Problem on Focus... Diagnosis?

[Zebrs]

Hi all, hoping someone can assist in diagnosis of my focus please.

Wife went to drive it this morning and suddenly cannot engage first or reverse. Managed to get it going in 2nd, but clutch pedal feels a bit spongy and high biting point, then could put into first on the downchange but the revs are massively high for the speed on acceleration and presuming clutch slip.

Took to my local garage who drove it around the car park a bit where everything was intermittant - gears engaging/slipping, but then it was ok, then not. It was diagnosed as a knackered clutch, so gearbox needs to come off for replacement, at a cost of a few hundred quid.

Now, I'm not minded to move the car again for fear of it then refusing to move, so am unable to get a second opinion in person. Is there a chance this could be just a slave cylinder problem, or something more sinister such as the gearbox? I'm reluctant to throw cash at it to fix the 'problem' only to find it either didn't need it spent and/or needs a whole lot more. Puzzles me as it how the clutch would have suddenly gone, and why it seems an intermittant fault.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[PaulKemp]

My first test would be to drive in high gear and accelerate if revs go higher than road speed then new clutch, if car over revs on starting off in first gear new clutch
You problem could be clutch salve cylinder if the clutch is hydraulic or cable adjustment at pedal if cable
Perhaps you could call a mobile mechanic over to have a look

[stevieturbo]

Zebrs said:

Hi all, hoping someone can assist in diagnosis of my focus please.

Wife went to drive it this morning and suddenly cannot engage first or reverse. Managed to get it going in 2nd, but clutch pedal feels a bit spongy and high biting point, then could put into first on the downchange but the revs are massively high for the speed on acceleration and presuming clutch slip.

Took to my local garage who drove it around the car park a bit where everything was intermittant - gears engaging/slipping, but then it was ok, then not. It was diagnosed as a knackered clutch, so gearbox needs to come off for replacement, at a cost of a few hundred quid.

Now, I'm not minded to move the car again for fear of it then refusing to move, so am unable to get a second opinion in person. Is there a chance this could be just a slave cylinder problem, or something more sinister such as the gearbox? I'm reluctant to throw cash at it to fix the 'problem' only to find it either didn't need it spent and/or needs a whole lot more. Puzzles me as it how the clutch would have suddenly gone, and why it seems an intermittant fault.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

It could be either surely. If the garage is trustworthy, then they should be able to diagnose and fix the problem.

If you tell them just to replace the clutch, then they'll just replace the clutch.

Tell/ask them to diagnose the problem and offer remedies with potential costs involved. Obviously you can only do so much if you have it for a few minutes, but it does sound more like the clutch than anything else.

Low biting point would be more like a fluid leak, faulty slave etc But as you say it has a high biting point, then that is less likely, and would more suggest clutch itself

As for the suddenness of the problem. Who mostly drives the car ?

Some people are oblivious to problems and symptoms until it is completely knackered...then they realise maybe there had been warning signs.

[one eyed mick]

Is the focus not cable operated? it sounds like goosed clutch or POSSIBLYif it cable operated an immenent cable failure my ops only

[lemonslap]

Unfortunately if it is the slave, the gearbox needs to be removed as it's located in the bell housing.

Does it improve if you pump the pedal? Any fluid on the clutch pedal itself? Or damp patch on the carpet?