Technical Gearbox/clutch issue

[metalbasher]

Hi all, I know it's been covered lots of times when searching the forum but I believe our 2014 500 twinair has an issue that may not have been covered.
the car has done 24k, mainly in traffic, a few weeks back it started getting difficult to get into gear, there is no gearbox noise and the selector cables are fine, also selecting reverse nearly always crunches.
Now the symptoms have escalated with the car near stalling when coming to a stop when in gear with the clutch depressed.
My first thought is that my partner is the type of driver that sits in traffic with the clutch down in first gear and the diaphragm fingers may be sticking out too far, preventing a full clutch press.
The final thing is everytime the clutch is pressed with engine either on or off, there is a squeak from under the bonnet.
I'd take it to a garage but there is a fair bit of profiteering going on with the few garages that are open during the corona lockdown.
can anyone shed any light on this?
TIA

 

[portland_bill]

With the 1.2, a squeak is usually an indication of wear in the hydraulic cylinders. They are plastic, and when they wear, they become 'sticky'. Replacement of both is the best fix.

The twinair might be different, I would expect it to have a dual-mass flywheel, and might have a concentric slave cylinder, which will be inside the bell-housing. These might cause the same squeak, but I do not remember seeing any threads specifically on the twinair.

Ideally you need to have your ear near the noise as it occurs. Drag your wife outside and get her to gently press and release the clutch, while you move around under the bonnet, or under her feet, to locate exactly where the squeak is. Hopefully that will help locate and diagnose the issue.

 

[metalbasher]

Thanks for that, for a little context my dad retired from running his own garage two years back, I took the car round to him this morning and no squeak (typical) but he says the clutch is way too heavy and replacing it would be the first part to replace, also fairly sure the clutch isn't dual mass, entering the reg on parts website shows standard clutch.

 

[John202020]

Rule out simple things first, replace the clutch fluid, check the operation of the slave cylinder(had to replace both slave and master on our 1.2) can you select gears easily with the engine off? reverse-always select 4th then straight into reverse without letting up the clutch, bet its silent.

 

[maggers]

We did one at work a couple of months ago, the release bearing had collapsed. The garage i work at is in Cannock if it's any use.

 

[portland_bill]

Thanks for that, for a little context my dad retired from running his own garage two years back, I took the car round to him this morning and no squeak (typical) but he says the clutch is way too heavy and replacing it would be the first part to replace, also fairly sure the clutch isn't dual mass, entering the reg on parts website shows standard clutch.

A heavy clutch on the little FIRE engines is usually a sign of it needing replacement. So quite likely true of the twinair too.

 

[metalbasher]

Well, turns out to be a DMF and centre bearing has collapsed, I'm just hoping that as we caught it early the input shaft and bearings aren't ruined.
Pretty poor for a clutch with 25k on it. :bang:

 

[chris3234]

Has it sat with foot on clutch at light's all the time?
With you or previous owner?

 

[metalbasher]

Has it sat with foot on clutch at light's all the time?
With you or previous owner?

Current owner! I tell her all the time that she'll ruin the clutch, I'm hoping that 500 quid later the penny might drop