clutch or gearbox

steveleese · Unread post by **steveleese** » 03 Oct 2006, 00:08

I purchased a xantia 1997 1.8 16v with 108000 miles on the clock in august and think i may have a dud,
the first week i had it the rear spheres went so i replaced them and all was well for a few weeks now i can hardly get it into gear and the clutch makes a noise when you press the peddle i have been told by my brother that its the bearings in the clutch and thats an expensive job between £300 and £500 my worry is that if i get the clutch done the gearbox may have been damaged by me forcing it into gear as i have to use it to get to work.also does anybody know of a cheap garage in the coventry area

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 03 Oct 2006, 10:54

You obviously can cause excessive wear to the synchro by forcing it into gear but if the synchro's were good when you got the car they will probably have survived. Does the clutch feel as though its starting to disengage as soon as you press the pedal or do you have to push the pedal down a long way before you feel any resistance? If the latter is the case it may be the cable adjuster thats at fault.

Unread post by **RichardW** » 03 Oct 2006, 11:11

Providing it only makes the noise when the clutch is pressed, then it's probably only the release bearing, which will be replaced as part of the clutch job. It sounds to me like the release bearing is chewing its way through the pressure plate - usually this results in fairly rapid changes in the clutch biting point and then clutch drag (why you can't get it into gear). Sooner rather than later, the bearing will go all the way through and the clutch will stop working. Sounds like you might have to replace soonish

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 03 Oct 2006, 13:30

exact thing happened on my 16V 1999..

The release bearing on a pattern clutch is held in the release arm by two plastic lugs, on mine I think the clutch (6 months before i brought car) was changed and the bearing was not seated correctly (or dislodged) during gearbox fitting. When i got the car the release arm felt notchy, thru the pedal. Upon closer examination, the release bearing had turned, causing radial gearbox input shaft notches and then the bearing had melted, finally it went thru the clutch fingers..

I brought a pattern clutch, £50, and spent about 7 hours changing it, alone. The next gearbox change I got down to 4 hours, on a TD Xantia.

Garage quotes around £500 becuase of time....

good luck
John