Car went for clutch replacement Friday, won't drive today?

Car went for clutch replacement Friday, won't drive today?

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Jaykaye

Original Poster:

54 posts

45 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Hi all,

I had my car (Civic 1.8 07 reg) into the garage for a clutch replacement, got it back this past Friday after garage had it two weeks. Had not long started driving today, got maybe a few hundred yards, stopped at traffic lights, lights go green, car wouldn't accelerate in any gear.

I've phoned the garage who fitted the clutch and they've retrieved the car for me. They said they think it's the CV joint. I'll admit, I'm not that knowledgeable about these sort of things, I can change brakes but that's about it, but does anyone in the know agree that a CV joint would do this? I thought it must have been something axle related as the car would go into every gear but just wouldn't accelerate.

The guy who runs the garage seems nice enough, it just seems weird to me this happened just after clutch replacement and I'd only driven it about ten miles since it was done. I've been advised if it was cv it won't be too much to fix.

I suppose what I'm asking is, does this seem right and probably purely coincidental?

Thanks for any replies.

Rich Boy Spanner

1,517 posts

137 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Bit odd that it took 2 weeks for a clutch. A CV joint won't stop a car moving. A failed CV (there is one on each drive shaft of a front wheel drive car) usually clacks and bangs a bit when turning. Sounds like the car has no drive at all, so I would be back at the clutch. Why was it replaced, was it slipping or something more serious?

Krikkit

27,000 posts

188 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
If it's a CV joint then their removal for the clutch change has caused the issue.

Decky_Q

1,661 posts

184 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
My first hought was driveshafts have some out.

Jaykaye

Original Poster:

54 posts

45 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Hi Rich Boy Spa,

Yeah the clutch was slipping so I had it replaced. When I said two weeks, the car was actually in for two and a half weeks, as he said he couldn't get the parts. I found that odd, as I could see them on Eurocarparts. I had to tell him I was taking the car back, and hey presto! It was done two days later.

I also thought it was odd that he said the CV joint myself, as as far as I understand I would have thought both would have had to fail for the wheels not to turn or complete driveshaft failure, but like I said I don't really know a lot about that.

If I'm honest, I thought something had failed in the clutch, but I could select gears and rev the car, it just wouldn't accelerate. So I thought clutch related too. I checked master and slave cylinder, drivers footwell before I left the car, they were bone dry. The clutch fluid did look a bit down though. I'll update the thread when he contacts me again.

Oh, what a carry on getting the car on pavement from busy lights, I literally nearly killed myself, fun times! biggrin

Edited to say thanks for the other replies lads, interesting that you mention it may have been cv damage on removal, I'll mention that. As he said it shouldn't be to much to fix as I assume he'll say wear and tear, which i suppose it could be.

Edited by Jaykaye on Tuesday 15th November 09:59

rigga

8,754 posts

208 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Likely the drive shaft wasn't fitted fully home, and has popped out of the gearbox, you will be able to select gears ok , but have no drive at the wheels .
Possibly need the clip on the inner CV joint replacing.

Krikkit

27,000 posts

188 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
rigga said:
Likely the drive shaft wasn't fitted fully home, and has popped out of the gearbox, you will be able to select gears ok , but have no drive at the wheels
Very, very unlikely.

rigga

8,754 posts

208 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
rigga said:
Likely the drive shaft wasn't fitted fully home, and has popped out of the gearbox, you will be able to select gears ok , but have no drive at the wheels
Very, very unlikely.
Seen it many many times

Unless it has a lsd fitted , which is unlikely given the car, there will be no drive to the one Shaft still fitted .

Once a shaft pops out, car is going nowhere.

Draxindustries1

1,657 posts

30 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
It's doubtful a clutch replacement would have any effect on a cv joint. If a driveshaft isn't fully home in the gearbox it's not going back in the front hub so it's not going to be that. One failed cv joint would give total lack of drive. Its more than likely the joint has just broken inside and total coincidence to having a recent new clutch.

Krikkit

27,000 posts

188 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
rigga said:
Krikkit said:
rigga said:
Likely the drive shaft wasn't fitted fully home, and has popped out of the gearbox, you will be able to select gears ok , but have no drive at the wheels
Very, very unlikely.
Seen it many many times

Unless it has a lsd fitted , which is unlikely given the car, there will be no drive to the one Shaft still fitted .

Once a shaft pops out, car is going nowhere.
How does a shaft "pop out" when they're constrained by the gearbox and the hubs? It might be broken, but it won't just come apart.

wpa1975

10,193 posts

121 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
rigga said:
Krikkit said:
rigga said:
Likely the drive shaft wasn't fitted fully home, and has popped out of the gearbox, you will be able to select gears ok , but have no drive at the wheels
Very, very unlikely.
Seen it many many times

Unless it has a lsd fitted , which is unlikely given the car, there will be no drive to the one Shaft still fitted .

Once a shaft pops out, car is going nowhere.
How does a shaft "pop out" when they're constrained by the gearbox and the hubs? It might be broken, but it won't just come apart.
Exactly, you need to split the bottom ball joint to get the driveshaft out in most cases

PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Happens a lot on some cars, they have enough plunge to come out of engagement if the circlips are damaged. Standard part for some track Clio's used to be a kit to hold the clips in to stop the shaft falling out.

I'd agree it's something that should have been sorted with the clutch as disturbing it to get it out has probably done it.

Could obviously still be the clutch but if it was driving fine, there's no leaks and it's not making any odd noises for a stripped spline, etc, could well be the CV that's popped out of the 'box

E-bmw

9,978 posts

159 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
rigga said:
Krikkit said:
rigga said:
Likely the drive shaft wasn't fitted fully home, and has popped out of the gearbox, you will be able to select gears ok , but have no drive at the wheels
Very, very unlikely.
Seen it many many times

Unless it has a lsd fitted , which is unlikely given the car, there will be no drive to the one Shaft still fitted .

Once a shaft pops out, car is going nowhere.
I have seen it also before.

Wheel/hub end goes together fine, circlip on gearbox end worn causes the shaft to fall out of gearbox.

I have seen it on an R5 & Pug 206.

stevieturbo

17,535 posts

254 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
rigga said:
Seen it many many times

Unless it has a lsd fitted , which is unlikely given the car, there will be no drive to the one Shaft still fitted .

Once a shaft pops out, car is going nowhere.
How on earth is it even possible ? nevermind seeing it many times ? How incompetent would you need to be ?

You normally need the strut removed to get enough room to pull the shaft from the box....for it to either not be in correctly, or come out when actually installed....would be pretty impressively incompetent to happen once, let alone many times.


But the issue could be shaft/CV related, it could be clutch related, without inspection, just guessing.

And parts supply can be a nightmare at the minute, has been for many months. Just because one website claims stock, firstly does not mean garages randomly order parts online from it, nor does it mean it is actually in stock when you order.

rigga

8,754 posts

208 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Was a mechanic for 20 years, so did see this scenario.

CV joints have to take up lots of direction changes in drive and steering, plus suspension travel up and down, clip on the inner CV joint located inside the gearbox gets damaged when removing , likely just levering it out with a pry bar rather than using the dedicated fork tool.

When refitting the clip will not seat properly and secure the inner CV joint into the gearbox, when the car is turning or suspension is moving , the drive shaft will normally take up this extra movement through both inner and outer drive shaft joints moving within themselves, but instead as the CV is not secure, it pops out of the diff case, loss of oil and drive ensures.

Inner CV is secured by the circlip

Outer CV is secured by the hub.

It happens.

PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
stevieturbo said:
How on earth is it even possible ? nevermind seeing it many times ? How incompetent would you need to be ?

You normally need the strut removed to get enough room to pull the shaft from the box....for it to either not be in correctly, or come out when actually installed....would be pretty impressively incompetent to happen once, let alone many times.


But the issue could be shaft/CV related, it could be clutch related, without inspection, just guessing.

And parts supply can be a nightmare at the minute, has been for many months. Just because one website claims stock, firstly does not mean garages randomly order parts online from it, nor does it mean it is actually in stock when you order.
Because some cars are designed like that to get enough plunge on short shafts. It's not incompetence.

Novexx

353 posts

81 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Worn, damaged or absent inner CV joint snap ring most likley, allowing the joint to slide out of the diff.

rigga

8,754 posts

208 months

Tuesday 15th November 2022
quotequote all
Novexx said:
Worn, damaged or absent inner CV joint snap ring most likley, allowing the joint to slide out of the diff.
No no, your wrong... That can't possibly happen.

Apparently.

stevieturbo

17,535 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th November 2022
quotequote all
PhillipM said:
Because some cars are designed like that to get enough plunge on short shafts. It's not incompetence.
If the shaft falls out after work.....it isn't competent work, that's for sure.



PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Wednesday 16th November 2022
quotequote all
It's not great, no, but shafts can fall out without it being incompetence, on quite a few cars, just wear and tear or extreme use.

In this case I suspect he's distorted or not seated the clip properly, or just not replaced a worn one, so it is, but the fact is it's still easily possible depending on the design. Never liked these plunging tripod inside the diff setups.