Ball Ache (The Automotive Kind..)

Now that's ballache..

 

Got another one! Replaced my clutch cos it was slipping due to failed oil seal on input shaft. Decided that my flywheel looked a bit moth eaten so sent it off to be refaced and balanced. Put it all back together and couldn’t get a gear, just a grind. So, gearbox back off and clutch out, turns out the the flywheel had been incorrectly machined and was thus too tight so wouldn’t release the friction plate. I swear, that gearbox has been in and out that car more than I’ve been in and out the drivers seat.

After machining and the one below before.

 

Did you have any comeback to the crowd that buggered the flywheel machining?

 

Nah! Just fitted a spare I had. Pain in the neck tho.

 

My S124 is currently testing my patience. Since I plan on selling it, I thought best to revert it to original spec, so *just* replacing the wheels and springs as well as the rear dampers since the original ones are with hydraulic leveling (They were disabled because it did not work out with the lowering of the car). The car was lowered by the previous owner, but should not be a big deal.

It started midly annoying with searching for weeks for a set of used Sportline springs for the wagon, not finding any and ending up with a new set for 800 quid.

Then I wanted to check if the hydraulic system of the leveling system still works, so I filled up some fluid, only to find out the copper gasket ring of one of the pressure accumulators at the rear axle was leaking. I was not able to reach it without removing the driveshaft, that`s when the driveshaft boot ripped. Okay, then I start loosening the hollow screw to replace the copper gasket, that`s when hydraulic oil pressurewashed the underside of the car as well as myself. Somehow there was still pressure inside the chamber despite leaking about 300-400ml of oil before.

Cleaned everything up, replaced the copper ring, again filled in some hydraulic fluid and checked again. Now it was solid, no more leaking. Then I noticed a drop of oil sitting at the underbody paneling of the engine. I followed the oil spill and sure enough, the hydraulic hose of the leveling system running from the pump to the back of the engine bay was ripped right in front of the cylinder head, showering the complete front half of the engine with oil.

The hose was not available anymore, searched a week for a hydraulic shop who was willing to put on a new hose, installed it again.

Then I thought now I can put on the shocks in the rear, took out the lowering springs, replaced the adjustable camber arms with some original ones, found out that the previous owner put in the bolt from the wrong side, had to remove the sway bar in order to get it out, never mind.

Wanted to install the shocks, realized they don`t fit the lower control arm, found out the lower control arm for leveling shocks are different, had to buy new ones.

Didn`t have the courage yet to test if it works

 

Whilst my German speaking skills are not the best, it looks like you just had the German version of ball ache - Ballschmerzen, das ist nicht gut.

 

Just read the full thread cant believe the amount of effort you put into the box, i have done a TT 3.2 DSG clutch pack and had no issues with it which make me think its a far better design than the Ford setup..

 

Yes the original Ford 6DCT450 is a p1ss poor design, the clutch damper (basically an internal DMF) has springs riding on plastic guides!.

The guides get smashed to bits and the plastic soup gets pumped around the gearbox/ Mechatronic unit. The internal pump strainer gets blocked and also the clogged filters bypass contaminated oil that blocks the Mechatronic oil ways.

I fitted the later gearbox (2015 onwards) with external DMF, unfortunately it didn't fit without some serious work!.

I would like to try a VW DSG gearbox, from what I've seen they are a very stout design.

Maybe a Tiguan for our next family car..