Is The Clutch Slipping?

[nazsky786]

Hello,

I have a Ford focus Mk2. I paid £200 for a new clutch and basically now the car feels slow. It makes a hissing sound unless you press the clutch down.

And the weirdest thing is I can move off in 4 or 5 th gear. Being a petrol I would expect it to stall. But I went back to the merchanic and he says it's fine.

It's a 1.6 and lately when the car is cold it feels more better. It don't move like it did. It does 2600 revs when doing 30 in 4th gear. Which I think is high. Also fuel is becoming a killer. I've check tyres and everything else but there all fine.

Any ideas?

Regards

[Nighthawk]

You could test if the clutch is slipping by leaving the handbrake on and a little throttle, depending on how much the revs drop or if it stalls is how well its biting. It may be the self adjuster but I agree you shouldn't easily be able to start off in 4th.

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[nazsky786]

When you put it in 1st and you have the handbrake on it does pull pretty strong. but it also pull strong in 4th gear.

Its just weird as it had the clutch changed and that was because the pressure plate was damaged and the car wouldn't change gear with the engine running.

There is something wrong because the clutch never made a hissing before.

How would you go about sorting out the self adjuster?

[flying clutchman]

you can't sort out the self adjuster because you don't have one. The clutch operating system is hydraulic. Something is obviously not right. However £200 is very cheap for a mk2 Focus clutch even if the cylinder is not changed. Pay peanuts........

[nazsky786]

Are you sure 200 is cheap? How much do you think it would cost?

Based on what u said I paid for a rubbish clutch. ??

[flying clutchman]

Well the cost of a 2-part clutch kit is between £55 and £100 at trade prices, so that means your mechanic is charging you £100-£145 labour. Assuming he has some overheads this is not really an economic labour rate for half a days work. Whatever he's charged you he hasn't done the job properly so you need to go back and see him!

[nazsky786]

I would have thought £100 for clutch and £100 for Labour was fine or am I wrong?. So you say he hasn't done the job correctly and I've been charged way to much?

[damadgeruk]

No, he's saying £200 is not enough for someone to do a decent job.

[mixmasterlooney]

Extremely under charged for a clutxh job. Should be around £500-600 easily. I paid £1200 for a new clutch from ford. A bew clutch from euro car sports is around £100 to £200 for a clutch kit. Being such a big job I cannot see any mechanic wanting less than £300 labour on a mk2 focus its alot of work.

Had a clutch on my old vw polo from mr clutch including gearbox oil change and flywheel resurface for £270 and that was a very simple car. Cable operated clutch no power steering etc

I don't think your mechanic is being honest

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[mixmasterlooney]

Sorry about the typos I cannot edit on my phone

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[flying clutchman]

Whoa mixmasterlooney, I think you've gone a bit over the top there! A 1.6 mk2 Focus is not a difficult clutch to do compared with many modern vehicles, in fact not much more difficult than your old Polo (if you know what you're doing). a main agent will always charge a lot more than a non-franchise garage, but you're right £200 is too cheap. Irrespective of what he's paid it needs to go back to be put right.

[mixmasterlooney]

Think you've misunderstood what I said mate I didn't say it was difficult compared to other modern cars I don't think so at all however it is hydraulic and with a dual mass flywheel its not as simple as my previous polo.

The point I was making about how much I paid was an idea of what a main dealer would charge, the other point is what a local garage would charge such as mr clutch

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[nazsky786]

Ok, so what is the actual cost for a good clutch and I just find a guy to put it in. That way I know its a clutch I know would be good for the car. I've been told I might just have a rubbish clutch installed. So I just need to know if anyone knows any good/excellent clutches, then I just pay for labour and ask for the old clutch back and give back to the other guy who put it in.

But I just checked I paid £285 for the parts and labour.

[flying clutchman]

£285 is ok. But you shouldn't be paying again, the garage should be putting it right. 1'6 petrol focus doesn't have a dual mass flywheel, so no need to worry about that.

It's very simple: you paid £285 to have the clutch fixed. It isn't working properly, so take it back and ask them to sort it.

[mixmasterlooney]

From euro car parts a clutch range from exactly £95.84 to £185.99 but I just did a quote from the mr clutch website using my mk2.5 tdci as reference and I got a quote of £269.99 supply and fit with 2 years or 20, 000 mile warranty.

That is less than you've paid and tbh a real surprise to me. Mr clutch is a very good and professional place I can highly recommend them from previous use for clutch, mot and alignment.

Here is my suggestion... take the car to mr clutch for a free clutch check and hear what they have to say then go back to your mechanic before you Shell out anymore money

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[nazsky786]

Ok, the price I paid which was £285 is ok.

So we have the price out the way.

Next we come to the mechanic saying the clutch is perfectly fine. He is persistent its fine. And I know its not, it don't move like is did.

I drove a 1.0 polo lol 2000 reg might be like the one you was saying before and that drives faster. So because I have a halford just down the road from my house, im gonna book it in have the clutch check have them right a report and see if they say its ok or not.

Then I will if need be give that report to him and hopefully he should sort it.

If not I might go to the Mr clutch see how they are.

Also there is a slight smell of marijuana coming into the car once your stood still at the lights?? Is that the car or someone else. BTW - I DON'T TAKE DRUGS. ex Paracetomel.

[mixmasterlooney]

My apologies i wasn't aware the 1.6 petrol focus does not have a dual mass flywheel. My 1.6TDCI however does, anyways after the new clutch on my car from a main dealer i had bags of problems from them doing a sloppy job, but these problems were not clutch related infact there is no difference in feel at all from the clutch and this is normal the hydraulics should soak up any play but i did get burning smell doing gentle reverse and slow motion movements early after that has sort of cleared up.

On my old polo, being a cable operated clutch it was almost undriveable at first the car would bite then stall instantly, as the mileage increased it became more normal and the biting point felt higher/wider during this time the cable was adjustable at several intervals stated in the warranty.

My focus experience after a new clutch was seamless.

I don't think what you've described is normal the car should not move off in 4th gear nor should there be any hissing sound. Try mr clutch you have nothing to loose

[nazsky786]

I've checked and there is no Mr Clutch anywhere near my area. The closest one is a 1Hour and 30Mins away.

I will just wait and see what Halfords has to say and just go from there.

This is just a waste of my time really, all the mechanic has to do is sort it out but says its fine and says why you even moving off in 4th.

Thanks for your help.