Xantia TD Clutch - death throes?

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RichardW
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Xantia TD Clutch - death throes?

Post by RichardW »

The behaviour of the clutch in the Xantia appears to be changing.... it has always come in near the top of the pedal travel, but now appears to 'catch' quite low down, such that I can't engage or disengage gears unless I am careful to push it right to the floor. The 3" or so of pedal travel between the first engagement and full drive don't appear to do anything though - there's no change in the level of drive transmitted.
I'm pretty sure this is 'box off time [:(] Unless someone can make my day and tell me it just needs adjusting [:D]
Hopefully it will last another 10k, and I won't have to do it till the spring. Some chance [}:)] I reckon it will last till I REALLY need it (2 days before we have to go and see the in-laws 400 miles away at Christmas, perhaps..) then give up totally.[xx(]
Or maybe I am just paranoid, and it isn't about to give out on me.
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Kowalski
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Post by Kowalski »

It doesn't sound to me like it just needs adjusting, dragging but with a high bite point probably means your release bearing is up the spout.
If it was just dragging, or just slipping (too high bite point) it could be adjusted, anything else is box off time.
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Post by beezer »

Best thing would be to try and adjust it. It looks like you are saying it is dragging but with a low bite point so could be adjustment is all that is needed (or new cable). Release bearings tend to get noisy before they give up the ghost.
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Post by Tuftus »

I don't wish to scaremonger.... but
My release bearing went all noisy on me on a Sunday and by the drive home from work on Monday (the next day) the clutch gave up the ghost.
£350 bill followed... :(
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Post by Dave Burns »

If my car had started acting like this I would be wanting to know why before embarking on a long journey, could be something being bent or compressed, very likely to be the clutch itself getting ready to throw the towel in from what you say about the 3" of no mans land, release bearing can't be the culprit in my view, not with a pull clutch.
Is there any difference in the way it takes up drive like starting to judder.
Dave
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Post by cheesey »

Same thing happerned to me. Found out that the locknut on the adjuster vibrated lose. Did it up and it did it again. Thredloc cured it
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Post by ghostrider »

Richard, the release bearing is meant to be of the constant contact type, Tom, Jon and Dave will have a view on this I'm sure, but most of the clutch failures on the 1.9td engines seem to be because the fingers on the diaphragm spring wear away where the release bearing contacts them, now my theory is that if the release bearing is not in sufficient contact with the fingers, then it slips and wears away the fingers so maintaining the adjustment is important to preserve the life of the thing
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Last edited by ghostrider on 22 Feb 2011, 05:56, edited 1 time in total.
RichardW
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Post by RichardW »

Well, I had a look at the clutch through the bottom of the gearbox last night (see other thread about oil leaks....!). Can't see any broken fingers, but didn't have an assistant to operate it. I'll check the adjustment, but I don't think the pedal position has changed. No judder on take up, and no slip evident even when trying hard.
I know really what the outcome of this is going to be [:o)] I am just putting off the inevitable.....[;)] Bit like the brake pipes job that I put off until it became necessary when the LHM decided it wanted to be outside of the brake pipes[:(!]
Ho hum. One of these days something will go my way!
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Post by ralph »

Dave Burns, what you mention about juddering when taking up drive - what does that suggest?
I suffered this on my Xsara when cold yesterday, when pulling away from standstill up a hill in first gear.
The juddering was a series of loud bangs.
Once it warmed up it didn't happen again.
The clutch isn't slipping in other gears.
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Post by Dave Burns »

Pete, the 1.9TD clutch is a totaly different animal to the conventional push type, which does indeed suffer from worn fingers at high mileage.
The TD on the other hand has a pull clutch and this doesn't suffer from wearing through of the fingers because there is a large contact area between them and the bearing provided by a large washer, the bearing is permenantly fixed to the spring with a circlip against the washer.
If the hole in the washer grows due to wear, the clip can pull through and the bearing becomes detached from the spring, meaning there is no longer a mechanical connection to the clutch, similarly if the rolling elements of the bearing fail and escape the result is the same, catastrophic failure usually without any warning.
Ralph, there are several conditions that can cause clutch judder, the most common is distorted components of the clutch through excessive heat build up or uneven wear.
Oil contamination and severe damp conditions can cause it, driving through deep water will also cause it but it will stop as soon as it dries out.
Engine and gearbox mounting rubbers can become soft or damaged and amplify any clutch weakness, though the condition of the mountings will rarely affect a good smooth clutch.
Dave
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