Clutch problem
 

Hi all,

bit of a weird one on my VTS. I fitted a full new LUK clutch a few months ago. The car drives fine, gears engage as they should and the biting point feels perfect (I can move it with the cable adjustment, but currently is about half way up).

Everything is normal under light acceleration, however whilst the clutch does not slip of it's own accord, I find that when accelerating hard, if I apply the slightest pressure to the pedal (if full throttle then even just resting my foot on the pedal can cause this), it will slip.

I have tried to think of causes - I don't really expect it to be oil contamination as I replaced the gearbox seals at the time and also the rear crank seal was completely dry - dusty dry, no sign of any engine oil ever having got past it.

I also wondered if maybe I had fitted the friction plate backwards, but I am fairly certain I didn't - it was marked with Gearbox side and I am pretty sure I observed that.

Any ideas? As said, it is only when accelerating hard that the clutch seems to be very close to it's gripping capacity, under light to moderate acceleration it requires a push of the pedal to what I would call a normal degree, to make it slip.

Cheers
Craig

Just to add - did the old '4th gear test' today - i.e. about 3000 revs held, into 4th with the handbrake on and dump the clutch. Stalled the engine, which is the idea. Guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens over time, I've done about 3500 miles on it already.

Totally normal, of course it's gonna slip if you touch the pedal under full load. One of the most common causes of excess clutch wear is people who simply rest their foot on the clutch pedal - you don't always feel it, but it will be wearing the pressure plate and the release bearing.

The correct position of the clutch pedal is actually against its stop, so it's about 2 inches higher than the brake pedal and it disengages quickly.

Setting the biting point half way risks the cable jumping off the pedal.

Thanks Martin, reassuring to know. Haven't seen anything that says to set the clutch pedal so that it is at the end of it's throw like that, Haynes has a procedure (which admittedly I have not tried) of measurements, but it ends up about level with the brake pedal roughly by the looks of it.

Yeah the Haynes confused me

certainly the auto adjusting cables let the pedal set up high, I'd assume the manual cables are to be set so that the pedal is in the same position :D

My 306 is like that (auto adjust cable). The saxo (at least mine) has a double acting spring that will basically just mean the pedal moves about as you adjust the cable, so the adjustment seems to only set the pedal height and bite point position.

This has escalated anyway, clutch is now slipping quite a bit. Box needs to come off. No idea why this has happened. wondering if the LUK repset I got on ebay was a faker. either that or the input shaft seal (which I renewed) is leaking. Time will tell.

I stopped buying on ebay because too much shit going on. Yes that does include fake stuff, that does not match the description, and even pictures in some cases.

Many sellers pretending to live in the UK, and supplying a UK business reg number with registered address and whatnot.

And then you receive a parcel from China. I lost count of how many times I had to dispute and order a refund. Then I stopped ebay because I became tired of all the bullshit and waste of time/money.

Those Chinese twats always come back with broken English, crying that you do not ever leave some bad feedback but instead re-deal outside of ebay's policies.

Yes, it's also fakes galore. Avoid, or at your risk.

Strange discovery, If I thrash it in every gear it never slips! Is the car trying to tell me something lol....