Hi Guys,

After 6 month of the Stilo behaving itself ,it is now very difficult to select gears, the clutch is not completely disengaging. This started just after doing an emergency stop / abs coming into use. I don't suppose that the abs could of had air in it and let it into the clutch circuit or could it? I have bled the clutch seemingly without improvement. So is it new clutch time (she has done 120,000) or could it be something else. If a new clutch is required is there a how to guide or can anyone give tips |(such as don't do it etc) -- thanks

Will be similar to Selespeed less having to do the hydraulic bits.
https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-guides/423752-selespeed-clutch-replacement.html

I suspect the jolt that would have gone through the transmission might have been the final straw for your release bearing/concentric slave cylinder. My old clutch (JTD) pegged out at 125,000 because the CSC started leaking ... but the clutch plate and bearing were most of the way towards being worn out too.

Changing the clutch is pretty straightforward but it's a lot of labor.. you need to take the n/s front wheel off, remove the whole wheel hub and disc (hang the caliper from the damper plate) and then pop the driveshaft cup out of the transmission case (after draining the gear oil).

I found it easier to get to the clutch housing by removing the battery and battery tray and detaching the gearbox mount from the inner wing but I'd guess a garage could do it without going in from the top. The housing is held on by half a dozen or eight bolts (when you get to the starter motor you realise that has to be disconnected too).

The gearbox can be pulled straight out towards you .. but rest it on a transmission jack or a trolley jack so you can lower it to the ground. It's 35kg dry, so don't under-estimate how heavy it is. I used a couple of layers of carboard boxes laid flat on the ground so that I could lower it off the jack and cushion it (mine actually fell the last couple of inches) onto the floor. A cardboard sheet under the box makes it easier to drag around too.

To get the box out from under the car (wheel arch) you'll need to jack the car as high as you can get it, so get the biggest jack you can get for that. The wishbone arm knuckle of the sub-frame is in the perfect place to stop the box coming out so (if I recall now.. the cold sweats is coming back Ahhhh Ahhhh Ahhhh ) I think I also removed the air-box.

You'll need a hoist of some kind to put the box back in. I used next door's eight-year-old lad to balance the gearbox on his chest while I rotated it to line up with the housing, to refit it. It made a horrible screeching noise for a while but eventually summoned up enough strength to lift the box from below.

Fit a new everything .. clutch plates, release bearing/CSC and even the flywheel if yours looks remotely dodgy. Once you get this far, you'll have seen it's a job you never want to do ever again. So also buy a good quality clutch (Valeo, Borg etc. not an Oochi-koochi or unbranded).

Mine took me about 4 weekends to do... but if you're determined and have some help and ignore anything that needs cleaning up a bit while you have access, you might be able to do it in two.


Ralf S.

Christ Ralf -- you lulled me into a false sense of security there. It all sounded reasonable and then KAPOW!!!! YOU HIT ME WITH 4 WEEKENDS TO DO IT. I think I will do it though, car too good to scrap. This will only be my second clutch change so I will go steady and at least you didn't mention dropping subframes and all that malarkey. I will probably do the timing belt and water pump at the same time. OHH the joys of owning a FIAT! Wish me luck

By the way Ralf thanks for the info -- much appreciated

Aye! But I did mine with just the neighbour's lad to help, and it was snowing and February so I had to de-frost him before I sent him back to his mum. Hopefully she didn't notice his fingers were all purple and swollen.

I think if you were in a rush, then a couple of days would be enough. I took some time off the main job in hand to source new bolts for the gearbox mount, tidy up the battery wiring, clean up under the battery box and replace some AWOL clips on the various wheel arch liners (best to remove the upper and lower ones) and flush out the sludge trap aka "the sill" etc.

But it made life a lot simpler to remove anything remotely in the way. It might take a bit longer to dis-assemble and reassemble it afterwards but I think it's worth it. Persistence and energy is more of an asset on this job than any particular skill or technique.

Do line up some burly mates for putting the box back on though. It will sit on a jack just nicely so that you can lift it.. but at about 15 degrees too far rotated from how it needs to go on, so some man-handling is required... bearing in mind that it's at arm's length (because of the wheel arch) and it weighs 35kg. I was thinking about lifting it on some straps and holding it up with a scaffolding pole balanced on a pair of step-ladders (I don't have any kind of hoists) but in the end, bloke under the box lifting it, was how it went on.

You can leave the cam-belt and pump for later (it's all on the other side of the motor) but it's worth changing the air-filter while you have all the pipework in bits.. and replace the fuel filter while access to it is as unimpeded as it will ever be. If you dismantle as far as detaching the plastic pipe from the inlet manifold then you can clean that out (mine pools a little oil in there, if I fill the engine oil anywhere over 80% full). And if you fancied blanking the EGR, again now might be a good time.


Ralf S.