Anyone replaced flywheel and clutch

[ali-bumble]

Hi
I have decided to, well rather my van has decided that it needs a new flywheel, clutch, release bearing, and prop shaft bearings. I can get a genuine ford kit for £300 all in instaed of £450 from Ford but have never changed one in a third generation van.
I have done Smiley vans a plentyand it is straightforward but I have heard that the latest ones have a viscous clutch and that they are a real b*stard to fit. Anyone got any experience of doing tjis or know of any special ford tools that may be required as I don't want to take it all to bits only to find I can't get it back together again

[Nighthawk]

Hi m8, how old is the vehicle exactly?

The rear wheel drive in current form doesn't have a viscous clutch, whats been described to you is the Dual Mass Flywheel.

It's replacement is exactly the same as fitting a conventional flywheel, just use new bolts as they have a special locktite sealer on the threads to prevent oil leaks. The bolts are of a male TORX type, so make sure you have a set before you start.

You'll also need to lower the front suspension subframe to enable the bell housing to come through. remove the rear bolts from the frame (they go through the rear bushes on the lower arms) and undo the front fixing nuts no more than 5 turns!

The clutch slave cylinder attaches to the bell housing with a bayonet type fitting, there is NO need to disturb the fluid side of the clutch when replacing the flywheel and clutch, just twist the cylinder and push it to one side.

[ali-bumble]

It's a 2000 W reg 350 2.4 90 ps
When I'm in first gear with the clutch fully depressed if I increase the revs keeping the clutch down the van moves forward and there is a noise that sounds like a bag of ball bearings going round inside the bell housing. Over the past few weeks the gears are becoming increasingly stiff to engage. I have to really force first and second home at times. The starter ( new 4 months ago) doesn't alweays engage sometimes it emits a high pitched screech sound.There's definatly trouble there!

[Nighthawk]

Did you replace the starter motor?

If so, did it appear to be full of a silver coloured metallic dust?
The flywheel's spacing washer between the primary and secondary masses has probably broken up allowing the 2 metal components to rub together.
A new flywheel is the olny option in that situation and a good clean of the starter motor.

If it's never had a clutch fitted before your quite likely to find that it's still on the early level. that means that even IF the the DMF was ok, youll need to replace it for thecurrent level as the clutch used in service now doesn't fit the early flywheels. There is a very obvious difference between the 2 clutch designs.

[ali-bumble]

I replaced the starter as the old one was dead. The new one seized up on me after about 2000 miles. I do a lot of short journeys. It had toally dried up inside and took a lot of effort to free up. I don't remember much about silver dust tho. Heres a link to replacement cluch still cheaper than main dealer.I can't figure out how to switch html on i nresponses so sorry about the length of the link! There is nothing in the history file about a new clutch fitted. As van has covered 145k i presume it was maybe done around the 70 k mark







http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-GENUINE ... dZViewItem

[Nighthawk]

Becarefull if buying from them, the image shown is a clutch for the 75Ps 2.0l clutch kit and flywheel with a 2.4 bearing by the looks of it.

The flywheel is most certainly not the correct one.

I'm sure that the images are general, but it's best to be safe.

might I suggest that you contact a ford parts dealer and ask them for the part numbers and prices to compare.