Mondeo MkIV - clutch replacement. How hard can it be...

[Andy 308GTB]

2011 car. 90,000 on the clock.

The clutch pedal is heavy and makes a 'twangy' spring noise when released - this is apparently a known issue. It requires an entire unit to be replaced (the part alone is £150 IIRC - not just a £1 spring). But more to the point the clutch is starting to feel like it is slipping a tad. It's not an issue yet but I think it will need doing in the next 6 to 12 months.

I have been told it's a £1200 job at a garage.

I've started doing some preliminary research on clutch replacement but there isn't the usual plethora of YouTubers trying to tell me it's a job for a Saturday morning. I open up the Haynes manual and give up when it says 'then remove the gearbox...' I did see one video showing the front subframe being removed. My MOT guy confirmed this was necessary and said that the bolts holding the subframe are often very corroded and cannot be removed easily (holes had to be cut in the subframe to reach the captive nuts, the holes then had to be welded back up)

Does anyone have experience of this? It sounds like a nightmare but I'm really tempted to have a go. It will be an axle stands on the drive job.

[Richard-D]

Other than the potentially difficult subframe bolts that's about the best case scenario for a FWD car. It's not always possible to remove the gearbox leaving the engine in place. If you can do that then it's a candidate for a driveway replacement.

[phil y]

I did a driveway clutch on a 106, needed to enlist the help of a neighbour to help with removing/refitting the gearbox, no chance I could have done it single handedly

[stevieturbo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVWw_Lxn-LU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjo3W598tLk

Petrol ? diesel ? other ?

And is it £1200 for a total job, or just labour ?

If it's getting a complete clutch kit and DMF as most cars do have these days, costs can soon add up, as DMF's alone can be very expensive.
And really no point in not changing it when it's apart, unless it was already new very recently.

Edited by stevieturbo on Saturday 31st October 21:50

[Andy 308GTB]

stevieturbo said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVWw_Lxn-LU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjo3W598tLk

Petrol ? diesel ? other ?

And is it £1200 for a total job, or just labour ?

If it's getting a complete clutch kit and DMF as most cars do have these days, costs can soon add up, as DMF's alone can be very expensive.
And really no point in not changing it when it's apart, unless it was already new very recently.

£1200 was parts & labour, not sure where that number came from but looking at one of the Ford forums it sounds about right. Petrol car.
I subsequently found this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niZpAceLQNA - it's by a mobile clutch fitter working on a 2009 Diesel Mondeo but I think it won't be dissimilar. He doesn't actually remove the subframe, he drops one side and take the gearbox out that way.

The comments even discuss the problem my MOT guy raised about the captive bolts:

Devil Jin
...so surprised none of those subframe bolts didn't continually spin the nut in the frame it's always the ones on the floor pan that spin, a real pain as we had to open the floor pan up and weld the nut back in place.

Kevin-Albert Williams
Very true about the captive nuts spinning in the boxed up chassis...,, whoever came up with that design 😆.., they only way I get around that is I use a ton of WD40 constantly before I attempt to crack them..,, I’ve seen many mechanic having to cut the floor pan to access it. Or even slicing the box chassis to get a spanner on it.

[Richard-D]

A mobile clutch fitter! Jesus that's a hard life, respect to people who do that day in day out. I can cope with the very occasional driveway clutch but doing it that often would break me.

[kev b]

Changing a Mondeo clutch on a two post lift is 8.5 hours according to Autodata, so you are looking at at least £500 inlabour, of course if there are problems with captive nuts it will take even longer.

Anyone trying this job on a driveway is a glutton for punishment or insane.

[tribbles]

I looked at doing the clutch on my Mk1 Mondeo years ago. ISTR it was 7 pages in the Haynes manual, 2 of which was preparation to separate the engine and gearbox.

Decided I'd pay someone (it was about £350 at the time).

Didn't actually fix the problem I was having, though!

[The Road Crew]

If you've any DIY experience then I'd give it a bash. Especially if you could saving upwards of £600/£700+

If you cant have the car off the road for more than a weekend then make sure have alternative transport arranged. You might have tribe with subframe bikes, nothing that can't be tackled but it will take time.

Having an assistant will also be a huge bonus.

[Andy 308GTB]

Euro Car Parts have the clutch kit at less than £200 but the flywheel comes in at an eye watering £355. That's with the discount.
I also need to buy the bits to fix the heavy & squeaking pedal which I understand would be an additional £150... and apparently requires a fair bit of the interior removing to get at.

I still want to do the job myself but it may have to wait for now. The extra time will let me really think through the process, I don't want it sitting on axle stands for weeks on end.

[normalbloke]

Andy 308GTB said:

Euro Car Parts have the clutch kit at less than £200 but the flywheel comes in at an eye watering £355. That's with the discount.
I also need to buy the bits to fix the heavy & squeaking pedal which I understand would be an additional £150... and apparently requires a fair bit of the interior removing to get at.

I still want to do the job myself but it may have to wait for now. The extra time will let me really think through the process, I don't want it sitting on axle stands for weeks on end.

If ordering from ECP, also factor in the clutch kit being the incorrect one when you come to offer it up..

[Andy 308GTB]

normalbloke said:

Andy 308GTB said:

Euro Car Parts have the clutch kit at less than £200 but the flywheel comes in at an eye watering £355. That's with the discount.
I also need to buy the bits to fix the heavy & squeaking pedal which I understand would be an additional £150... and apparently requires a fair bit of the interior removing to get at.

I still want to do the job myself but it may have to wait for now. The extra time will let me really think through the process, I don't want it sitting on axle stands for weeks on end.

If ordering from ECP, also factor in the clutch kit being the incorrect one when you come to offer it up..

[stevieturbo]

kev b said:

Anyone trying this job on a driveway is a glutton for punishment or insane.

I'd be wanting 2-3x normal price to consider doing that in someones driveway !

[imagineifyeswill]

Never done a clutch in a MK1V but if its like all the earlier models then yes the subframe has to be removed. I personally would even think about doing this job anywhere but on a two post ramp. £1200 sounds about the right price.

[Novexx]

Fit engine support beam, unhook all the plumbing & wiring, up on a ramp, get rid of the suspension & driveline, mop up the gearbox oil, drop the box out from below & then you can get started on the clutch - if it all goes to plan

It's frankly a bk in a full equipped garage & I would rather stick pins in my eyes that try it on the drive.

[bungz]

Its a garage job but not a 1200 quid one.

For the diesels you can get it done for 700-800 at clutch places.

[Austinofengland]

Done one on a MK2 on the driveway, only took me about 3 weeks

[Andy 308GTB]

Austinofengland said:

Done one on a MK2 on the driveway, only took me about 3 weeks

That's the spirit!

[stevieturbo]

Austinofengland said:

Done one on a MK2 on the driveway, only took me about 3 weeks

fk that ! ( unless it's nice warm and sunny lol )

[normalbloke]

Andy 308GTB said:

Austinofengland said:

Done one on a MK2 on the driveway, only took me about 3 weeks

That's the spirit!

Keep the photo updates coming when you get started.