clutch or DMF or both? Help!!

[Earmonster]

Hi there. I need some help.

I'm currently holidaying in France with my family (towing a caravan) and My Mondeo (2.0 tdci) has started over revving when I try to accelerate in most gears.

 

I had the DMF and clutch changed last May and can't believe that both would only last a year?

 

I've only word towed the caravan about 800m in that time.

Will the car be OK to get home? Should I get a new clutch fitted before heading home or will I need a flywheel as well?

 

Help appreciated!!

[Damien]

Depends how much pull left in clutch tbh n since your towing something there ect strain on car so my advice get clutch ASAP before you break down on road

[Earmonster]

Will I need to replace DMF again as well or should replacing just the clutch be enough? 

[Damien]

All comes as a kit far as I am aware never replaced one ever in any of my cars 

[Earmonster]

So I just spoke to my local garage back home (the guy who replaced the DMF last year) and he says if anything it would just be the clutch as the DMF will easily last 40k. 

Any thoughts from anyone else? Don't want to spend all that money twice if possible? Tempted you try too nurse the car home rather than find a garage in France.

Also, gears don't slip when changing up, just when I try higher revs once gears already engaged. seems odd to me.

[Damien]

Yeh it will be worse when gear engaged as your clutch is straining n slipping that's why you get the high revs.

when your setting off and it's starting to high rev just go easy with revs building it up slowly till you reach decent speed to change into higher gear n keep doing this so on.

if you change gear to early then your revs will drop and clutch be under strain and will slip even more and just rev then you getting the horrible burning clutch smell 👇😷 personally I would rather get it done back at home too but long way to travel with slipping clutch.

you could try it and if you have aa cover or something then you will just get tow to garage

not sure what aa ect cover for been abroad as never been in this situation 

[Tdci-Peter]

6 hours ago, Earmonster said:

Tempted you try too nurse the car home rather than find a garage in France.

DMF should last two or three clutches, often over 100k miles.

But, if the clutch is overheating due to slip, the lifetime of the DMF could be shortened badly.

Does it slip on pull-away from stationary? I wonder if it is an actuator (slave cylinder) problem.

Makes little difference, it is still a clutch removal job, probably.

I assume you have checked the rev rise with the rev counter, and it is not just some odd change in engine noise due to some other fault?

If you can drive with very light throttle openings, changing down when needed to keep the engine running lightly, then you might limp home, preferably with frequent stops to cool it down. But it won't be much fun. Finding a decent French garage would be a better solution.

[stef123]

'DMF should last two or three clutches, often over 100k miles'

And how often do you go through clutches  

[Earmonster]

Haven't needed to replace a clutch in a car since 1997 (until the DMF last year) so fairly confident it's not a heavy left foot.

I took it to a local garage in france who said it all seemed fine, but didn't have the caravan on at that stage, and its been fine all week apart from a couple of really bad clutch smells that have lasted an hour or so after stopping each time.

Engine is definitely grumbling more than usual on tick over which is concerning.

On way home now and so far so good. Still no further with what the fault is but I guess a trip to the local garage once home should resolve that.

Maybe I need to consider a towcar with more grunt before our next big trip?

[Tdci-Peter]

3 hours ago, Earmonster said:

Maybe I need to consider a towcar with more grunt

I would have thought a 2L diesel Mondeo should cope with most things, though I don't know how big your 'van is. I assume you have checked it is within the towing limit for the car!

Burning smell from the clutch and occasional slippage just could be an oil leak from the gearbox or engine. An inspection through the starter motor hole might check that without major dismantling.

[goldtail77]

If it behaves without  the Caravan, which with less weight anyway would be likely.

Does the Caravan have it's own brakes? If so could they maybe binding, causing excess drag on the car. Hopefully you are home by now, though if your friction plate is toast. For that to go in a year, the DMF probably should be changed. It could well have been over cooked, which will weaken the binding agents between the plates. Much of the cost is labour, so doing it 1-2 years later would be a false economy.