Ford Puma clutch

Car: Ford Puma
Variant: 1.7
Model Year: 2000

Categories: Gearbox & Clutch

Hi everyone, I am new to autoinsider.

I have had my Puma for about a month now and the clutch was slipping so had it changed. The mechanic said it was slipping due to oil contamination and said he could not see where the oil was coming from.
Since I have had this done, the gearstick is very floppy and sometimes I cannot get any gears at all. This is an intermittent problem and most of the time the car drives fine. What I find is the biting point is sometimes very very low or quite high. It always used to be high. This morning however when I pressed the clutch there seemed to be nothing there at all! I had to drive the car back home in first.

When I got it home, I pumped the clutch pedal a few times and the clutch magically reappeared! My clutch pedal is quite stiff but always has been.

Is this a hydraulic problem (due to the biting point moving around?)

Is there something that the mecahnic who fitted the new clutch should have done.

I never had any problems with my gears before the new clutch was fitted.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks

Posted: Nov 30, 2009 (14 years ago)

peachesdelight2k

Points: 3

you should try your clutch fluid level on hydraulic clutches fluid should never be allowed to get low. if you are having different biting points or spongy feeling pedals id get the hydraulic clutch bled as it might have air pockets in the fluid

Posted Nov 30, 2009 (14 years ago)

ridinc0up3

Points: 3

Seems you have two problems , one with gear linkage set up / adjustment and the other with hydraulics . The gear stick fault was not there prior to clutch being fitted and should be down to whoever done job .If the clutch fault was caused by oil contamination ,I would not have allowed my mechanics to fit new parts till cause of oil leak was rectified . Otherwise , if unchecked ,new clutch will go same way .If it was engine oil , common cause is crankshaft oil seal failure . Could it have been clutch fluid ?A lot of garages now advise on replacing clutch slave cyl. at same time as clutch assembly .If there is air in system , you could try bleeding. If it persists , either master cyl.and or slave cyl . need replacing.This is only my opinion and what I would have done , don't say you have been on a forum for advice , they don't like it . I don't like it myself and have told customers to take their cars to them for repair .Hope this helps you .

Posted Nov 30, 2009 (14 years ago)

whittingehame

Points: 38,543

Thanks for your comments. Car has now rapidly deteriorated and clutch does not appear to be doing much at all.

It may be the slave cylinder has gone now. I di dask the guy who fitted the clutch to check the slave cylinder as well and he said it was fine. I also asked him where the oil was coming from when he fitted the clutch and he said he could not find anything and "there was not a lot of oil in the box" so he did not see how it had happened.

ANyway, when I found the gears to be floppy I did bring it back to him and he was the rudest pig ever and refused to do anything, I am going to try and get the car to a garage tomorrow and I want them to check it out and see what has gone on.

Posted Dec 1, 2009 (14 years ago)

peachesdelight2k

Points: 3

You usually can tell whether it is engine oil or gear oil .Maybe the fact that the gearbox was low on oil was a clue where the oil on clutch plate was coming from ???????? Maybe spigot shaft oil seal .Doing the right thing getting car checked out by someone else .

Posted Dec 1, 2009 (14 years ago)

whittingehame

Points: 38,543

Thanks for your response. Garage said that it is either slave cylinder or master cylinder. Am bringing it back to crook who fitted clutch in the first place and he has said it sounds like the master cylinder. He is willing to change it for a fee! Negotiation should be interesting as this could all have been done when clutch was changed as he obviously did not investigate the problem properly in the first place...

Posted Dec 18, 2009 (14 years ago)

peachesdelight2k

Points: 3

where is the clutch fluid reservoir ??? i got my car without the manual ...is it the same as the brake reservoir ?? what dot fluid do i need??

Posted Dec 27, 2009 (14 years ago)

yoshimura31

Points: 2