Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: JamesV6CDX on 20 September 2007, 18:32:15

Title: Clutch drag
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 20 September 2007, 18:32:15
Please could someone describe to me, the exact symptoms you see, when the clutch "drags"?

Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: Kevin Wood on 20 September 2007, 20:32:49
Difficulty engaging gears, normally. Especially 1st and reverse from a standstill.

Car creeping forward slightly when in gear and clutch is fully depressed?

If pumping the pedal a couple of times cures it it could be a hydraulic problem, otherwise maladjustment or contamination of the surfaces of the clutch?

Kevin
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: EddieX on 20 September 2007, 20:35:05
Clutch drag is when you floor the clutch peddle but the clutch does not fully disengage.
This makes gear changing difficult. If it's really bad, you can't engage first gear with the car stationary and the engine running.
Eddie.  
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: EddieX on 20 September 2007, 20:36:29
Beat me to it!  :y

Eddie.
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: Entwood on 20 September 2007, 20:36:53
From ::

http://www.nationwideautocentres.co.uk/services_clutches.asp


DRAG – Clutch cable not at correct adjustment or centre plate sticking on splines. The symptoms of this would be difficulty in obtaining gear, particularly first and reverse gears.

HTH

:)
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: Chopsdad on 20 September 2007, 21:38:18
I've had problems on and off for the past 3m.  At one point 1st from standstill was impossible as was reverse - the trick is to slip it into 3rd first and then select the gear.  

Oddly it's been fine for the past 6 weeks.  It happened after I flushed the coolant system but I could never see any connection - just wierd :-/
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: The Cambelt Kid on 21 September 2007, 11:29:42
Quote
I've had problems on and off for the past 3m.  At one point 1st from standstill was impossible as was reverse - the trick is to slip it into 3rd first and then select the gear.  

Oddly it's been fine for the past 6 weeks.  It happened after I flushed the coolant system but I could never see any connection - just wierd :-/


I've experienced the same problem since dropping the coolant a few times while installing LPG in my car.  Strange!

It can be very difficult to engage gear sometimes, more so when engine is hot.

What can be done to ease gear changes?  fluid change?
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JayUK on 21 September 2007, 13:42:32
I've got this same problem right now. First thing in the morning, it takes some going to get the car into reverse, and then 1st when moving out of the car park.

I've recently had the clutch replaced after it was on it's way out. Apart from charging me £360 (ouch) to replace the clutch and the slave concentric doohickey, the guy did say it can take a few hundred miles to sort itself out.

Should I be getting them to check it again?
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 21 September 2007, 14:02:11
Hmmm, tough call.

It should work from day one.

Also, I have never seen a slave fail on an Omega and it baffles me as to why some change it becasue its about the same price as the rest put together.

As a test for you all......when you first start the car, put it in 3rd gear with your foot on the clutch when you crank it over....does it now go in all gears without any problems?
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 21 September 2007, 18:08:20
Quote
Hmmm, tough call.

It should work from day one.

Also, I have never seen a slave fail on an Omega and it baffles me as to why some change it becasue its about the same price as the rest put together.

As a test for you all......when you first start the car, put it in 3rd gear with your foot on the clutch when you crank it over....does it now go in all gears without any problems?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

What does this indicate? I guess it's saying clutch is OK, and it's a possibly box/synchro issue?
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: The Cambelt Kid on 21 September 2007, 20:15:19
Mark - Yes that worked for me too  :)
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 21 September 2007, 20:17:53
Presume it's not a clutch issue, then?  :-/
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 21 September 2007, 21:19:44
Clutch plate is sticking......are you loosing any coolant?

By putting it in third when you crank it you effectively lock the gearbox input shaft and as the flywheel turns it frees the clutch friction plate from the flywheel and pressure plate.
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 21 September 2007, 21:34:37
Quote
Clutch plate is sticking......are you loosing any coolant?

By putting it in third when you crank it you effectively lock the gearbox input shaft and as the flywheel turns it frees the clutch friction plate from the flywheel and pressure plate.

Ahhh.. learn something new everyday!

If I have lost any coolant, it will only be a few ml in the last 1000 miles, I've not had to top up.

How is this coolant relevent Mark? Are you thinking a leak at the back would contaminate the clutch? Or is it related in some other way?

:)
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 21 September 2007, 21:36:57
I have a suspision that a coolant leak at the rear could result in coolant getting through the bell housing to block joint and onto the clutch and/or flywheel...
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 21 September 2007, 21:40:12
Quote
I have a suspision that a coolant leak at the rear could result in coolant getting through the bell housing to block joint and onto the clutch and/or flywheel...

Shall I just stop pussy-footing around and throw a new clutch in it, then? ;D
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: The Cambelt Kid on 22 September 2007, 10:26:44
Quote
I have a suspision that a coolant leak at the rear could result in coolant getting through the bell housing to block joint and onto the clutch and/or flywheel...


WOW!  while cutting into the coolant pipes for the LPG install i did have a small leak to the rear which i have now resolved, so from what you say Mark i guess i have contaminated my clutch?

I didn't drive with the leak as i noticed it when i started the car on the drive, i had smoke puffing out all over the place.
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JasonH on 22 September 2007, 12:09:39
The gearbox bell housing just bolts to the back of the engine - flat to flat (metal to metal).

If you pour water down the back on the engine it's likely that some may drip through the joint. And below the joint is pretty much where the clutch plate sits. So it's possible some may get in there - but hopefully not.
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: davlad22 on 22 September 2007, 14:01:33
Quote
I have never seen a slave fail on an Omega and it baffles me as to why some change it becasue its about the same price as the rest put together.

We had the slave cylinder fail on our DTi - reversing a trailer up a hill  :-[ Not to be changed as a matter of course though really  :o
Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: The Cambelt Kid on 06 October 2007, 16:21:21
Quote
The gearbox bell housing just bolts to the back of the engine - flat to flat (metal to metal).

If you pour water down the back on the engine it's likely that some may drip through the joint. And below the joint is pretty much where the clutch plate sits. So it's possible some may get in there - but hopefully not.


Does anyone think i stand a change of taking the clutch out and giving it a clean to cure the problem?  I have never taken a clutch off before and am not too sure of the work involved.

Title: Re: Clutch drag
Post by: JasonH on 06 October 2007, 17:48:23
The job is straightforward but quite a big job. The gearbox is heavy.

If your clutch is slipping you want to change the clutch if you're going to all the trouble of taking the gearbox off. I wouldn't fancy taking it all off cleaning it only to find it still slips and needs doing again...