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DG123



Member Since: 29 Aug 2015
Location: North West
Posts: 133

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Clutch woes - any ideas?
Had the clutch and output shaft replaced a few months ago by local indie LR garage (LOF clutch and standard LR shaft). Never 100% happy with clutch as bite point was near the floor. A couple of attempts were made to adjust it without success, so I lived with it.

Last week or so I noticed a strange metallic tinkling/graunching sound just on the bite point, otherwise all was as normal so I rather optimistically hoped it would go away

Fast forward to yesterday and a long weekend away in the Lakes towing the caravan. All OK on the journey there but just as reversing onto pitch clutch wouldn’t disengage. Had to stall it with foot brake and yank gearstick into neutral. On re-starting it sounded like a bag of spanners had been dropped into the transmission tunnel. Clutch action seemed fine but couldn’t engage gear.

Things weren’t looking good, it was lashing down, no obvious bits hanging off the underside so I called for recovery.



Click image to enlarge



When eventually the recovery truck arrived we unhitched the caravan and moved it out of the way but I was still side-on across a narrow field so needed to move the Defender.

I started it in gear with clutch to the floor - clutch didn’t disengage so went off down the field in a forward direction; had to stall to stop. Repeated as above in reverse, again clutch didn’t disengage. Final manoeuvre in forward direction, this time clutch disengaged after a few yards and was able to straighten up ‘normally’

Recovery took us home and after unloading I could start Defender without any rattling but couldn’t select any gears. However if I started it in gear with clutch pressed down I could then use clutch as normal

Any ideas? I suspect the clutch spigot bearing. I also suspect a big bill unless I can claim some warranty against the clutch replacement. Rolling Eyes 2012 110 XS SW Orkney Grey
2003 D2 Td5 Black [SOLD]
Post #775672 31st May 2019 10:45am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16858

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
It sounds to me more as though a spring has fallen out, which is the classic genuine clutch plate problem. Clearly you'll find out when you take it to pieces, but I suspect that there may be a conversation with the garage coming on.

If you have to drive a vehicle with no clutch, when you need to stop don't stall the engine (especially on something like a Puma with fearsome anti-stall), just turn the motor off with the key.Similarly just start it in gear and drive off. Once you're moving, it is quite easy to change gear without using the clutch. (Starting and stopping in fact become very much the same as starting and stopping on a steep off-road hill).
Post #775676 31st May 2019 11:39am
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DG123



Member Since: 29 Aug 2015
Location: North West
Posts: 133

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Thanks Blackwolf.

Good suggestion - why didn’t I think of turning the engine off? Rolling Eyes

Will be taking it up the garage later. 2012 110 XS SW Orkney Grey
2003 D2 Td5 Black [SOLD]
Post #775679 31st May 2019 11:54am
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boxoftricks



Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Home Counties
Posts: 745

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Zermatt Silver
Could be that the clutch fork and release bearing were incorrectly fitted. The fork may have come out where it pivots and dropped down so unable to disengage the clutch. I had that issue on a Chevy V8 previously. I’d give Luke at LOF a call as he is a top guy.
Post #775681 31st May 2019 12:43pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16858

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
No clutch fork on a Puma, is it a coaxial slave cylinder.
Post #775692 31st May 2019 1:39pm
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landy andy



Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5416

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver
Possibly incorrectly fitted, if it’s not been a nice drive since install.
Post #775695 31st May 2019 1:50pm
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boxoftricks



Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Home Counties
Posts: 745

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Zermatt Silver
blackwolf wrote:
No clutch fork on a Puma, is it a coaxial slave cylinder.


Every day is a school day Embarassed
Post #775697 31st May 2019 1:53pm
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DG123



Member Since: 29 Aug 2015
Location: North West
Posts: 133

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
To close this off, it was the clutch release bearing (spigot bearing) as originally suspected. It had seized/partially destructed hence was able (albeit noisily) to operate of a fashion to get me back to garage.

Should I have had it changed with the clutch? At £40-50 for the bearing, it’s a gamble but in my case would have worked out cheaper in the long term. Apparently it was a Censored to get out. 2012 110 XS SW Orkney Grey
2003 D2 Td5 Black [SOLD]
Post #776465 7th Jun 2019 9:54am
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Roy5695



Member Since: 15 Feb 2014
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 1123

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Indus Silver
Was this the little spigot bearing in the end of the crank? Or the concentric slave cylinder which incorporates the release bearing too?

Either way they’re best to replace while the box is off. Saves it having to come off again in cases like this.

Luke at LOF sells all these bits too 🤦‍♂️ Hope your problem is solved. Love 2011 Defender DCPU 2.2 - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic30623.html

Instagram - @r22oyp

Roy
Post #776467 7th Jun 2019 10:21am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16858

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Generally if the slave cylinder on a vehicle is a dsign which requires the gearbox to be removed, it is good practice to replace it at the same time as the clutch. If it is external, then it isn't so advisable.

That being said, on the TDCi it is probably reasonable to replace it every other clutch since clutches have such a pathetically short life!
Post #776468 7th Jun 2019 10:22am
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DG123



Member Since: 29 Aug 2015
Location: North West
Posts: 133

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Slave cylinder with ‘release’ bearing was replaced some months ago with the clutch. This more recent failure was the needle roller bearing on the end of the crank (supports gearbox input shaft) - often called ‘spigot’ bearing.

Maybe was damaged on clutch replacement or just bad luck. Certainly worth considering though when replacing clutch.

Anyway, all’s well that ends well. No damage caused apart to my wallet and a bit of inconvenience Rolling Eyes 2012 110 XS SW Orkney Grey
2003 D2 Td5 Black [SOLD]
Post #776501 7th Jun 2019 1:15pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16858

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
My bad, I read your post quickly and saw "clutch release bearing", I missed that you were actually referring to the spigot bearing.

The spigot bearing should last a lot longer than most other clutch components, unless you ride the clutch or spend long periods with the clutch out (sitting at lights, for example). I would not normally replace it as a routine item on a clutch change unless I knew it was faulty, especially on a Puma where it is a dog to remove.

My Puma spigot bearing has now done 240k miles, my TD5 Disco 2 spigot bearing over 200k miles, neither is (at time of writing) showing any signs of wear or issues.
Post #776504 7th Jun 2019 1:30pm
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