advice for having work done.

[boristhespie]

I need advice. My c5 has a banging noise when running while still. The garage said it was probably the dual mass flywheel. So they recommended replacing this and the clutch and it will cost aeound £1000 or up.

The advice I need is, should I get this done? It's lot of money and the car is running fine with the exception of a judder which I think is not related. I do have a long journey ahead so it is wqith this I think I may change it but it is a lot of money for me? Do these just fail catastrophically?

Also question number two. The car hasn't been serviced for a long time. I was going to get an oil and filter change. They use forte to wash the engine out. I heard that this can dislodge sludge which goes on to block turbos etc. So should I ask them to avoid using an engine flush?

Your advice would be appreciated.

[SaabC5]

I had my clutch and flywheel done a few months ago, i got the parts from Carparts4less for just over £300 and paid £400 labour to have it installed so less than a grand you've been quoted. I'd have no hesitation in using Forte engine flush, i've used it for years on all my cars including the C5.

[Peter.N.]

If yours is an early C5 you can probably buy another one with a good DMF for a lot less that that but I think I would be inclined to get a second opinion about the noise, I have never heard of one knocking on tickover but that doesn't mean to say it isn't of course. Have you checked the crankshaft pulley?

Peter

[vborovic]

If I remember correctly from one of his previous posts, his car is a 2006 C5 Hatch ...

[Peter.N.]

Ah right.

[RichardW]

I'm pretty sure Boris's is a 2.0 HDi 16V. This uses a DMF and LUK Self adjusting push clutch. The DMF can knock at idle - my Mate's was before we changed it. Will it fail catastrophically? Well, it could, but I think it would get unbearably noisy before then. LUK clutch + Flywheel is £330 - £400 (depending on the age!) from carparts4less - I doubt you will get it (much) cheaper (well, not unless you buy a Transmech or re-manufactured one, but I wouldn't do that...!). It's the best partof a day's work to fit it, so if you put in 8 hours at £50 then you are approaching £800. £1k seems a bit OTT, but it's by no means an easy clutch to replace.

Would I replace it before a long journey? Possibly - depends on how far, how much aggro (from 'er indoors perhaps ) there will be if it fails, how much load you are going with, and how gently you drive it.

[hamster99]

You don't say if the garage is a main dealer or not. If not, you may want to ring your local one as they sometimes have special offers and I had mine done complete last year for around £600.

If the noise isn't apparent when the engine is above idle then I'd be tempted to wait a bit before replacing anything.

[boristhespie]

Not a main dealer but the price is for citroen parts. Its a 136,bhp diesel 2ltr exclusive (just turned 80k). I can never make a decision, hence why I seek your advice.

I am wary spending such a large amount if I don't need to have it done thats all. Probably for ease of mind I will.

[Hell Razor5543]

There is something to consider. If you have to have the work done at this price, consider the timeframe for that cost. Not knowing how old the car is, switch that to mileage. She has done 80,000 miles on her original clutch. If you assume that (barring the unforeseen) the replacement lasts as long, that works out as £1 per 80 miles. You spend more than that on fuel.

If (based on what I have read on this thread) your car is 2006, then that works out as £125 per year, or slightly over £10 per month.

[RichardW]

Don't bother forking out for a Citroen clutch kit, Boris - it's just an LUK one, possibly in a Citroen box. The one from carparts4less is the same clutch, just much cheaper! Have a chat with your local factors and see what price they can come up with - just don't go for a re-manufactured one, or a Transmech one!

[rory_perrett]

As some of you know I rarely sell a car opting for the "until death us do part" approach which means I don't go for the "there's no point paying £500 to fix a car that is only worth £500, you can go and buy another one for the same money as the repair." Well yes you can but if you fix yours you have a car with a new DMF and clutch which should do another 80k miles which is why Hellrazors logic works, buy another and it could need the same or an equally expensive repair next week or next month. My Xantia cost £1155 6 years ago, nearly 200k miles later it has cost £2482.75 in repairs so more than double the original cost. Admittedly £190 for 8 new spheres is the biggest single expenditure at any one time but overall that is less than 2p a mile. By my logic if I had to spend £500 to get another years motoring out of the car (even thought its not worth much more than than even with a full tank of fuel) then it would be a good investment.

On another note, 80,000 from a clutch doesn't sound brilliant, perhaps it is the DMF rather than a worn out clutch. I know clutch wear is very dependant on use but I'm still on the original clutch at 307k miles and my previous Xant had a clutch change at 190k miles because the engine and gearbox was out not because it needed it by a long way, with both cars being used to tow a 1500kg trailer several times a year.

[SaabC5]

There was still plenty of meat on the friction plate of mine at 109k but the pressure plate was fubar'd. The DMF had about half an inch of lateral movement on the centre hence the constant rattle.

[RichardW]

It's likely that it is the DMF and that the friction plate will still have plenty of meat on it. Since it's a self adjusting clutch, the pressure plate may be a bit suspect. DMFs have a history of short lives - they don't tolerate clutch abuse like a std flywheel would. When we did my mate's C5 with the same engine as Boris, at about 90k, the clutch plate was barely worn, but the DMF was totally knackered - so much play that the driven plate was contacting the housing, and a load of aluminium dust fell out of the bottom.

A colleague needs a new DMF in a 2.0D BMW - it's done < 50k miles....

[Peter.N.]

My C5 and 406 still have the original DMFs and clutches at 200+k. It must be down to the way its driven.

Peter

[boristhespie]

The clutchwas recommended to get done because they would be in there anyway and may as well do it at the same time. There is vibratrion through the clutch pedal and gear stick. You feel it when you touch these.

Just asking if it needs done as I dont wanna spend aeound a grand for unneccesary work.