Need a clutch..

[s p a c e m a n]

I know the answer is as long as a piece of string, but how long would you expect a clutch on a 400 to last under normal road usage. I've got a receipt here from the previous owner for a clutch in April 2009 and the MOT certs show that it's done little over 20k miles since then, seems a bit pants for it to be slipping its nuts off already.

As far as I'm aware the car never saw a track and he definitely wasn't the boy racer rag the crap out of it type, was wondering if there was another problem in there or whether this is their normal life span. Clutch is listed as a fast road clutch from techniclutch at £179, was it just a cheap bit of crap?

If anyone can point me in the direction of a clutch, release bearing and arm for these things it might cheer me up a bit

[s p a c e m a n]

Scrap that, just googled techniclutch. If it's the same firm that everyone seems to be moaning about I'm surprised it lasted this long

[SILICONEKID346HP]

I had an Borg & beck on a standard 4l OE from a TVR specialist , it started slipping after 6 months . .

[s p a c e m a n]

Yeah, I'm doing a bit of research and am a little nervous as to some of the things I am reading.

I'm eyeing up this unless someone knows another direction to go in?

http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-q0102...

I've got a 400 with a T5 box..

[Alun450]

I got my car with 40,000 miles
Did 10,000 gentle miles
Engine re build at 50,000 miles
Original clutch( we think?)
Still doesn't slip.
As the torque gets laid down the diff can give a sensation of clutch slip, at least that's what I think is happening!!!

What do the main engine builders use?

[over_the_hill]

One of the main things to check is that it has metal release bearings and not plastic as plastic doesn't cope with the high temperature very well.

It looks as if the one in the link has but perhaps the one being replaced hasn't, which is why it's knackered ?

Edited by over_the_hill on Tuesday 18th February 12:00

[s p a c e m a n]

Wondering what condition the flywheel will be in, I need to do this all in a day because this is my only car. Are they just standard range rover v8 flywheels on there?

[Graham]

s p a c e m a n said:

Wondering what condition the flywheel will be in, I need to do this all in a day because this is my only car. Are they just standard range rover v8 flywheels on there?

its not a range rover flywheel, sd1 i think. the RR has a bigger clutch and about 3 times the weight,

I've got a griff 500 flywheel going spare..

[davo23]

Any update on this? I'm getting my clutch sorted next week.

[s p a c e m a n]

Graham said:

I've got a griff 500 flywheel going spare..

Sorry missed this, ta for the offer but turned out the flywheel was fine anyway. Problem was almost definitely the crappy techniclutch thing that was in there, the pressure plate just looked cheap and crap for a start.

I'll start by quoting my post in the other thread

s p a c e m a n said:

Made some noise..



Ate some pizza..



Spent NINE fkING HOURS changing the clutch..



Taking the gearbox out of one of these things is quite possibly the worst job that I have done in 10 years, an engine change would probably be easier.

However, that kit I linked up the page fitted, looks the part, works fine and turned up in two days. Was a BORG & BECK HK6076, came with a plastic release bearing though so that got thrown straight in the bin. In short, I could easily do it in half the time now but unless you've got the patience of a saint or really like to get involved try and find someone else to do it, I wish that I had just thrown a couple hundred quids worth of labour at someone rather than get annoyed all day.

[s p a c e m a n]

I'll stand by my last comment too, I've never taken an engine out of one of these but if I have to change the clutch again I might try taking the engine out. Would probably be a lot less fiddly and annoying and possibly quicker, I might have a proper look next time I've got my head in there.