Well my 2003 JTD is up for sale

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/282085276468?

The problem with the crank pulley is definitely down to the new LUK DMF I fitted and whilst I have the original VALEO that is perfect I have no further interest in redoing the job.

I bought a 2007 1.6 Zafira with ONLY 13K on the clock. With a find like this my motivation to fix the Bug is non-existant. Someone is going to get of £600 of new parts when they but this.

If it doesn't sell I will strip it and sell for spares

Huh, get this. This damn DMF has been weighing on my mind for days and doing some research last night I discover that the outfit I bought it from are reported to be selling Branded fakes. The list of people who have had similar failures are long when you do a search on the companies name. The is even one video on Youtube showing a brand new DMF from them with major play.

So the mechanic in me says I will NOT be beaten by this problem so I have ended the listing, will put this damn thing on a SORN and fix it as and when I have the time. Then once done sell it with a clear conscience.

It will be your daily driver again yet

glowplug said:

The is even one video on Youtube showing a brand new DMF from them with major play.

Click to expand...

Care to post a link to the video?

Don't want to get sued so do a search for "Brand New LUK DMF receives from"

Mmmm. However, judging by the vid that YouTube kindly cued up for me immediately after watching the one you refer to:



it looks as though the DMF shown could be within the tolerance limit for an LUK item. They quote a 20 degrees limit, which seems a hell of a lot.

There was a lot of play and rock on the one I fitted and I should have gone with my gut instinct not to fit BUT just like you I watched this same vid. What it does not cover is how to check balance and if balance is out the whole thing is useless. At the end of the day, apart from the steering pump this was the only thing I changed in that region. I cannot see the pump causing the pulleys to fail as an AC compressor adds way more load. Besides the pump is working fine.

So just to update this DMF saga, I took off the auxillary belt this afternoon and took it for a 10 mile drive to isolate the possibility of the new steering pump being the cause of my crank pulley woes.

Alas wishful thinking when I returned so too had the problem. In fact now without the aux belt I could now feel the very definite movement in the outer ring of the pulley. The reason being that the harmonic vibrations going through the crankshaft from the unbalanced DMF translate as heat energy in the rubber Elastomer that joins the inner and outer rings. Obviously as the rubber heats it becomes soft and flexible. Indeed I could move by hand and without excess force the outer ring about 5-6mm in either direction equating to a 1-1.2cm overall deflection. This would account for the harsh noise I hear and explain why the car is quiet when cold.

The positive of today's drive was the exponential increase in forearm strength due to driving without P/S despite pumping the tyres up to 3 bar

So tomorrow I start the ardous task of stripping the whole lot down again.

Look what I found on Alibaba, whilst it is not my part number it clearly indicates that the Chinese are copying and selling LUK parts

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/ATX-0AM-Automatic-Transmission-LUK-auto_60449918852.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.9b7IiM

Just look at that box and tell me that it wouldn't fool just about anyone?

And not just LUK either see here

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Sachs-Luk-Valeo_134917127.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.bREF6W

Now this guy cleverly does not show pictures etc, he just says "large stock available"

This is probably as a result of Multipla production plant being moved to China after Fiat ceased making them. I would have thought the entire supply chain would have moved there with it (I can't see it being viable any other way, orvthe Chinese government being happy to allow import of parts from Italy/Europe for a Chinese-built car). To me it seems very likely that at least some of the cheaper Multipla parts for sale on ebay are being brought into Europe by sellers realising they can make a killing. Perhaps the practice is more widespread than just ebay

So the LUK system is off and there is a 2KG difference in overall mass between the LUK and the original Valeo setup. The Valeo is 2KG heavier. 2KG represents a huge about of rotational mass and consequently dampening effect. I am very peeved that I have had to do this job again. I will NEVER by large work intensive components from eBay again.

So after being screwed around by some real rectal orifices from eBay a really nice couple came to collect the car tonight. I took them for a test drive and on the way back the car hiccoughed big time and then carried on. I said to them "it has never done that before" which was true in 8 years I have never experienced that. Anyhow we concluded the deal, they went on their way only to phone be a few minutes later to say the car had broken down with a Engine Management Fault......I thought lord almighty what are the chances and why today. Anyhow went down, ,plugged in MultiECUscan, and it was the CPS. 8 years I have had that car and never once has that thing caused any trouble, today they day I sell it it chooses to die ?????????????

I was fortunate on two counts

1. I had a brand new spare that I had bought as part of my rebuild in April but with all the drama with the DMF never got round to changing

2. They were a VERY understanding couple. Most would have simply said..stuff that give me my money back!

Anyhow, towed them back, changed the sensor and they went on there way.

So guys it has been a great time over the last 8 years, I have gained a lot from this forum and hope that I have given some back. I am now off to make a new home on the Vauxhall forum. All the best.