Technical Clutch help

[stilo16v]

My 52 Stilo has only done 36K miles but i think the clutch is done.

The bite is really high, it judders when its warm and the pedal squeeks and is a bit notchy.

It doesnt slip though, ive tried it on some steep hills and it still pulls away fine, all be it juddering.

I suspect i need a new clutch but is there anything i can do to make it a bit better/last a while longer?

I think the cable might be causing the notchy, creaking pedal, so maybe i should replace that first.

The thing i have noticed though is that if i bring the clutch up a bit the car wants to pull away, but i then have to bring the clutch up an awful lot more to get the car to move!

The car is costing quite a bit at the moment with the various things it needs doing, so id ideally like it to last a bit longer. It will be doing more miles than it has done from now on (about 1300-1500 a month) so it needs to be reliable.

Had i best just bite the bullet and get it replaced?

 

[850kd]

For what its worth my clutch on the 02 1.2 had judder for about 20k miles before I replaced it. The thrust bearing disintegrated when it was taken apart. It sounds like you will have to do it sooner or later. Our other stlio 54 1.4 had a new clutch under warranty for judder at about 26k, but i dont know what condition the old one was in when it came out because the dealer kept the bits.
Where are you located 16v?

 

[stilo16v]

Thanks for that, looks like my clutch may have a little life left in it yet then.

I only bought it last week so im just getting round to doing everything.

Its had: Full New exhaust, full service, new spark plugs - since i got it.

But it needs soon: Front discs and pads, cambelt change, passenger door mirror cover, spare key, clutch changed.

So there is a lot more money to be spent :hm:

Thanks

Oh and im in the North East.

 

[850kd]

Because of your location I cant help by putting you in contact with my local repairer. For the record we put a Valeo clutch in my car but it is showing some noise at startup sometimes- its been on about 20k. On the other car we had a Fiat recon clutch via dealer . Thats performed perfectly since (10k). There have clutch recommendations on the forum so do a search to obtain a balanced view. Good luck

 

[PNL]

I still have a complete fiat clutch assembly for a 1.6 here at home I never used [genuine fiat parts]..If you need it pm me for a price

http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/index.cfm?action=catalogue.list

I'm looking for around half the price of their price and its where I bought the kit..

 

[stilo16v]

Thanks for the help, both of you.

Ill get in touch when the time comes to replace it

I think the cable might be my main problem, the clutch doesnt slip even on the steepest of hills. On the flat the bites takes up early on the travel but its only enough to hold the car, the clutch needs to be brought up about an inch or more before it moves. Very odd, not had a car like that before. So im not sure if thats the cable or just the clutch itself.

Since it doesnt appear to be near to slipping ill leave it and see how it goes for a bit.

Do i take it that clutches are a bit of a weak point on the stilo? Since both of yours have had clutch problems?

 

[minimad99]

Not that i've heard of, depends on your driving style and mileage i guess.
You could try bleeding the slave cylinder, i did that when my biting point got a bit low, the fluid that came out was nearly black, YUCK, worth a try

 

[stilo16v]

Ive not yet had it a week so its not my driving Milage is 36000.

That might be worth a try though, thanks

 

[Deckchair5]

If it's any help to compare, my 1.6 Stilo is on 68K miles on the original clutch. I thought it was going at 46K and started investigating clutch repair shops as it caught me unawares with slipping but the 1.6 clutch does heat up real fast as a penalty i guess for being very soft and smooth. So, with very little provoking, like a quick pull away or crawling up hill, it soon overheats to the point of too easy slipping. Once cooled down all is fine again. Anyway, thats was 20K miles ago and it's still the same now

Squeaks are usually a sign that lub is needed at the pedal pivot and some lub at the slave cylinder/clutch arm pivot works wonders as that's a VERY heavy load point. Other than that, it's seemingly quite a long lasting clutch

 

[850kd]

I agree with deckchair re longevity . My 1.2 had done 103k when the valeo went in as a replacement.

 

[stilo16v]

Thanks for the advice

It should last a while longer then.

Its booked in for wednesday at a fiat specialist for its cambelt and water pump so ill ask them to check it out and see if it needs a new cable or something.

Its really the juddering which is annyoying, when in traffic it judders a lot, so it seems its worse when the clutch is hot.

 

[stilo16v]

THe clutch is still working perfectly other than the ocassional juddering. Im starting to wonder if its maybe an oil leak causing the judder.

The car does use a bit of oil, so its ifs leaking around the clutch area it may make the judder?

I had a quick look under it today and it is very damp looking round the gearbox, although i dont think its coming from the gearbox itself. Might be the cause. Ill get that checked out.

BTW, should a 1.6 stilo have a full undertray?

Thanks.

 

[oliemery311]

you should get the leak looked at, got my seal replaced just before the warranty ran out, gearbox leaks are apparently quite common on the stilo.

 

[Argonought]

you should get the leak looked at, got my seal replaced just before the warranty ran out, gearbox leaks are apparently quite common on the stilo.

If it is oil contamination of the clutch then it's more likely to be crankshaft seal at the flywheel I'd have thought

Outside warranty I'd be inclined to put up with it - at least until you're forced to change the clutch.

 

[Davren]

I maybe wrong but I don't think any of the Stilo range have clutch cables. Thought they were all hydraulic.

Dave.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

mine has judder on it occasionally and is a 1.2, but it has got 30k on the clutch, but then its alwasys been the same

 

[jostheboss]

crank seals are a fairly easy thing to do arent they? Pig of the job is taking the box out of the way.

If its intermittant then its not going to be a cable or something simple like that. try bleeding it as that only takes a few mins, then if you've still got it, have a look in your bellhousing for oil... then find the leak!!

 

[stilo16v]

You can blead the clutch? Hmm, that might be an idea.

The clutch judder only happens sometime, usually when ive been on a dual carrigeway for a while then get into town in heavy traffic.

When the car is cold and has been stood a while the clutch works fine.

 

[stilo16v]

Ive had the leak checked, its coming from the gearbox. So put some seal conditioner in the gearbox to see if that helps things, it does appear to be filled with oil though.

 

[Steely]

If it's any help to compare, my 1.6 Stilo is on 68K miles on the original clutch. I thought it was going at 46K and started investigating clutch repair shops as it caught me unawares with slipping but the 1.6 clutch does heat up real fast as a penalty i guess for being very soft and smooth. So, with very little provoking, like a quick pull away or crawling up hill, it soon overheats to the point of too easy slipping. Once cooled down all is fine again. Anyway, thats was 20K miles ago and it's still the same now

Squeaks are usually a sign that lub is needed at the pedal pivot and some lub at the slave cylinder/clutch arm pivot works wonders as that's a VERY heavy load point. Other than that, it's seemingly quite a long lasting clutch

thats nice to know!, i had it slip in 2nd just this week, mainly due to the fact some idiot in a transit pulled out on me from a side road, so i had to slam on and literally stop, slightly annoyed i boted it in first dropped to second and got the biting point wrong, slipped for a few secs then had a very nasty aroma in the car,


gave it the once over after just t make sure, and alls good, still bites about midway,


just a thought could the problem with your clutch be master and slave cylinder related on the pedal??