Shouldn't have thought so, would have thought clutch wear was a gradual thing and wouldn't suddenly happen if you'd had the HG replaced.

I'd suspect it had to do with maybe a compression problem (i.e. the engine cannot overcome the load that is placed on it so it judders) that manifests itself when you change gear.

1st gear can sometimes be a pain to select sometimes anyway (try selecting 4th first I think is a way to deal with it), I've had to put up with this on 200s/ZRs, etc. before now.

 

I dont think the HG had anything to do with the clutch acting funky. Was just generally commenting about how my car seems to be a bit in the wars at the mo. The clutch has been feeling a bit dodgy for a month or 2 now. You know how you just feel like there is something not right with it. Like a couple of months ago i was fine with it, it felt fine. but now it just feels like there is something wrong. I just dont know what.

 

What year and what mileage??

 

2002 and 53000 miles (first 25000 miles were mainly motorway and country roads) the rest has been normal regular commuting in slow moving traffic.

 

Many possibilities.

You need someone with experience of these things to look at and drive the car and then give an opinion.

Whereabouts are you? Is there someone local you can trust who will look at your car and give an opinion without* charge? Either professional or experienced amateur.

* Yes, such folks do exist...

 

I'd expect a clutch to last 100,000 miles from what I've seen (no doubt someone will come along and correct me) - this was on both a Monty and a Pug205 which both were still usable at that point.


Any traffic light Grand Prixs? Riding the clutch (esp. with the handbrake on)?

Just putting thoughts into the ether. :2c:


How about an engine mount, or a problem with a driveshaft?

 

Taken the car to a Mr. Clutch. They say its slipping and to fix will cost £340 (parts and labour). Does this figure sound right to anyone?

 

It depends on what they're going to do. If clutch work is involved I've always been of the opinion that you might as well replace the lot while its all in pieces.


Have you tried other places (to get diagnosises/costs)?


I think the test for a slipping clutch is to put the car in 5th at 30mph and to try and accellerate. If the car gains speed gradually, then its ok, but if the engine speed rises with no gain in speed, then its shot.

 

I wouldn't go to Mr Clutch. They use sub standard remanufactured clutches. I had them do the clutch on my Metro GTi after it was slipping. When I got it back from them I had clutch judder on engagement on the new one and after a moderate standing start at Santa Pod the clutch lining started to disintegate. It failed to transmit drive about a week later. A genuine Rover one would of took that abuse much more than 10 times over!

Is your car a 1.4 K with the R65 gearbox? If so not much different in the amount of work to change than in my GTi and I got charged £160 at my nearest Mr Clutch garage. For £120 I fitted a uprated one myself after this episode and I've had no trouble since!

My Dad also had a problem with a Mr Clutch clutch with his 1.6 Escort he had, he took it back 3 times as the judder from it meant you couldn't engage it smoothly and it stalled the engine. In the end he got rid of the car!

If I was you steer clear unless you want trouble!

 

Thanks for the heads up about Mr. Clutch. I'd read a few reviews about them after i went to them and all bar one was really negative. Also saying that they use poor parts. Anyone know a good clutch mechanic or garage down in the surrey/south west london area?

 

In your position I'd shop around for the best prices (they can vary enormously ) and buy a genuine [ OE MG-R or Xpart ] clutch. Then take it and the car along to a local one man band outfit and ask them to quote to fit it. If no recommendations here for you, ask friends, relatives or work colleagues if they can recommend one of the local smaller reliable outfits in your area. There's always a few in most industrial estates.

My son recently took along a gearbox we'd obtained off a low mileage breaker K-series car and had a local guy ( Gloucester ) do the swap for a mere 100 notes. Did a good job. Normally we'd fit it ourselves but lack of time forced the issue. Fitting a new clutch to your car should not involve much more labour once the gearbox is off.

 

Yeah i think that is what i might be doing. think managed to find a guy (friend of my girl friends sister) who seems quite up for it so long as i can get the parts. He works for vauxhal but does plenty of private work. with a bit of luck (fingers crossed everybody) this'll be the last thing to go wrong with my car for a nice long time.

 

i had the same problem wit my zr the the relese bearing checked on the box as mine went an striped teeth off 1st and 2nd makein a constant wiring noise under load, new 1st and 2nd gear new relese bearing a new clutch cost me 730 with the vat from a rover specialits so round that sort of area in price hope the advice helps

 

new 1st and 2nd gear new relese bearing a new clutch cost me 730 with the vat from a rover specialits so round that sort of area in price hope the advice helps

Bugger that... I'd have looked around the scrappy for a rear ender and lifted the box from that.

 

Mr clutch and nationwide auto centres are large outfits like kwik rip they have massive overhead to pay for by you. Go to a good independant you can trust I have one who is honest and tells you as it is. Try to find yourself one and stick with em. The whole kit for an MGZR 105 from http://www.buypartsby.co.uk is oly 59.00

 

Fancy a trip down to Somerset? :dddc:

MGZR 105?

 

Mr Clutch is a franchise, and it therefore depends on the quality of the owner/franchisee as to whether the work is any good. My local one is quite good, and charges very reasonable prices - BUT in all things you do get what you pay for, and you cannot expect a clutch that only cost £160 FITTED to take the kind of abuse that a clutch that costs £120 in parts alone will.

Ade

 

My advice would be to STEER CLEAR!

 

of Somerset? :gfight:

Sorry, couldn't resist