(This is probably more technical, but has a strong discussion slant, so I posted here friendly mod...)
Well, I took the plunge and picked up a Mondeo. Tdci, 130bhp. So thats pretty much the whole collection I've had- Ka, Fiesta (numerous models), Focus, C-Max, and now Mondeo.
The dealer, who was based in Leeds (I'm near Glasgow) was upfront about the car- its had some work to it over its 7 year history. The major worry for me was the fact that the clutch, flywheel and starter were replaced only 2000 miles ago, but as this work came with a receipt, all seemed well.
Test-drive was fine, car was in fine nick for a 7 year old, so I bought it. All seemed well, but then, about 100 miles into the journey home, I noticed that accelerating reasonably hard in 5th gear from about 45mph provoked an odd shudder through the car. Odd, I thought, probably hit a pothole and dinged a wheel or similar.
Imagine my surprise, dear reader, when my local garage tell me that the shudder is definitely not suspension or wheels but is the clutch. I see from the receipt that the garage who fitted it appeared to use a DMF and presumably the attendant bits that go with it.
Its going to be such a hassle sorting this out. PITA. Can a newly-fitted clutch and flywheel really start to fail this fast?
cheers
tt
Edited by theterranaut on 27/03/2009 at 16:13
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What a pain tt. The receipt should help, surely?
I seem to remember that aftermarket kits are available for some Fords to replace the dmf with a conventional solid flywheel. If I were you I would be investigating this. Cheaper than a dmf too so the dealer might be cooperative...
Edited by Lud on 27/03/2009 at 16:19
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Yeah, I met well do that Lud. Local garage has suggested that I-
-get the car inspected and reported at a Ford dealers (their reason being that, if they were in this position and another garage called them on their work, they wouldn't necessarily trust the opinion, whereas Ford should presumably be authoritative)
-call the garage who fitted the clutch and ask if they would accept the report and agree to have a more local (to me) garage do the repair
-finally, for my local garage to do the repair, they have suggested a solid flywheel and conventional clutch plate.
Obviously there's money in it for my local mob, they aren't a charity, but this idea is attractive to me an account of the reduction in hassle.
Know whats galling yet thrilling at the same time? Its such a fun car to drive despite this fault. I just cant wait to get it to a state of normality so that I can enjoy it.
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Might be worth researching the solid flywheel option a bit more before deciding.
Some people say it's a good solution, others say it ruins the drive of the car and wrecks the gearbox, because it was not designed to take the power and torque 'direct' from the engine.
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Yes, check that the solid flywheel hasn't proved less reliable than the dmf and that it is bearable from the refinement point of view. It may well be. It could also be that some people will destroy any clutch or gearbox they get their hands and feet on in short order...
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It has a DMF for a reason I thought. If it had a new clutch and DMF then there might be some warranty. I wonder if the clutch was replaced but the original DMF kept?
Best of luck sorting this. I had a clutch replaced on a Mondeo a few years back. Cause will be linked to a very steep hill start in the lakes about 20k miles earlier.
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Thanks all.
yes, I'm a little concerned about the non-DMF solution- I doubt that a cost-conscious megacorp like Ford would go the expense of fitting such a beast if it wasn't necessary.
rtj- the receipt does state: clutch, flywheel and starter, so I'm assuming all 3 have been done. Certainly £800+ would indicate this! (ouch)
Shame this. It tarnishes whats otherwise an excellent car-
tt
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When my clutch alone was done at a Ford dealer it was close to £1000 I believe (company car so do not see figures). It did not include a DMF. The front subframe need dropping on Mondeo MkIII to to the clutch so a lot of work involved.
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rtj-
how was it afterwards? did you notice any difference in vibration, etc?
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Mine did not vibrate it was simply a slipping clutch which obviously was fine afterwards. Which makes me wonder if yours is DMF - was it really replaced at the time of clutch replacement?
My post was to draw your attention to the cost of just a clutch change.
Edited by rtj70 on 27/03/2009 at 19:26
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I'm sorry but I have a problem with the term "dual mass flywheel".
Unless this component is made from some wonderful material that changes the elements that it is made from, I doubt that it can have 2 different masses at different times.
Maybe "dual weight flywheel" is possible, since weight is dependent upon forces imposed upon a mass.
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A fair point. But- are you really a Doctor, Chris? Of the medical kind, I mean. If so, ever used the term "mass" with a patient to describe a conglomeration of cells that are differentiated from the tissues they crop up in? Mass can mean many things in the common way.
But I take your point; I'm all for accuracy when it comes to terminology, especially in my game. No confusion= a good thing.
tt
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tt, I accept your point.
However, I would like to think that the designers of motor vehicles understood basic physics which their naming of this component suggests they do not.
I was employed as a medical doctor but don't work in that field anymore, partly because governments have stripped out scientific validity from medicine, replacing it with political dogma.
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Chris-
I'm not the only one that left the bedsides, to escape the endless stream of govt initiatives and stats it seems!
But yeah, you're bang on: DMF is a technically meaningless term, when you really look at it. Some will call us pedants, but the term is out there now and it would be tricky to change it.
tt
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I'm sorry but I have a problem with the term "dual mass flywheel". Unless this component is made from some wonderful material that changes the elements that it is made from I doubt that it can have 2 different masses at different time
Dual mass is intended to mean that these gadgets have two elements which act as independent inertial masses for the purpose of absorbing/damping rotational accelerations.
There are then two different masses present and in earth's gravity they do have weight, but if the engine was weightless in a spacecraft their masses would have the same smoothing effect as here.
So is it really a misleading term?
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I'm sorry but I have a problem with the term "dual mass flywheel".
recent discussion here
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=61626
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I assume the previous clutch was fitted when the previous owner had the car. He then sold it to a dealer, who sold it to you.
1. You have no contract with the garage that fitted the last clutch. (Unless the work came with a guarantee that is transferrable to a subsequent buyer.)
2. Your dealer has no contract with them either.
3. Your contract is with the garage that sold you the car.
4. They sold you a car that is not fit for your known purpose.
5. They need to sort it out.
Either you will be refunded the purchase cost, or they will fix it - or pay somebody to fix it.
The garage that fitted the replacement is not in the picture at all.
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now you know why the last owner got shut- when it was 'working', sort off.
You need to do likewise.
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