Technical Clutch/DMF life

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Technical Clutch/DMF life

sebasteeno

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Hi thinking of buying a Croma 1.9 JTD 16V only im wanting to know how the clutch/dmf normally lasts on these cars?
 
Hi thinking of buying a Croma 1.9 JTD 16V only im wanting to know how the clutch/dmf normally lasts on these cars?
In theory these parts should last the lifetime of the car, but as with anything it depends how much abuse they have had with poor driving techniques, I have not heard stories on this forum of either being a particular problem on JTD engines. Early DMFs were not robust, Peugeot owners in particular who I know have had problems with them and they are expensive to repair. I think cars that have been used for towing may suffer more but I don't have experience of this myself.
 
Thats funny as i currently own a Pug 407 SW 1.6hdi and the clutch/dmf went just before xmas leaving me with a £750 bill to fix!

But by your info a 56 plate 1 owner car thats covered 135k miles mostly on motorways should be ok then?
 
Mileage means nothing really. You don't touch it on the motorway, but popping to the shop round the corner and parking eats it, depending a lot on who's driving it, how hilly it is etc.

You can check the clutch wear (very roughly) by seeing where it bites. The higher the pedal, the more it's worn. Unless the seller knows it's on its last legs and has adjusted it accordingly.
 
Hi thinking of buying a Croma 1.9 JTD 16V only im wanting to know how the clutch/dmf normally lasts on these cars?

My old man introduced me to the clutch test many years ago, to determine the wastage or % wear on a clutch.

For example on a manual 6 speed croma, with car on flat level surface, run the engine at idle speed and enagage 6th, as you release the clutch pedal, if the car is about to stall instead of creeping, then depress the clutch again and do the same for 5th gear and so on.

If the gear your in, the car starts to creep forward, or moves forward once clutch pedal released, without stalling, then you can assume the percentage wear, for example is creeps or moves forward in 3rd Gear out of 6 gears, it can be assume your clutch is 45% worn.

i.e 5 speed gearbox, each gear is 20% wastage, 6 speed gearbox, each gear is 16.5% wastage etc.

This has worked for me on my Fiat*s.
 
I think I'm the only one here to have a clutch failure.

In my case it happended at 45,734 miles. One owner/driver me.

In my case the coverplate diaphram spring broke. The clutch plate had plenty of meat on it (I also tow a caravan) but the DMF had about 3 or 5 degrees of loose rotational play in it.

The "lifetime" quotes for DMFs are in my opinion just pure marketing hype. If you ever need to change a clutch or slave then you should change the DMF at the same time (expensive!)

What adds more cost in the case of the Croma is that the WHOLE FRONT SUBFRAME has to be reoved to get the gearbox out. Not a DIY job and expensive and time consuming in a garage.

If, I hope not, then next time my Croma needs a clutch/DMF then I might strongly consider a conversion to a tradition clutch/flywheel setup.
 
If the gear your in, the car starts to creep forward, or moves forward once clutch pedal released, without stalling, then you can assume the percentage wear, for example is creeps or moves forward in 3rd Gear out of 6 gears, it can be assume your clutch is 45% worn.

i don't quite get how this procedure proves the percentage wear on the clutch plate

do you mean that if i could drop (fully depress) a clutch in 3rd gear with idling engine it would creep forward instead of stalling then i have 65% of cluch plate left?

that's an absurd

what's going to happen at 2-2,5k revs where engine is giving a lot higher torque then at 900 odd...?

i have a 6-speed croma 150, 83000 miles, just tried it and i cannot depress my clutch in 6th without it stalling. Does it mean that at this mileage i got 100% of clutch left? Noooo way....

i recon that if you can depress your clutch pedal in 5-6th gear then your plate is badly worn, and if you can do this in 3-4th then it's gone because it's slipping so bad

edit:
just tried it on my wife's v-plate merc a190 86k miles and it stalls in 5th even though normally the clutch bites very high
 
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