405 Clutch replacement - how difficult?

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 23 Aug 2006, 20:59

Hi,

Can anyone here comment on how easy/hard it is to do a clutch on a 405 1.9TD GTX Estate? I'm not bad with the spanners and did the cambelt, tensioners, waterpump, etc last autumn. I intend to change the cable too.....

I think I've persueded to wife move over from the darkside (VW Polo) and have my old Pug. It's not as bad as it sounds, it's a N reg with 91k on the clock and full service history. Still goes well too.

Thanks.

Steve.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 23 Aug 2006, 22:47

Hi, i got xantia's down to 4 hours.... same job essentially..

allow a weekend or a long day if not done one before.

John
ps having a crane etc to help lift box back up is handy if working alone

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 23 Aug 2006, 22:48

ooh and .. cable took me 30 mins

i am soo gonnna get it now!

ps.. take drivers seat out if you dont want a broken back..

John

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 24 Aug 2006, 08:29

Thanks for the info. My brother has a engine crane so I might ask him to drop it off at my place. Sounds like a weekend job.

Steve.

caveman_si · Post by **caveman_si** » 24 Aug 2006, 11:41

With an engine crane should be a easy enough job. Having a mate standing on the car over the engine bay holding the gear box/engine on a rope its not so easy. Just make sure you have a clutch alignment tool you are happy with using. The highly tehnical piece of wood dowelling we used for my last one got "lost" while stripping down the car. So we bought a clutch alignment tool from a local shop. It was bloody useless, a few cross words were said and a one day job turned in 2. Luckily the "lost" piece of wood turned up the next day and the job was finished in just over 1 hr.

matt · Post by **matt** » 27 Aug 2006, 22:17

Ive been planning this job for a while too!

Been told to replace the driveshaft oil seals and maybe input shaft seal,i keep reading the haynes BOL but its a 2 page job and gets more scary everytime i read it

I have a question,does the subframe need to come off or can you get the box past it?

Sorry for hijacking your thread steelcity

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 29 Aug 2006, 19:04

Hey Matt, no probs. It does sound a daunting task but I've decided to do it over a number of days (weeks?). I don't really see why the subframe should come off but no doubt when the box is half off I'll see why. I bought a clutch kit from GSF, genuine Citroen part £69 +VAT. they're on offer at the moment.

Steve.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 06 Sep 2006, 13:02

Finished the job at last. I did remove the subframe and also the suspension strut whilst I was at it. I managed without an engine crane, instead I used a ratchet strap around the battery tray supports to support the end of the 'box and a trolley jack & thick wooden block under the main part of the 'box. I had another trolley jack and wood under the sump. Getting it all back together was faster than taking it apart. The clutch is lighter now even using the old clutch cable. I think that Citroens idea to include a plastic alignment tool is magic.

Now I've practiced on the Pug I'll be doing the Xantia next!

Steve.

matt · Post by **matt** » 10 Sep 2006, 15:40

Glad you got it finished

Just a few more questions

Did you have to disconnect the exhaust from the manifold(to let the engine drop)?
Have you got a picture of that clutch tool?sounds like a good idea.

Ahh questions questions

Matt.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 14 Sep 2006, 23:03

Sorry for the late reply, just got back from holiday tonight. I didn't release the exhaust from the turbo or the front mounting rubber (they're really half way down the car) but is this because mine doesn't have a CAT fitted? Also I didn't remove the PS pump or the radiator. Whilst I was at it I removed the intercooler and pipes and gave them a good flushing with parafin. The one mistake I did make was to not release the fuel line from the right hand engine mount and it snapped one of the metal brackets that holds the priming bulb, I'm surprised to find that the pipe is undamaged. I'll post a pic of the clutch tool when I get sorted out, but it is just a very simple blue plastic moulding.

Xantia clutch next - juddering like hell! Or is it a dual mass flywheel problem?

Steve.