Dreaded Clutch Time!

Hi all,

sorry for being unlogged but I'm home as...

...yesterday evening, after having stopped for a drink, enter the car, start up, try to put 1st, but it didn't want! Same behavior with all other gears. Clutch pedal well on the floor, bit of revving, gears enter very forcefully. When stationnary, engine on, it now makes an audible noise which goes away when I depress the clutch pedal. All was normal till the moment I parked in front of the coffee place. I was expecting the clutch to go at some point of time as the pedal was very high up. But this was sudden, yes!

So, is it clutch time for me??

Are you all positive that the only way to do a clutch on a 12v V6 is engine out? My indy's never done it and wouldn't know. What else could I look for while on the job? I was thinking exhaust manifold gaskets.

Thanks for any advice!
George

Check your bell-housing bolts for tightness, particularly under the car.

Right, indy says 170+vat for clutch and they believe they can fit it without removing the engine, as they do on 2lt XMs (based on the assumption that the V6 is shorter than the 4-cyl 2lt).

In the meanwhile I'm trying the french ebay as I spotted a clutch for the 24v PRV for 144 euro, so I contacted them to see if they could source on for the 12v. I wish I had my parts catalogue with me to advise them myself ! (it's at office, where I'm only going on Monday).

I'll try to drive it to indy's for Monday and only then they'll be able to tell more.

regards
George

Right, so I bought a clutch over ebay, seller (shop) assured me it *was* the one for an April '94 12v V6, price was £100, indy tried to fit it today and of course it doesn't do...it seems it's for the post middle-1994 gearbox on this car (yes, the old PRVs got important changes in the gearbox with the S2 ! After various phonecalls, one clutch was found that is said to be for mine, and it's coming tomorrow. Price £170+vat. Fingers crossed.

Interestingly, the interim bearing of the longer of the 2 drive shafts was found quite in a bad state (fell apart), but thanks God this is an off-the-shelf part.

As for the clutch, one of the 4 springs had been obviously been scratching the flywheel, so this was the source of noise that drove me into the garage (indy said the abovementioned bearing is not known to make noise when failing). The noise had gone away just with a slight tightening of the clutch cable a week ago. But the clutch plate was almost finished anyway, so definitely a good move to change it.

Good enough, this job can be done easily without removing the engine -as I had read in various places-. I think it is the 2nd generation gearboxes on these engines that needs engine be removed.

George