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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Renault clutch/gearbox (nmc!)

My daughter’s 2010 Twingo (similar engine/gearbox to a Clio) has just developed a horrible metallic tinny rattle from the clutch:gearbox area. It’s there continuously when the engine is turning (even in neutral) but stops when the clutch is depressed

She’s taken it to the local garage ( who we don’t know as she’s away at university) who has diagnosed a gearbox failure and says it’s a write off.

I’ve been going down that track, but just woke up thinking it doesn’t make sense. If the cars driving and blipping the clutch stops the noise instantly, isn’t the gearbox still spinning, driven by the wheels surely there would still be some noise

So doesn’t that mean the gearbox itself is ok and the fault is somewhere at the interface between the clutch and the input shaft or am I deluding myself?

The prices of second hand cars are crazy, thus ones still worth £1500 without this issue, very little with

I’ve a great video of the noise I’ll try and work out how to post it

Any thoughts?

Tim
timmyk

My immediate thought was clutch release bearing. When you put your foot on the clutch, it puts pressure on the bearing thus stopping whatever rattle is going on.

Malc.
Malcolm

What Malc said.
See also: loose rivets in clutch finger pads (not all clutches have these) and broken damping springs (unlikely - they'd probably rattle full time).
Either way I'd suspect the clutch rather than the gearbox, from your description.
I've done a clutch on a Renault Modus with a mate which I guess is similar and I don't remember it being particularly difficult.
Greybeard

I reckon the garage wants her to sell it to them for peanuts then they'll repair it and make a decent profit by re-selling it.
Bill Bretherton

Thanks everyone - bill yup that’s my bet, or maybe just that it will be such a pain in the nuts they don’t want the work

gray - yes I think it’s like a modus except with half the space to work in

Malc yes I suspect it’s that too but thought I’d wait for the brains trusts view

I’ve had a good chat with my garage, his only thought is if there’s a bearing as the first motion shaft enters the gearbox - or a seal- it could be there but tbh we won’t know until we pull the clutch

Now just need to get it home
timmyk

Oh and apologies this should’ve been on general!
timmyk

This thread was discussed between 11/10/2023 and 12/10/2023

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