There I was with said Combo 1.3cdti van on the ex's drive facing uphill with the handbrake on hard. I forgot I'd also left it in 1st gear and, when I turned the key tostart it the van lurched slightly forward, as you'd expect, but then there was a thump which seemed to coincide with me hurredly pressing the clutch pedal. After this all drive was lost in all gears, and a metallic 'tinkle' could be heard when in gear and with the clutch pedal released (engine running).
We towed the van home and for the first few tens of metres more metallic noise could be heard, but by the time we reached home (1/2 mile) this had all but gone.
My opinion is that the clutch friction plate has sheared....but then I started to think about other causes of this loss of drive, and here's where you come in.
1. Is there any experience out there of the gearbox input shaft shearing off on other 1.3cdti vehicles?
2. Is there any experience of the gearbox input shaft splines shearing off?
3. Is there any experience of the clutch friction plate splines shearing/stripping?
One final piece of evidence. When I drop the clutch in gear there is a quiet rumble that varies in pitch with the gear selected. From this I conclude that, rather than a clutch problem, there may be a problem at the final drive/differential end. So I repeat some questions:
4. Is there any experience out there of the gearbox differential or output shaft failing from hard use or shock loading? Boy racer failure!?
I await your learned replies, and ask for the following extra info:
5. Does the 1.7cdti gearbox both mate to the 1.3 engine, and does it have a taller/lazier 5th gear?
Regards, MM
We towed the van home and for the first few tens of metres more metallic noise could be heard, but by the time we reached home (1/2 mile) this had all but gone.
My opinion is that the clutch friction plate has sheared....but then I started to think about other causes of this loss of drive, and here's where you come in.
1. Is there any experience out there of the gearbox input shaft shearing off on other 1.3cdti vehicles?
2. Is there any experience of the gearbox input shaft splines shearing off?
3. Is there any experience of the clutch friction plate splines shearing/stripping?
One final piece of evidence. When I drop the clutch in gear there is a quiet rumble that varies in pitch with the gear selected. From this I conclude that, rather than a clutch problem, there may be a problem at the final drive/differential end. So I repeat some questions:
4. Is there any experience out there of the gearbox differential or output shaft failing from hard use or shock loading? Boy racer failure!?
I await your learned replies, and ask for the following extra info:
5. Does the 1.7cdti gearbox both mate to the 1.3 engine, and does it have a taller/lazier 5th gear?
Regards, MM