Hi guys,

Ok so my mini one 2002 was in for an MOT and failed on front suspension bush :frown: , anyway while it was in at the garage i asked if the mechanic could check what i thought could be a problem, basically when coming to a set of traffic lights or about to turn at a corner i use my gears to slow the car just i have done will all my cars, now i don't mean ram it from 4th to 1st! just gently slowing the car, what happens is when you start to release to clutch you feel a judder on the gear knob , no problem in changing gears etc just this vibration when changing down, my mechanic says he's 99% that it will be the clutch bearing wearing out, he said and can keep an eye on it but if it gets much worse then its time to bring it in.

Has anyone else experianced this? does this sound like the bearing? i take it this will then need an entire new clutch? :aargh:

i also asked if he could change my gearbox oil as recommended by so many one here but he said its a certain type of oil and for hil to get it from BMW will cost £210 for 20L and i only need 2L, he said if i can soarce the oil myself he more than happy with that..... Any ideas on that one guys?

Thanks!

Hi ya

you can get a castrol gear box oil from halfords or good motor factor. i think this is the spec you need Castrol Manual SMX-S Gear Oil sold in 1 lts bottles you will need two i think

as for you clutch release bearing i am not shore with out looking at it. if you are feeling and seeing the gear stick judder i would get your engine mounts checked most prob the lower one as the gear stick is not directly connected to the engine. its only has cables no ridged connection

my advice is get the bushes on the suspention done first you might find thats causing it if they are really bad
normally when the clutch release bearings goes they normally make noise of just fall apart.
As long as the clutch is not slipping or making noise while you pull away i would try to live with it it might just be a quirk of your car

Hi marque,

Thanks for the help with the oil , as far as the clutch goes its really hard to explain and i understand its hard for you guys to help without seeing it!

The car drives fine , the clutch feels 100% fine , no slipping , no noise if you just sit idle and press the clutch , driving is fine, up the gears no problem, down gears no problem , never have to force into gear, its just happens when you come to start slowing the car , you can feel a vibration on the gear stick and on the clutch pedal , nothing bad! its very slight , i really don't know if you can actually hear it! for example i got my partner to drive and i couldn't hear a noise but when asked she said yeah i can feel what you mean!

I had an old D reg golf so i know what having a clutch and gear box go feels like! :D

I have spent a bit of money on her now and was really thinking about letting her go! but to be 100% honest it would break my heart, i love this wee mini! and so does my partner! in total so far i have probably spent about £800 on her with things like brakes , discs , cables, tyres , coolant , thermostat , i thought jesus no! not a clutch! :aargh:

but then i suppose as marque says, this could just be the car and it will never come to anything! please understand , this does not annoy us it was more will this cause more damage if just left.

Thanks for all the help!

Hey,

Ok so tonight when the wee misses got home I decided to try something, turn on the engine , let it idle, press clutch, put car into gear, leave handbrake on, slowly start to release clutch , what a noise! It just sounds like grinding, or whining , can't explain it! Funny thing is , I do not hear this when driving, not ever!

Hey,

Ok so tonight when the wee misses got home I decided to try something, turn on the engine , let it idle, press clutch, put car into gear, leave handbrake on, slowly start to release clutch , what a noise! It just sounds like grinding, or whining , can't explain it! Funny thing is , I do not hear this when driving, not ever!

Hi ya

If that's the case it may be the release bearing on the way out
Or the pressure plate. But is possible could be the gearbox the midland gearboxes have odd ways of failing :-(
Trouble is when you pull the gearbox to do the bearing you will need a guide tube that the bearing runs on as well that not much, but I would surgest getting the clutch and pressure plate changed. Or at least remove the 6 bolts on the pressure plate and have a good look at the clutch assy to make shore it's ok. Or you will be paying for the job twice further down the line.
make shore the check the flywheel to as the dual mass ones wear.

:-(

Thanks marque.....

Ok so honest opinion time please! I have had this car for just over 2 months now, cost me £3000, spent about £700-£800 on various things, now by the sounds of it the clutch maybe gearbox is on the way out! Do I just cut my losses and sell her? Oh and just incase anyone is interested the answer is no, i don't have loads of cash to spare! Lol

Well I have been having a wee think and I can't really say the money I have spent on the car has been because of problems and that I have bought a lemon! Every car at some point needs brake pads , discs, new pipes, tyres and so on, I can't take into account normal wear and tear of a car! All I have done is bring the car up to a good safe standard again with the likes of full service with new sparks and just about to change gearbox oil.

So ok the clutch may OR may not be on the way out but it would be nice to have some sort of an idea on cost should the worst happen! I believe after looking around I can get a clutch kit for around £250 , does anyone have a rough idea on labour , oh and not at the stealers!! Lol

Thanks!

As you say for a 2002 Mini One with 80,000 miles on the clock, most of the work you have had done so far is to be expected as part of general wear and tear............sometimes you are lucky to buy a secondhand car at that age/mileage where someone has recently paid to replace all the common failure items just before you bought it. This is exactly what will happen to the next owner should you sell soon!

However the gearbox/clutch issue is a more difficult decision to make as both jobs are fairly costly as regards labour as both jobs involve gearbox removal. The diagnosis needs to definitely confirm gearbox is ok before only replacing clutch assembly or you may have to repeat the job twice. The flywheel is usually ok as only the Cooper S has the sometimes troublesome dual mass type flywheel.

If the gearbox is failing it is a 'no brainer' as regards clutch as it is standard practice to replace this while the gearbox is out unless it is almost new.

The best known place for Mini clutch and gearbox replacement is 'Minigearboxes' below who charge around £600 (maybe more as prices below are 2010), John Tee the helpful owner is also a member of Mini2. It is usually worth a day trip to his garage in Coventry (they even drop you off in town while the job is done) for the big saving over local garages or they can collect car and deliver.

mini gearbox, gear fix - Mini recon gearboxes | BMW MINI cheap gearboxes (http://www.minigearboxes.co.uk/#)
Mini Gearboxes Ltd were featured in Modern MINI magazine (July-August 2010)
Their prices for an exchange recon gearbox and new clutch fitted to a MINI:
5-Speed Midland gearbox £595
5-Speed Getrag gearbox £690
6-Speed Getrag gearbox £750
Recon box supply only from £325
(Ask for a quote on upgrading from Midland to Getrag as additional parts are required.)

Main Dealers quote a minimum of 6 hours labour for the job, 'Mini Gearboxes' fit up to 15 Midland gearboxes a week and have got the job down to around 4 hours by removing the front subframe only from below, instead of the modular front end/rads/bumper assembly. Full method with photos showing stage by stage in MM magazine above (Issue 41).
More info:
Early MINI Rover Midland Gearbox - Forums (http://forum.minicooper.org/showthread.php?t=9643)

Thanks mab01uk, and sorry to everyone for the rant! Lol, once I came to my senses I realised that we now have a great wee car and I cannot take normal wear and tear as problems! Jesus I used to own an old D reg golf when at college, people would say , " god that car is in such good condition for its age " yeah it was never out the damn garage! Lol, I am sure guys that work on cars would know all the problems with these cars!

Well thanks mab01uk, it's just good to have a rough idea of a cost and I understand about the gearbox now if they have to remove that to do the clutch and at the prices above all be it 2010 it's still a good price for a box and a clutch!
Well she goes in on Friday to get new gearbox oil and a new seal fitted as the old one as a very slight leak so will see how she goes.

Still the best wee car I have had!!!

Hey,

Just a wee update , my partner got a good friend ( mechanic ) to give the car a wee drive and a listen , he said there is a slight shudder when pulling away in first gear which could indicate the clutch bearing , apart from that he said it was a fantastic wee car and he was surprised just how quiet and smooth the engine was. I personally did not get a chance to speak to him but wondered if this was the clutch bearing then can this cause damage to the gear box if left? i know mab01uk as mentioned the gearbox if going to change the clutch as the gearbox needs removed anyway, i really have no feeling that there are any problems with the gearbox, no grinding noises , up and down the gears no problem at all, i just would hate to go to the expense of changing the box if it was actually ok and he also did not mention anything about the gearbox.

Just some opinions please guys....... :)

Hi ya

Mab's advice is always top notch. Its a very hard thing to diagnosis, there are a few things that can cause a shudder pulling away it could be as simple as glassed clutch plate which is not a problem. It could be the release bearing or the guide tube it slides on. It could aslo be the bearing on the input shaft to the gearbox.
It's very hard to tell with out seeing the car as well, but I think if you think its bad or getting worse it's worth getting it looked at. Buy someone who knows like mini gearboxes.
It may be nothing it could be something and if there is something wrong it's worth catching early. If you have to pull the gearbox it's worth doing the clutch as mab says its just not worth chancing it. While the box is out it takes 15 min max to change the clutch and most of that is getting it out the box and cleaning the pressure plate.
I would give John tee a call and have a chat they see them everyday he will know

Hope this helps

Hi marque,

Both you and mab01uk have been such a big help and it's much appreciated!

It could well be me just worrying over nothing, it really isn't bad and you don't hear any noise when the car is running and from what I am told a bad bearing would be noisy and noticeable, I think I might keep an eye on it and see if it gets worse , I had no idea it was so easy to change the clutch, by that I mean after removing the gearbox! Lol, also as you have said it could be a number of things! 100% though no noise at all from engine when sitting idle or in motion just when your pulling away and it's very slight, also when slowing to turn a corner then dropping gear and release clutch it happens again, I am just one of those do it before it happens kind of guy, most just run their car until it stops! Lol.

Thanks for all the help!!

Hi ya

No problem I am like that my self preventive maintance is the key.
And it's cheaper in the long run you can tell I am not an accountant :-)))))

Anyway take care keep on enjoying you mini :-)

Lol! Nice one! I liked that!

Yeah that's the way I have always been, I would just hate to leave it and then to find out something else has been damaged! If I could do it myself then I would have both the gearbox and clutch out, it's the labour cost! :-( but the link mab01uk supplied when I contacted them said they could fit a gearbox and clutch for £520+vat and in 2hrs!!! WOW, it's just a bit of a drive for me, over 350 miles I think :-(

Well i have decided to go for a new clutch! i got speaking to my partners friends husband and his honest opinion if the car was his was to change the clutch , he said he sees no reason to think the gearbox needs replaced as this seemed perfect when he drove it and there was no noise from the box at all , he couldn't say what part of the clutch was failing but was 99.9% sure it was the clutch and also said it could just go on you without warning, you might get weeks? months? there was no honest answer to that, i know most would probably just leave it but i am the type of guy that this will annoy the hell out of! lol

I just wish i was like marque and mab01uk and do the job myself! but hey we only know what we know and i have no intention in dropping a gearbox on my head! lol

Will keep everyone posted and for anyone that is interested , my reasons for changing are.....

1. shudder and noise when pulling away in first
2. same as above when slowing to turn a corner and changing down gear then releasing the clutch
3. when sitting idle with brake on , slowly release clutch to bite point and someone has just dropped a bag of spanners! lol

just hope it turns out to be the clutch but with anyone i ask and from reading up it all comes back to something to do with the clutch.

Harvey94,

Im in the middle of pulling my gearbox out, this post is a good read. Keep it going mate

well my story continues! lol

After taking the car in today to get the gearbox oil changed i had a chat with my mechanic , he doesn't want to do the clutch! and not because he can't or just can't be bothered its because he said he honestly thinks that it does not need doing just now, he said he can hear what i am talking about but it could be a number of things and is so slight! he said he would rather i just wait and see if it actually gets worse, which he says it may not! he is more than happy that it will not just pack up on me without showing more signs, this is the same mechanic that has done all my work so far and also any my family that have problems or service work and i have been more than happy with the work done so far, i feel he is the kind of guy that would say if it really needed done just now.

I have a feeling if i drove my car to marque or mab01uk they would say, drive your car back home, have a beer and chill out! lol

I have a feeling if i drove my car to marque or mab01uk they would say, drive your car back home, have a beer and chill out! lol

Those were my thoughts......but you seemed quite determined to fix it yesterday and the advice of a good mechanic on the spot is usually better than us diagnosing online from a distance!..........the small shudder/noise may stay the same or come and go but is only really worth the work if it gets significantly worse over the coming weeks, and you should hoefully get some warning before it is likely to let you down.

The other advantage of waiting is the gearbox and clutch are currently the same age at 80,000 miles so the clutch may yet outlive the gearbox and then both would be replaced if and when the time comes all in one go, with the one labour charge.

If you do fit a new clutch assembly now unnecessarily and the gearbox was to fail say next year (I hope it doesn't!) you would then be paying for the gearbox removal labour charge twice.

Hey,

Yeah my mechanic was in complete agreement with marque and mab01uk when i spoke to him about this thread, he said 100% no brainer if the gearbox goes then you change the clutch unless it is virtually new, he said as these other mechanics are explaining to you the point he is making, he does not want to just change the clutch to then find out maybe it is actually the gearbox making the slight noise or even neither! It would be insane to pay for this twice over on labour!

Oh guys the misses said to say thanks! she really didn't want to lend me the £700 at the moment lol

Thanks for all the advice and help on this...... :smile:

I just brought my 2003 MC in to the shop because of the same shuddering you describe. I bought the car at 74K miles and have put an additional 20K on it in two years. It has always had a slight shudder which I attributed to a poor clutch-driving first owner. This weekend, the slight shudder turned into a violent shake trying to accelerate from a stop in 1st gear. The mechanic called today and said that the bearing was completely done and the car was screeching. Once the screeching starts, the clutch generally has a day or two left.

Sorry to hear that! I actually in the end got my clutch replaced , to be honest i probably could have left it but the shudder really did annoy me and was sometimes very bad when dropping gear.

Make sure you ask that your gearbox is good! as when changing the clutch they need to remove it anyway! We took the decision not to change the gearbox as the mechanic told us its absolutely fine just now and we do not do many miles, maybe 6000 a year, if the car was used more i may have considered it.

Hope you get it all sorted out...... :)