To change or not to change?

[viper_2003]

During a recent service our trusted local mechanic mentioned that he thought the DMF was starting to go on my fiances Focus TDCI, it drives as normal and neither of us had noticed it but its a £900 bill to change it along with the clutch.

Its a '02 Focus TDCI 115 Ghia on 57k so probably worth about 3k and apart from this potential problem is generally in good health. The thought we are having is to get shot before it becomes more of a problem and get something else for the same money but obviously this is going to be an unknown car that could throw up its own bills.

A sensible idea or should we suck up the £900 bill when it comes and stick with a car that we are reasonably happy with?

 

[daveydave]

its should be more in the region of £600

 

[viper_2003]

its should be more in the region of £600

I have done some research on it this evening and I think you might be right. The other thing im trying to find out is what will actually happen as the DMF gets worse and how long will it take, at the moment the car is only covering approx 7k per annum so hopefully it could be a while.

 

[I get around]

Impossible to say without driving or inspecting. Sometimes you need to replace flywheel with a clutch change, sometimes you don't.
If it was terrible, he probably should have done it when he was doing the clutch.
You getting clutch slip then?

I'd go somewhere for a second opinion, that price seems awfully steep.

 

[viper_2003]

Impossible to say without driving or inspecting. Sometimes you need to replace flywheel with a clutch change, sometimes you don't.
If it was terrible, he probably should have done it when he was doing the clutch.
You getting clutch slip then?

I'd go somewhere for a second opinion, that price seems awfully steep.

The clutch itself is fine, unfortunately the DMF is a weak point and they are a common problem.

It looks like LUK who produce the OE part have the available for about £220, with a clutch and starter motor (they ingest the swarf and can fail) coming to about £180.

I think we can live with £600 or there abouts.

 

[daveydave]

If the clutch is fine, leave it. But they can have a look at how worn it is when they are changing the DMF. It it's more than half worn, change it.

With mine, whichever goes first I will probably change both. With regards to making the DMF last longer simply change gear at lower revs - but if its on its way; its on its way.

Out of curiosity, how was you DMF diagnosed?

 

[blueboy2001]

With mine, whichever goes first I will probably change both. With regards to making the DMF last longer simply change gear at lower revs - but if its on its way; its on its way.

Wrong. Open throttle from low revs in a high gear and labouring the engine is what kills DMF's - if anything you want to keeps the revs up.

 

[viper_2003]

If the clutch is fine, leave it. But they can have a look at how worn it is when they are changing the DMF. It it's more than half worn, change it.

With mine, whichever goes first I will probably change both. With regards to making the DMF last longer simply change gear at lower revs - but if its on its way; its on its way.

Out of curiosity, how was you DMF diagnosed?

Noisy on startup.