Clutch Problem - again

[copilot]

My clutch has gone after 4,000 miles (18 months)
Is it simply Black & White as in:-
Black - sorry mate it's a clutch, they do go. If so I'll just pay again.
White - Don't worry it's under warranty. If so next time I'll go somewhere else (cos my guys not saying this).
Grey = Black

Would appreciate some views as I need either to get my cheque book out tomorrow or take issue.

Cheers Copilot

[QuiteQuietCerb]

Speak to the place you bought your clutch from if it gone only after 4k they should replace it free of charge

Edited by QuiteQuietCerb on Monday 23 June 19:29

[copilot]

QuiteQuietCerb said:

Speak to the place you bought your clutch from if it gone only after 4k they should replace it free of charge

Edited by QuiteQuietCerb on Monday 23 June 19:29

That's what I'd hoped. Apparently they have removed it found out that the plates have fused together after running hot due to it warping. They have then managed to separate the plates and it's now back in the car. So what you are saying is what I thought, they should have just replaced it. So to be really clear what my position is, I need to know what is the "norm".

[QuiteQuietCerb]

im no expert but i think that sounds strange, is your clutch an AP one? i think some of the AP units had design faults, i think the newer ones are more robust, still the part should be guaranteed aside wear and tear

[JensenA]

The 'norm' seems to be around 30k, but lots of hammering it away from the lights will reduce that considerably. But 4k is way to low for a clutch to fail.

[ridds]

Centre plate stuck to the friction disks.

Not disengaging correctly perhaps air left in the lines (did it cruch at all), possibly sit with your foot on the clutch at traffic lights?

Heats a twin plate pretty quickly.

[copilot]

JensenA said:

The 'norm' seems to be around 30k, but lots of hammering it away from the lights will reduce that considerably. But 4k is way to low for a clutch to fail.

I fully understand how the clutch works, I always disengage at lights/queueing traffic etc. As for setting off quick, yes of course, regularly, but clutch straight out before power applied.

My thoughts are that the clutch can warp for only three reasons:-
1. Miss-use
2. Faulty fitting
3. Faulty materials
As you can't apportion blame, the clutch should be changed free of charge, which is what I think you are all saying.

I am wondering if a new clutch was fitted in the first place (I was billed for it). If they refurbed it last time, and it was warped, then that would be one reason why they could not send it back in the first place. We'll see what transpires today.

[copilot]

QuiteQuietCerb said:

im no expert but i think that sounds strange, is your clutch an AP one? i think some of the AP units had design faults, i think the newer ones are more robust, still the part should be guaranteed aside wear and tear

When I had the gearbox re-built, the old AP clutch was removed and inspected. I was shown hot spots and some scoring caused by the fifth gear shrapnel. A couple of weeks later they showed me the new one (but not the old one at the same time as I assumed it was an exchange untit), looking nice and new. It was an identical AP unit. They said that there were no clutches available through TVR power at the time so had "pulled a few strings and purchased one direct from AP".

I wonder if they are willing to show me the invoice for the purchase of the new clutch.

[trackcar]

Well at least part of what you were told there sounds complete rubbish, unless 5th gear now has started to bash through teh front casing of the gearbox, through the slave cylinder and into the bellhousing ... Are you sure that's what they said?

[SI-PEN]

copilot said:

QuiteQuietCerb said:

im no expert but i think that sounds strange, is your clutch an AP one? i think some of the AP units had design faults, i think the newer ones are more robust, still the part should be guaranteed aside wear and tear

When I had the gearbox re-built, the old AP clutch was removed and inspected. I was shown hot spots and some scoring caused by the fifth gear shrapnel. A couple of weeks later they showed me the new one (but not the old one at the same time as I assumed it was an exchange untit), looking nice and new. It was an identical AP unit. They said that there were no clutches available through TVR power at the time so had "pulled a few strings and purchased one direct from AP".

I wonder if they are willing to show me the invoice for the purchase of the new clutch.

Good Luck!

[copilot]

trackcar said:

Well at least part of what you were told there sounds complete rubbish, unless 5th gear now has started to bash through teh front casing of the gearbox, through the slave cylinder and into the bellhousing ... Are you sure that's what they said?

Deffo. I was show the gears with missing teeth, the teeth themselves and..the clutch plates.

[FarmyardPants]

Hmm.. .
Was your clutch working when you took it in for the gearbox rebuild? How many miles had it done? Did the clutch action feel any different when you picked it up?

Having recently had a new clutch myself, the action was much lighter and smoother with the new one, ie very noticeably different and obvious the clutch had been replaced...

Good luck!

[copilot]

Ok, just got off the phone with them. Looks like there is a bill of £350 + VAT. They did not need to take the clutch out, just separate the plates. They are just bleeding the system to try and get mote clutch travel. Which worries me because I thought if you had too much travel, the fingers could break.

Apparently they insist the clutch came from TVR power (I can apparently phone them myself) and the story from TVR power (they say as I have not phoned Dominic)is that its not covered by warranty because as there is no sign of failure, it must have been abused. Of course I maintain that it could equally fail (overheat due to plates not clearing and then warping - leading to more heat) either by poor metal quality or poor fitting/assembly.

Looks like I'm paying a bill for an unsatisfactory outcome.

Edited by copilot on Tuesday 24th June 14:15

Edited by copilot on Tuesday 24th June 14:21

[copilot]

FarmyardPants said:

Hmm.. .
Was your clutch working when you took it in for the gearbox rebuild? How many miles had it done? Did the clutch action feel any different when you picked it up?

Having recently had a new clutch myself, the action was much lighter and smoother with the new one, ie very noticeably different and obvious the clutch had been replaced...

Good luck!

Yes the clutch was fine. They suggested I replaced it because it showed signs of hot spots and scoring (which they did show me to be fair).

[ridds]

copilot said:

trackcar said:

Well at least part of what you were told there sounds complete rubbish, unless 5th gear now has started to bash through teh front casing of the gearbox, through the slave cylinder and into the bellhousing ... Are you sure that's what they said?

Deffo. I was show the gears with missing teeth, the teeth themselves and..the clutch plates.

As Mr Trackcar has rightly stated there is no way that pieces of teeth from your 5th gear could in any way, in the entire universe, damage your clutch.

5th gear is at the back of the gearbox, which itself is sealed and filled with oil. Then there is the clutch slave cylinder and a dirty great air gap before you get to the clutch.

If the teeth could get to the clutch then the oil would have gotten there long before and it would be slipping.

Your clutch may well have failed but it was not "caused" by 5th failing.

I had 3rd gear fail on my car, I also had 3 teeth missing from 5th and yet my failure was not related to that. 3rd gear just broke.

[copilot]

Don't understand why the clutch was replaced in the first place then.

But thanks guys. The positive side is...£411 down but could have been worse. Picked Cerbie up just before five o'clock, only half an hour away from home, and finally arrived home at 8:15. Jees I love these cars.

One final question. Do AP clutches come with a warrany, and if so, if I fit it myself next time, will the warranty (if it exists at all) be valid?

Edited by copilot on Tuesday 24th June 22:54

[QuiteQuietCerb]

I think the AP clutch does have a 2 yr warranty but needs to be fitted by TVR power or maybe another reputable garage