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How long to replace/repair a clutch?

due to the lovely snowy conditions of friday, i was forced to drive home from work. this trip normally takes 20 minutes, but it took me 4 hours to get home.

anyway, i noticed on the way back that a strange smell was coming through my heater. as you know, to be able to drive to any extent in the snow, you have to abuse your clutch. so due to this, my clutch is now broken. whenever i try to excellerate, the engine just over revs and the car takes a long time to speed up.

ANYWAY, i'm hoping to get the car into the garage sometime this week, but does anyone know how long it's going to take to repair/replace? i was without the car last week too while it had the break pads replaced. this car is costing me a fortune!

and does anyone know about how much it will cost? it's a ford ka is that's any help.

cheers.

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Reply 1

Ynox

Sounds like you burnt the clutch out so its now slipping- a quick google gave me £258.39 incl VAT (fitted) for a clutch for a KA- might get it cheaper.

Make sure the garage fits an entire kit (friction surfaces and release bearing) when they do the job though, it will mean spending more on parts but given its usually a gearbox off etc job to do the clutch you may as well.

Reply 2

pghstochaj

Yes, should be below £300 fitted.

Reply 3

pghstochaj

Oh and in terms of time, the job will take a loss less than day but whether you can drop it off in the morning and collect in the evening depends on the garage and whether they can be bothered to do it in a decent time.

Reply 4

Ryan

Hmm women lol

I'm not sure about Ford engines but I can't see it being more than £200, and if it is, it won't be much more!

Reply 5

JC.

Can someone explain to me why you have to "abuse a clutch to drive in the snow" ?

If anything there should be less wear as you will be using the controlls a lot more gently if you're smart.
The clutch was obviously on the way out before the snow started.

You can drive a car with a slipping clutch for a while. When I first got my B the clutch was almost gone. I was gentle with it and managed to get another 4 months out of it before I reluctantly took it to a garage.
I'd have done it myself but didnt have the time back then.

However, 3 weeks ago I did change a clutch on my other B. it took me about 4 hours. Clutch kit was £60 so thats all it cost me.
However, when I paid someone to do the clutch on mine the bill was £400. On an MGB the box and engine have to come out together unfortunately.
I would avoid these DR clutch places if you can and stick with ford specialists.

Final point... the car cant be any older than 10 years at the most... how the heck did you go through a clutch in such a short space of time?
Mine was the original one and nearly 30 years old!

Reply 6

Pookie

I was wondering the same, why do you need to abuse your clutch when driving in slow?

Reply 7

Stubo

JC.

Final point... the car cant be any older than 10 years at the most... how the heck did you go through a clutch in such a short space of time?
Mine was the original one and nearly 30 years old!

different cars have different lifetimes. i was under the impression that 80k was normal these days for a standard family vectra for instance. my corsa's lasted 70k, although I was hard on it. I know a guy with a 405, that has had 3 clutches from new at 3 years old, it is a taxi though, but sometimes you can just be unlucky.

side note: my girlfriend and mum both have cars a couple of years old yet they both ride the clutch and keeping their foot on it while trying to accelerate...
if u are going to wear it, do it by giving it the revs not from being a **** driver I say!

Reply 8

Ryan

JC.

Ryan

Hmm women drivers

Reply 9

pumpkin7

wtf. i asked for some help on repair times, not for you to have a go at my driving skills.

why don't you lot go and find a nice steep and icy road to try and get up, and i challenge you to do that without having to use the clutch extensively. i was desperately trying not to let the car come to a stand still, so i didn't get caught on some ice, therefore i had to use the clutch more. keeping the car moving in second gear at around 2mph isn't easy.

JC.

Final point... the car cant be any older than 10 years at the most... how the heck did you go through a clutch in such a short space of time?

you know nothing about the history of my car. it's third hand for starters.. how am i supposed to know how the previous owners used it or if they used to ride the clutch? it's not my ****ing fault it's given in now is it? i've had the car 3 months for crying out loud. i know for a fact that i do not ride the clutch either.

i won't tell you how many blokes i saw in their massive bmws, trying to move off in first gear and putting the pedal to the floor. it's not always the women who are the bad drivers.

i'm not stupid. i know how to drive in the snow, you sexist pigs. i bet most of you who have just commented on my driving skills have never even driven in the snow/ice.

Reply 10

Cj-Tj

While I agree you dont need to ride the clutch to drive in snow (I mean.. how many other countries live in snow all year round and dont get problems) if you cooked it, youve cooked it!!

I would have a look at MR Clutch type places.. cheaper and no need to be done by Ford and their dealer labour charges unless its under warrentee.

Reply 11

AT82

My dads Escort has done 96k, still on the original clutch, my fiesta has 102K on the clock and there is no signs of clutch slippage at all but I am not sure if its original or not

Assuming you have the 1.3 Endura engine getting the gearbox out is fairly simple, the clutch plates cost around £50-£60 and its probably too much of a big job.

Mr Clutch is fine on older cars, but I've heared rumors that their clutches sometimes only last 30,000 miles, this may well be less than the life of the car anyway so it may not be a problem. I am sure it can be done for £250 including labour.

Reply 12

JC.

pumpkin7

Whooooooooaaaaaa! Calm down. I didnt make any comments about women drivers. I just asked a question. Please dont vent at me!
It was Ryan who made the comment about women drivers, not I. Personally I think he is a cock for posting such a comment.
Infact, I am quite proud to count amongst my friends, Deborah Evans an ex formula 3000 and formula ford competitor and I have spent a lot of time on track being coached by her. I am the last person on here that would have a dig at women drivers. So, please direct your postings at the apropriate people.

Reply 13

JC.

Oh and.... Mr Clutch are not fine on older cars infact they are pretty crap.
I had a friend who took his factory V8 MGB in to have a clutch change... When he went to collect the car they couldnt get it started. Turned out that somehow they had plumbed the fuel system into the vacuum sytem and had filled his sump with petrol. :s:

Dr clutch places seem to use cheap friction plates too. Stick with borg + beck or those mcpherson paddle clutches. :smile:

Reply 14

Stubo

pumpkin7

dont cry.

Reply 15

Né Stig

pumpkin7

Found this post funny lol.

i was without the car last week too while it had the break pads replaced

Blimey - your clutch will take 3 weeks to do then. I'm saying that as it would take 3x the time to replace your pads. Your clutch shouldn't have dissipated by now, unless it was being used to do big fat lauched tyre screeching starts in your KA - - - yep, I think not.

The actual clutch to purchase shouldn't be anymore than £130 on a KA, but you'll need to get some other little washers as well like driveshaft seals when it comes off. You might as well test the cable as well. And that's why a clutch job is so much dosh as it's just time consuming. And stop abusing your clutch!

Reply 16

JC.

walshie

And stop abusing your clutch!

But I like it! :biggrin:

Think i'm going to spend the dosh on one of those high grip paddle clutches once i've burnt out the SD1 friction plate.
TBH i'll be glad when ive got the cash togther for a Chevvy TH400 box to slot in. You have to be doing something pretty ****ing silly to kill a torque converter. :biggrin:

Reply 17

Né Stig

^ My friend was talking to me about these 'air clutches' on his WRX over in the states (it comes standard). I still don't bloody understand them :confused:

But I want one just because I'm a little kid, and its a new toy for me :biggrin:

Reply 18

Insignificant B

A clutch is quoted as a 3hr job - this will be done over several days and will range - my polo is £205 and a pug 406 £320 - my bug £30 - i was thinking of an impact clutch myself tho.