For the last couple of weeks I've been slightly unhappy with Becky's clutch (2010 Panda Dynamic Eco - as mentioned above) The slave cylinder "creaks" loudly - and has done for some time - when cold and then again after about half an hour or so, when properly hot. Otherwise it had been working as it should so I had intended to leave it until it either leaked or the weather gets warmer. However there is now a noise when the clutch is just at the "bite point". A gentle wee squeally screech. I first heard it about 2 to 3 weeks ago when it was very slight but it's getting more pronounced (even Mrs Jock can now hear it). My guess is the rivet heads are just "kissing" the pressure plate/flywheel face? Generally I have found in the past that the pressure plate side of a driven plate wears, very slightly, more than the flywheel side so, if it is the rivet heads, maybe I'll get away with a simple clutch kit. Anyway, time to do something about it before any damage is inflicted.
My older boy was over with his Punto the other day so I could renew a worn track rod end which had been knocking away for a few days. The swop over went very smoothly but, for some strange reason, it took me almost an hour to get the wheel alignment (toe) set up afterwards using my "home made" gauge. The weather was sunny and bright, thank goodness, but bitterly cold. By the time I was finished I had no feeling in my fingers and I felt almost unwell! This experience, and the comprehensive "telling off" I got from Mrs Jock, has made me realise that, at 72 years I'm not the man I used to be! So I've decided to let Kenny and his "merry men" at Harrison Motors put a clutch and slave cylinder on the "old girl" I was delighted when he quoted me £290 (approx) so I think there's VAT to go on that and I'm unsure if it includes the price of the slave either, but that sounds a good price to me.
This is the first job (and I suspect as I age, it won't be the last) I've "handed off" on any of the "family fleet" in many years. It's making me feel sad, frail, maybe slightly impotent? and generally old with a lingering feeling of failure and of having let down a friend. On the plus side I can sit in the warm and watch some more old movies on the "Talking Pictures" TV channel!
I'd been promising to give feed back to you on this garage after Becky's MOT which is some time in March, I think? Now I'll be able to do so much sooner as the job's getting done on Monday.