Clutch / Gearbox problems? when have you changed yours?

[shiwarrior]

I have had a problem with getting it into reverse gear for a little while now, which i'm assuming is a clutch issue, but today, I think my gearbox could be going

When i use my gear stick (manual transmission) it just doesn't "feel" right anymore and sounds a bit loose, but changes gears ok

when it is in gear i can move the stick left and right quite a fair bit like its going into the next gear (so if its in 1st i can move it right so it looks like its in 3rd gear) feels a little "notchy" i suppose when changing gear

car is a 2009 1.8, done 64K

 

im wondering if the previous owner was using the clutch harshly

 

made a video on my phone though

 

 

 

[shiwarrior]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7bAG3kW7y8&feature=youtu.be

[isetta]

gear lever connects to gear box via two cables (like thick bicycle brake cables). Unless I have got it wrong, under the gear lever gaiter you will see the two cables connected to bottom of gear lever, so has something come loose / broken there?     the other end of the cables are under a plastic cover on the front of the gearbox.   access by sticking youe head up between front bumper and gearbox. If car has an undertray it would need to come off.  under the pastic cover on the gearbox see if cable are on the levers properly there.   Then you need two people, one moving gear lever in car and one at the gear box end. get someone to move gear lever whilst you try to hold the bits on the gearbox to see if there is a load of play somewhere in the mechanisms. 

I don't know the ins and outs of the gearbox on all models and engines so I don't guarantee it is as I described but I reckon the setup will be like that.

I couldn't get the video to work

 

[TomsFocus]

The video doesn't work for me either.

Doesn't sound like a clutch issue though.  

Seems odd for a mk2.5 to have a slack shifter, mine and others I've driven have been overly stiff, to the point where you can't gently 'wobble' the knob to check neutral.

Isetta is correct about the shifter cables, but you can see them from above on these, just under the battery, easier to see if you remove the airbox.  There is some adjustment on the gearbox end of the cables, but be very careful messing with it lol.

It may help to change the gear oil, though I think it's meant to be sealed for life on these.  If you do change it, you'll be able to see if it's full of metal flakes which indicate gearbox internal wear.

[shiwarrior]

thanks all

 

video is set to private, but was hoping to share it here only, suppose it doesn't matter , so i'll change it to public

 

[WireyWhenWet]

Unsure if this helps and a little long but hey ho..

First focus, mk2 06 plate. Bought in Feb 17 and after a test drive, noted a few bits to do, including clutch slipping some. (selector was all good)

After noting this the garage agreed to get it sorted and to use VALEO parts. After driving around I noticed right away that it felt exactly as you describe, hard to get to reverse and occasionally 1st which was always harder than 2-5.

Fast forwards a year and finally the release bearing started playing up, to which the garage agreed to sort it under warranty for me. I asked about what parts would be used, etc. But was never really told. After the clutch kit was replaced, all was perfect. As in, like a brand new car. Easy to change gears and no struggles whatsoever with reverse. Found out that the first clutch kit that was put in was Transmech, which I specifically asked to not be used... 3 days later after enjoying the new choosy-box feeling I was written off on the mway,  so that was that.

Fast forward some from Jan this year to March, I get better and pickup another focus, this time a facelift model and test drive with same issue; loose clutch but silly high... Never noticed anything off with the selecting but nonetheless (different) garage agreed to swap it out for LUK, which is all they use and have plastered about proudly.

Same problem again as the first car, harder to find 1st and real struggles with reverse at times.. but still silly high bite, and can't really afford to have it looked at.

 

Spoke with some Ford tech's a few times at length and they agree it's not unusual and it's a difficult thing for garages to get ' right ', but told me to also keep in mind the focus boxes don't have a crash gate/synchro which gives everything a worse time of it anyway also.

 

Unsure what caused the drastic change from infuriating to park to actually enjoyable, but I know a VALEO clutch kit went in the second time and all was peachy. -most likely a fitting issue for me but I don't like Transmech, I haven't used LUK (Although many regard the brand as brilliant), but there's a good reason some of the top track car teams seem to use standard VALEO clutches.

 

-Not a fan boy, just never had an issue with the V team before!

 

Hope something there helps!

[FatHead1979]

As far as I'm aware the factory fit clutches were usually LUK (for the MK2 diesels at least) and as you say from the garage proudly advertising the fact, they're generally considered to be the best of the OE standard parts (by most folk it seems).  Valeo are also considered to be a good brand though, I know on the diesel clutches with the dual mass flywheel's it's fairly easy for the garage to not get everything lined up properly when putting everything back together which can cause these types of issues.

I don't know enough about the clutches for the Duratec engines to know how easy/difficult it is to get everything correctly aligned when fitting a replacement clutch but it may be that there wasn't anything "wrong" with the hardware they've fitted, it may just not be fitted "right".  That said, I would 100% NOT want a Transmech clutch fitted, even if it was fitted "correctly" I wouldn't expect it to last that long.

[shiwarrior]

Thanks guys, car is still the same (i haven't touched it) 

still waiting for dad (the mechanic) to look at it

[shiwarrior]

Dad says it feels fine to him but of course the Reverse issue he thought clutch

 

Roll on to today..

 

Clutch is slipping,  noticed first thing this morning when i tried to change gear, clutch wouldn't bite at the normal point

Even when it is in gear, if i use about 4000 RPM+ car wont accelerate hardly

 

Spoke to my dad about it and he recons it should be fine for a while, but im worried it would just "go" and leave me stranded

 

thoughts?

[JONATHAN_11_80]

Hi,

My 2010 focus 1.8 is exactly the same always been a pain to get in reverse.  Its been like it since 18000 miles now on 80000.  The clutch bite is also high.   To check for slip try and pull away in 2nd with the handbrake on if it stalls all good.  Also flooring the throttle in 3rd while driving if the revs fly up quickly its slipping.  You usually get a nasty burning smell when clutch slips.

[JONATHAN_11_80]

Your gear change video looks normal to me.