Hi folks I know I haven't posted on here for a while but I have a serious problem with my car that i hope someone may be able to offer advice on.

I have a 1997 Felicia estate 1.6 GLXi which has just turned 91,000 miles on the clock. 2 weeks ago my car got a full service and had the timing belt changed.

Last week I had to drive down to Lincolnshire from Scotland and noticed when I came off the motorway onto side roads whenever I changed down gear the car would just rev like crazy without actually accelerating. I had to keep feathering the accelerator pedal then suddenly it would be ok. This only seems to happen after a while driving, not just on short journeys.

I have had my father in law look at the car (he worked for the RAC for 30 years) and he says the clutch and gearbox are ok. I am not technically or mechanically minded in any way and have been told it may be the throttle cable!!!

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to have to put the car into a garage and be charged a lot of money for investigation work.

Thanks very much.

might be the clutch going.

Edited 17 August, 201015 yr by bebop256

Most likely reasons in descending order from my experience:-

1) Slipping clutch. Even if it claims to have a self-adjusting clutch mechanism, check the adjustment manually.

2) Sitcking clutch or throttle bowden cable (and I'd incline towards the clutch cable because the symptoms sound more like clutch slip than a sticking throttle).

3) Actually worn-out clutch.

Thanks bebop and ken

Sounds expensive!!!!

I do hope it's not the clutch on the way out as I am in Lincoln for the next couple of months and need to travel back to Scotland regularly.

Thanks for your replies.

yep either the clutch is on it's way out, or there's oil leaking out of the rear crankshaft oil seal onto the clutch

/\ which kills the clutch, needing it to be replaced anyway.

I'm advocating checking the adjustor and cable first because they're cheaper and easier to do than dropping the box to inspect the friction plate.

/\ which kills the clutch, needing it to be replaced anyway.

I'm advocating checking the adjustor and cable first because they're cheaper and easier to do than dropping the box to inspect the friction plate.

Any option that is cheaper sounds good to me thanks.

I'll have to see if there is any cheap garages where I am ......gutted i'm not at home as i could have had it looked at for mates rates :'(

No need for that, it's easily checked yourself. Just unhook the end of the cable from the lever and then you'll be able to feel if the cable is sticking (get someone else to move the pedal). As for adjustment, you can do it yourself with a 10mm spanner, and back it off and see if it still slips. My money is on the clutch needing replacing, but you never know.