoke300]

I love it when customers ask me these questions - hold on i will gwt my crystal ball a minute!

 

What they want is 

1) be told its all ok and will last years - save your money etc

2) have someone to shout at when it goes completely when they are on holiday ( scotland natch) car full of kids and a caravan on behind - " you said it will ok for ages , that was only 10,000 miles ago "

[sierraman]

I love it when customers ask me these questions - hold on i will gwt my crystal ball a minute!

 

What they want is

1) be told its all ok and will last years - save your money etc

2) have someone to shout at when it goes completely when they are on holiday ( scotland natch) car full of kids and a caravan on behind - " you said it will ok for ages , that was only 10,000 miles ago "

Ha ha!

 

I'm not expecting a guarantee! Just an idea. Hopefully it'll keep going for another few thousand if I nurse it!! No point in swapping it until it goes as it's not worth a great deal as Arthur Negus would say.

 

Definitely has a DMF - all mk3 Mondeos have them

 

If I got another 6 months out of it and it went I'd say I've done well to get 130,000 out of a clutch.

 

It's a real shame as I really like the car.

[Captain Furious]

If it's already started to slip then I'd say it's life expectancy should be measured in weeks rather than months. Usually it's a pretty rapid progression from the first sign of slippage to being toast

 

Saying that, the last 3 clutches I've had fail on me, one in a Mondeo, one in an Escort and one in a VW Golf, all failed suddenly and completely without warning when the friction material let go of the driven plate.

[sierraman]

I'll play it by ear. Hopefully if I treat it with kid gloves it might eek a bit of life from it. I've had it 4 years so...

[Captain Furious]

As for DMF's, not all Mk3 Mondeos had them, i replaced the clutch in a Y reg 2.5 V6 and that had a solid flywheel. I think it is a 5/6 speed thing, if they have the MTX75 5 speed they're a solid flywheel, if it's the 6MT then it's dual mass.

[sierraman]

I'll give a further report after I've driven home...

[steve_earwig]

When do you reckon we should send out search & rescue?

[sierraman]

Half past 5 😀

 

I'd be surprised if it gives out very soon as it currently only does it on occasions when you need to apply hard acceleration to get out of junctions etc. That said if it suddenly gets worse once it's started then...

[sierraman]

Done a few 'tests' on the way home. It hasn't slipped once so I don't know, I'll just have to monitor the situation. Why do cars piss you around like this?

 

The only thing I've noticed though is there's a weep from bottom of bellhousing. It's done this for years though, it's the crank end seal. It's never got any worse as it barely looses any oil.

[New POD]

I nursed the MX5 clutch for 1000 miles, before finally admitting that it was "time"

 

Basically, pulling away was slow and applying the accelerator at 69 mph only added revs but no speed.

[adw1977]

I had a petrol Mk3 Mondeo that had a worn out clutch. It didn't suddenly go though. I was nursing it gently along for months, with uphill acceleration getting steadily more difficult, before finally deciding it had reached the end and scrapping it. Was still able to drive (rather slowly) to the scrapyard.

[Guest Hooli]

Done a few 'tests' on the way home. It hasn't slipped once so I don't know, I'll just have to monitor the situation. Why do cars piss you around like this?

 

The only thing I've noticed though is there's a weep from bottom of bellhousing. It's done this for years though, it's the crank end seal. It's never got any worse as it barely looses any oil.

 

Clutches normally slip in higher gears first if they are going.

 

Could be oil contamination from that leaky seal, I've seen clutches that were so to engage due to a bit of oil & dirt on the splines making the arm slow to return when you took your foot off the pedal.

[adw1977]

Clutches normally slip in higher gears first if they are going.

 

Yes, that's how mine started going.

[Guest Hooli]

The higher the gear the more torque the clutch has to take to move the car.

[sierraman]

I went up a fairly long steep hill in 5th in it no bother. Anyone whose lived in Rotherham will know Guilthwaite Hill would kill a clutch if it was slipping and you went up in 5th.

 

Could be the leaky seal, once the oil is hot, thus a bit more runny it is getting on the plate. Again I've just got to see what happens in that respect. It's not going to mend itself but crucially it could be a while before it manifests itself.

[matty879]

i think the clutch slave cylinder could be weeping, it is inside the bellhousing on those,check your brake fluid level,as im sure its the same resevoir and keep topping up,could be a leaky slave,which would fire fluid on the clutch as its concentric,which in turn means box off anyway,it could give you slippy pull offs until the fluids been burnt off the plate,then fine once moving if that makes sense

[Richard]

My friend's Mondeo self-healed its slipping clutch. It burst a turbo hose so it could no longer make enough power to slip the clutch. Job done.

[sierraman]

Funny you should say that but in a morning the clutch feels a bit heavy. Pump it a few times and it's normal. If its leaking it will be drawing air in as well.

 

Occasionally won't go in 1st unless you clutch in and out.

[Bren]

From experience and unless it is a scrapper I would'nt wait for it to go - you can guarantee it will go just when you don't want it to.

[sierraman]

It's not worth replacing the clutch on it, I'd be looking in excess of £5-600 if the DMF wanted replacing as well. In a bit of a quandary as to run it till it blows or sell it on before it expires. But I could easily buy something else that could be trouble. Decisions.

 

I use it to get to work every day but if it expired on the way to work I'd not be too bothered. Only crucial journey it does is once/twice a year voyage to Somerset to see my old man - 550 mile round trip.

[sierraman]

Leak on bellhousing. I'll have a look tomorrow at the gearbox oil level. A crank seal leak would probably be the lesser of two evils.

[Pete-M]

If the DMF is going it'll take the starter out as well.