Had a new clutch and slave cylinder fitted to the freel around a week ago now. When I collected the car it was absolutely perfect and I was completetly happy with it. My girlfriend uses it during the week, so it was only wen she said to me a few days after that she was struggling to select reverse I thought I'd better have a drive and check.
I was quite shocked at how much it had changed in a few days! It is a struggle to select any gears now, especially first and reverse.
I took it back to the garage that did the clutch yesterday as they said they'd bleed it again as it might be air in the system, they tried this but then said that it definately wasn't air as they'd bled it again and again, but they think by the way it feels that the master cylinder has now gone.
Now fair play to them, they've said they'll whack a master cylinder in, if it works then it's only around a £50 bill to me, but if it doesn't then they'll strip it back down and investigate at no charge to me and won't charge for the master cylinder either.

Now my question is, does this seem logical to any of you mechanics out there. I can only assume that if the clutch installation had gone wrong or a component that was fitted was duff, then surely it wouldn't have driven perferct on
the way home when I collected it?

Any help much appreciated, I will keep updating as I know more, it's have the master cyclinder fitted on Tuesday.

Just a thought but it is necessary to adjust the cables under the gear stick when you disturb the gearbox. There are instructions on the web on how to do it but basically you put the gear lever in a certain position and there is an adjuster clip on one of the cables under the gaiter (easily removed). I wonder if that has not been clicked back in position properly and it has slipped?

This may or may not be relevant? I think the gear change is a bit clunky, the clutch was changed prior to my purchase so don't know what it was like before. I have greased and greased all gear linkages, but no difference. I then checked the mechanism that the links go to, I presume that is the selector? (You may tell that I am not a mechanic!), I moved this manually with my hand, seems very clunky even when someone was pressing the clutch for me, so I presume it is down to the selector? I did read somewhere that this could be put together incorrectly, but can't find the post! I have not done anything further with this due to time, but will read the posts with interest. Good luck

Just to update on this, the garage replaced the master cylinder and it didn't make any difference at all. They've said that it must be the slave cylinder they fitted when doing the new clutch is faulty, so they've stripped out gearbox again today and are taking delivery of a replacement slave cylinder first thing in the morning now.
They've said it will be all fitted and tested in good time tomorrow, so hopefully this will sort it, as I'm getting seriously pi##ed off now as you can imagine!
Will update when I know more guys.

Hi,

it will be interesting to see if this resolves your issue as i have exactly the same problem.
New clutch and slave cylinder fitted at 11k due to not being able to select gears. Especially 1st, 2nd and reverse.
Car now done 18k with exactly the same problem. Car booked in january, to hopefully resolve, again???

Just had my clutch replaced too as it basically stuck the pedal to the floor - http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic21487.html

Hope I don't have a similar situation - My mechanic did say that whilst he was in the governs and replacing one cylinder, that he may as well replace both as the all new working parts could well "see off" any old worn parts left in their. None of us wanted your situation of reassembling the car (which he said was in a million pieces!) only to need to re-strip it.

I'm sure it'll all work out - my new clutch is so different from when I bought the car - much nicer, softer and easier to use. The FL2 gearbox has always been nice too in the manual version. This is the main reason I switched my attentions from the Auto I was looking for - that and the fact that she'd already had the full facelift which my wife would have spotted!

I'm no longer allowed to mod my cars after I began importing NasCar exhausts for my Hyundai Coupe Siii !!!

Next installment, the garage finished completely stripping the gearbox this morning to then call and tell me that my flywheel was now knackered and had taken out the new slave cylinder too - hence the problems I'd been experiencing that the new master cylinder obviously didn't fix.
Apparently the flywheel was ok when the new clutch was fitted around a week ago, but fitting the new clutch seems to have finished it off extremely quickly and as I said this has taken out the new slave cylinder now.
The new flywheel and slave was going in this afternoon so is going to be finished for tomorrow now, I just really hope it's all good now, it should be as all parts will be new now after all this.

I can't see how a flywheel can deteriorate in a week just by having a new clutch fitted unless the clutch was faulty and caused the deterioration. The most I'd be expecting to pay for this would be the parts only cost of the flywheel. Nothing else.

Well this basically what I've said, but I train people in crash repair and bodywork, so am no mechanic.
I do agree though, but when I questioned it they've just said that they can deteriorate and let go, but just usually not this quickly, he said it is the quickest one he's seen by far.
He said he'll show me the old one - not sure how much I'll be able to see, but I'll have a look anyway.
Apparently when they did my clutch there was only a minimun amount of movement in the flywheel and they were confident that it didn't warrant relacing?

Steve D wrote:

I can't see how a flywheel can deteriorate in a week just by having a new clutch fitted unless the clutch was faulty and caused the deterioration. The most I'd be expecting to pay for this would be the parts only cost of the flywheel. Nothing else.

Seems to me they didn't check it correctly the first time round, to save face they've said they will strip it again with the labour FOC, you only paying for the parts that should have been replaced originally.

Exactly, the only good thing after all of the agro is that the car has had a new master cylinder too now (FOC), so when it's done it will have had the whole lot, so should be all good for a while fingers crossed!

I suspect they didn't put the thing together properly.
In any event, due to known DMF failures, it would have been prudent to fit a new one when the gearbox was removed.
Who replaced the clutch, dealer or otherwise? Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

Sounds like your clutch pedal needs a new car on it.

even with all the hassle you've encountered, if its working properly now it still seems a good price for a complete clutch system overhaul
at least the mechanics assisted you, it would have been aggro if they were not so obliging - FL2 3.2 i6 - There is no Replacement for Displacement

If my wife ever sells my stuff for what I told her I paid for it, there will be some bargains out there!