Car - clutch gone

[DrDonnyBrago]

Hi all,

1.6 mk2 ford focus.

It's my wife's car, I drove it the other day to find the clutch quite high and juddering a tad. Didn't slip. Haven't driven it in a few months but surprised it had deteriorated so quick (prob about 600 miles, it isnt used much), assumed slave cylinder leak as it explained the high clutch and the juddering.

Come today, clutch felt as above then suddenly went as I changed up. I had only a tiny amount of drive from the clutch, slipping like mad and burning up.

I'm getting a new clutch kit with slave cylinder, but I can't figure out why it would go so quickly. Can't be fluid leak or pressure as it would have locked in, and not disengaged, not slipped. I'd be surprised if it was normal clutch wear as it progressed so rapidly, then went instantly. Thoughts? I'm thinking clutch springs or maybe the friction plate falling apart.

[Ichy]

Nothing really to add but was there any particular noises you noticed? Might be the thrust bearing collapsing.
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[MattEMulsion]

Has it got a dual mass flywheel?
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[Carvel]

It should be obvious once the box is off.

As mentioned later cars suffer with dual mass flywheel issues.
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2002 Aprilia RSV1000R, Cbr600Fs, Mk1 B12, Vfr400 NC30...

Matt B: I can deal with crushed nuts to beat Ollie.

[MCN]

DMFs are normally fitted to Diesels. The idea is that the mass of the flywheel dampens the harsh pulsation of Diesel combustion cycle.

A clutch can be OK and suddenly let go if worn and then given a bit of a horsing.

How many miles on it?
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[DrDonnyBrago]

Petro 65 k milesl, pretty sure it is a standard flywheel. I remember checking before buying it as I didn't want a dmf car.

No noises, literally just went in a split second. Thought I'd fucked up a gear change.

[binge]

1.6 Focus has a solid flywheel.
Probably one of the easiest clutches to change. Think the only ones I do faster are on the 1.4 and 1.6 TU engines fitted to Cit/Peug cars.

They generally will go pretty quickly once the clutch friction has worn away so much.
The cover plate doesn't squash up tight enough to the flywheel to grip the clutch plate once it's near enough on the rivets.

Once the slipping starts, it's quite a rapid run to a non-driving car.


Had the slave gone, you'd have lost the pedal.


BTW. They are CSC (Concentric Slave Cylinder). It's inside the Bell housing. So 100,000% make sure you change it while it's apart.

[misscrabstick]

A leaky slave cylinder that let air in and fluid out would usually make the clutch hard to disengage because it would reduce the travel of the clutch release mechanism, it would never cause slipping or a "high" pedal.

Focus clutches are pretty easy to fit usually about 3 or 4 hours.

[binge]

3 / 4 hours? Which main dealer do you work for then?

On the floor, that's probably a reasonable time. Any decent clutch fitter, with a ramp and a pump stand should be doing them in well under 2.

[DrDonnyBrago]