The clutch change from hell!

[Stigian 1,234]

Howdo all, yep the clutch change from hell is/has not been fun!

As much as I like our Fiat Punto JTD (that's a massive 1.9 turbo diesel engine in a very little car) this clutch change has been testing my (and Mr P's) patience to the full!!

Friday started out trying to get as much done as possible in-between pouring rain!! And rain wasn't even forecast!

Battling bolts has been a big problem. Many of them tucked away in places you can't see and can only just feel with fingers, and then having to guess what size bolt head they are!!

Another problem has been the cars low millage. Although it was built in 2003 it only has a tad over 51000 miles on the clock, which means it hadn't ever been taken apart before.. So all the nut's and bolts are/were as tightened up at the factory.. Or, wayyyy too tight as it's otherwise known

With the Punto being a front wheel drive car getting the drive shafts out should of been easy.. Well it would of been could we of found a massive 36mm socket!! The only way to get one on time was to buy a complete 3/4" drive ratchet set!! Ouch!!

So the drive shaft ended up staying attached to the wheel hub which was disconnected from everything else!

The pass side popped out of the gearbox as it should of done..

The drivers side being longer was also being held up by a bracket bolted to the back of the engine (it also holds the alt up) just in a place it was very hard to see/touch/have enough space to get a big spanner/socket on!!

Your getting the idea on just how much of a pain this car has been!!

We almost gave up after reading on the interweb that the only way to remove a gearbox from a Punto JTD was to take it and the engine out together

To cut a long story short, after lot's of farting about and not even being sure the gearbox would come out, we managed to wiggle it free from the engine with only 1/8" clearance between the box and the body!!

So... It took 2 days to get the gearbox off, we now have one day to put it all back together again!

At least we know how it goes back together now, and all the "over tight" bolts are tight no more..

Wish us luck chaps...

A few photos..

The mobile work bench.. Of course my 312-8 had to take part in the fun

The offending gearbox..

And the empty space in the engine bay which will hopefully be full of gearbox by the end of the day..

As you can see space in the bay is a bit tight!

[pmackellow 12]

That does indeed look like the clutch change from hell

Hope its not raining your way today !!

[AMC RULES 37,195]

OH MY, and done outside no less.

You are a glutton for punishment, huh Ian?

Why the tight schedule? :scratchead:

[Sparky-(Admin) 23,120]

Seems bit early for a new clutch. Only 51,000 miles? Is someone hard on it? Riding the clutch? Is there a teenage driver in the house . I assume as long as your in there it'll get new everything right? Clutch, pressure plate and throw-out-bearing.

Mike.............

[Anglo Traction 761]

I feel for you Ian!. Give me my little Fiesta any day. I spend 2 days a year under it and passes the MOT every time. It went past 50thou last weekend and just turned 13years old.

I hope it all goes/has gone better for you on the reassembly and have trouble free motoring in it for a looooong time.

[bowtiebutler956 650]

Some guys have all the fun, Lan! On a more serious note, that is what I've been doing for a living for the last 20yrs now, and I know what a pain in the old back side it can be. I was getting very burned out on that kind of work, untill I started working on, and restoring these little tractors, they have helped me to start enjoying having a wrench in my hand again. We don't have Punto's over here, but pain in the butt cars come in all different brands! Try doing an a/c evaporator core on a Dodge Caravan! You'll never let another one in your shop again! I did two before deciding, I must be out of my mind! I'm a slow learner. I wish you the best of luck!

Matt :flags-texas:

[Stigian 1,234]

That does indeed look like the clutch change from hell

Hope its not raining your way today !!

Yep, it's not been fun. Got lucky on the weather today, no rain just plenty of wind.. It came in handy for drying out the tarmac from all the over night rain.

OH MY, and done outside no less.

You are a glutton for punishment, huh Ian?

Why the tight schedule?

Hey Craig, doing it outside was the only option, the car's too long to fit all four wheels in the shack. Not that I'd fancy lying under a car that's resting on a couple of axle stands that are on a wooden floor..

The tight deadline is so my Wife can drive to work tomorrow.. No public transport out here in the sticks.. The nearest bus stop is about 2 miles away.. All up hill from here!

Seems bit early for a new clutch. Only 51,000 miles? Is someone hard on it? Riding the clutch? Is there a teenage driver in the house . I assume as long as your in there it'll get new everything right? Clutch, pressure plate and throw-out-bearing.

Mike.............

Hi Mike, my Wife would love you for calling her a "teenager"

Yep, the car now has a new clutch, pressure plate and bearing.. And despite a certain "well known" (one of the big clutch replacement chains) scare story of the flywheel having a 95% chance of being chewed up, it was fine!

I feel for you Ian!. Give me my little Fiesta any day. I spend 2 days a year under it and passes the MOT every time. It went past 50thou last weekend and just turned 13years old.

I hope it all goes/has gone better for you on the reassembly and have trouble free motoring in it for a looooong time.

Thanks Richard.. Reassembly was/is... far from smooth

Some guys have all the fun, Lan! On a more serious note, that is what I've been doing for a living for the last 20yrs now, and I know what a pain in the old back side it can be. I was getting very burned out on that kind of work, untill I started working on, and restoring these little tractors, they have helped me to start enjoying having a wrench in my hand again. We don't have Punto's over here, but pain in the butt cars come in all different brands! Try doing an a/c evaporator core on a Dodge Caravan! You'll never let another one in your shop again! I did two before deciding, I must be out of my mind! I'm a slow learner. I wish you the best of luck!

Matt

Hey Latt I understand all too well about getting very burnt out doing these sort of jobs.. My body just can't handle it too well these days, in fact I feel so rough that I can honestly say I will never again do this sort of thing.. Ever! As they say in all the best films, "I'm too old for this sh*t".

The good news is the gearbox is in after a massive struggle.. Why is there always less space to get a 'box in then there was getting it out

The bad news is there is still loads of bit's to bolt back on the car, but you know when the tiredness hit's so hard you can't concentrate, stopping is the best/safest thing to do.

Have a photo of the gearbox back in the car.. It's under there somewhere!

[bowtiebutler956 650]

Take a break for sure Lan! That kind of work can get dangerous when you're to tired to focus! Tomorrow is a new day!

Matt :flags-texas:

[AMC RULES 37,195]

Latt

LOL funny Lan...Latt's probably gettin' pissed. :ROTF:

[JimD 3,347]

I don't think Latt has it figured out quite yet than Lan's name isn't Lan. It's Ian, in which the I ( i ) looks like the small l. This should clear everything up. :ROTF: Just noticed what the i in parentheses looks like. :ROTF:

[meadowfield 2,733]

nightmare !!!!! :banghead:

[Stigian 1,234]

Latt

LOL funny Lan...Latt's probably gettin' pissed.

I don't think Latt has it figured out quite yet than Lan's name isn't Lan. It's Ian, in which the I ( i ) looks like the small l. This should clear everything up.

Lol, thanks Guy's, I was starting to wonder when Latt Matt would work it out.. All sorted now

nightmare !!!!!

Your right Mark, it has been!!

Well the car is all sorted now... Just!! The car wanting to show me who's boss decided to throw one last problem at me..

The very last job to do was to refill the gearbox with oil... Of course just to be a pain the trans has a filler plug that uses a 12mm Allen key... Just the size I didn't have

After missing one day from work my Wife had to get in today, but as luck would have it Rob had just the right size key thingy and was good enough to head home from work to get it from his tool box and head my direction with it.. A good chap

So I'm very pleased to say the car drove as it should and my Wife made it into work today..

A big thank you to the ever camera shy Mr P for all your help over the past four days, and Thanks Rob for lending a hand on Sunday and saving the day yesterday.. Cheers guys :beer:

[Sparky-(Admin) 23,120]

Glad to hear this saga has a happy ending.

Now get back to tractors!

Mike.....

[meadowfield 2,733]

Glad to hear this saga has a happy ending.

Now get back to tractors!

Mike.....

Yeah, I want to take her for a spin tomorrow night !!!!

[Anglo Traction 761]

Glad you got through the Challenge Ian !. Despite the car refusing to make it easy for you..... One little trick I found when dealing with larger (uncommon) size Socket Head Bolts and Plugs, You could use a 12mm (across the flats) Head Bolt and weld a couple of Nuts locked tight onto the Threaded end and use it with a standard socket or Spanner..... Got me out of a few awkward situations before.

[bowtiebutler956 650]

Glad to here its up and going again Ian! Notice, no "L".

Matt :flags-texas:

[Stigian 1,234]

Glad to hear this saga has a happy ending.

Now get back to tractors!

Mike.....

Thanks Mike, I'm just glad this saga has ended... Never ever again!!

Love to get back to the tractors, trouble is I think I killed my arc welder yesterday.. It might be fixable but my "feeling" is not this time.. I will have a look at it in a while.

Glad to hear this saga has a happy ending.

Now get back to tractors!

Mike.....

Yeah, I want to take her for a spin tomorrow night !!!!

Sorry Mark, she's not quite at that stage yet.. Saying that the two middle wheels are still on, so maybe you could take it for a "rotate" around the shack

Glad you got through the Challenge Ian !. Despite the car refusing to make it easy for you..... One little trick I found when dealing with larger (uncommon) size Socket Head Bolts and Plugs, You could use a 12mm (across the flats) Head Bolt and weld a couple of Nuts locked tight onto the Threaded end and use it with a standard socket or Spanner..... Got me out of a few awkward situations before.

Morning Richard, I tried the "nut and bolt trick" but alas it was not to be. The filler plug was in very tight.

Glad to here its up and going again Ian! Notice, no "L".

Matt

So am I Matt (with no L) :D

[AMC RULES 37,195]

Awww... :romance-grouphug:

[1maidenfan 202]

Awww...

:party: