Fiesta Mk6 clutch issues.

[JoelSadler]

I've had my 58 Reg fiesta 1.25 for a month or so now and the biggest thing I've noticed is how much I don't like the clutch. The pedal has about an inch of play which I can move with my finger. Whilst driving along the bite is very high, it doesn't slip but it doesn't feel right. Also, if it's ridden hard(ish) then it makes a loud squeak too. Finally there have been occasions where I can hear a quiet whir from inside the car when in neutral with the clutch off. Can anybody tell me what the issue(s) are here and how hard they'll be to fix? Thank you in advance. The car has 58,000 miles by the way.

[FordPrefect56]

Apart from the squeak it all sounds not only normal but positively desirable. You're complaining about the bite point being high?? When the pedal's nearly at the floor before anything starts to happen you'll have something genuine to complain about.

[Martin350]

JoelSadler said:

Finally there have been occasions where I can hear a quiet whir from inside the car when in neutral with the clutch off. Can anybody tell me what the issue(s) are here and how hard they'll be to fix? Thank you in advance. The car has 58,000 miles by the way.

Most probably the clutch release bearing, often nothing to worry about and usually only replaced when the clutch eventually wears out.

[stevieturbo]

JoelSadler said:

I've had my 58 Reg fiesta 1.25 for a month or so now and the biggest thing I've noticed is how much I don't like the clutch. The pedal has about an inch of play which I can move with my finger. Whilst driving along the bite is very high, it doesn't slip but it doesn't feel right. Also, if it's ridden hard(ish) then it makes a loud squeak too. Finally there have been occasions where I can hear a quiet whir from inside the car when in neutral with the clutch off. Can anybody tell me what the issue(s) are here and how hard they'll be to fix? Thank you in advance. The car has 58,000 miles by the way.

Why are you riding the clutch hard ?

[JoelSadler]

stevieturbo said:

Why are you riding the clutch hard ?

Not that hard really, just changing into second whilst accelerating or up a hill for example.

[JoelSadler]

Martin350 said:

Most probably the clutch release bearing, often nothing to worry about and usually only replaced when the clutch eventually wears out.

Alright, thank you for the reply. Until it starts slipping I'll leave it then. I've been told its very common with Fiestas.

[JoelSadler]

FordPrefect56 said:

Apart from the squeak it all sounds not only normal but positively desirable. You're complaining about the bite point being high?? When the pedal's nearly at the floor before anything starts to happen you'll have something genuine to complain about.

To be fair in the middle would be msot preferable. With it being basically in the area where the play is, it feels like it has not much left to give. But nonetheless it doesn't slip so I will leave it for now. Thank you for the reply.

[E-bmw]

FordPrefect56 said:

Apart from the squeak it all sounds not only normal but positively desirable. You're complaining about the bite point being high?? When the pedal's nearly at the floor before anything starts to happen you'll have something genuine to complain about.

I suspect you may be getting that the wrong way round.

The biting point being high means there isn't much friction material left on the clutch.

The biting point being lower means it has more friction material left on it.

Of course auto-adjusting modern hydraulic clutches tend to have their biting point reasonably high anyway, so when it is getting near the end of it's life you can't necessarily tell the difference unless you have had it "through thick & thin" and notice the bite point rising more.