Hi all,

Just got my Vrs Mk1 back from a service and cam belt change and when driving it home noticed a rumbling noise now and again while the revs are low, usually in 1st or 2nd gear. It's intermittent and typically when taking out with the lad at the garage, it didn't show up. Running in 3rd/4th/5th appears fine. I then when to park it in my garage and noticed the noise when the clutch was biting on an up-hill gradient. Keeping on the clutch kept the rumbling noise and resulted in a burning type smell and some smoke from under the bonnet. I'm suspecting the clutch needs to be replaced Can anyone confirm that this sounds like the right disgnosis of this problem ?

Cheers

When my clutch failed I noticed it primarily when I came to accelerate - say on a slip road, when you come to put the power down, the revs go up, but there is no increase in speed as the clutch is slipping, then after a few seconds the clutch manages to stop slipping and normal service is resumed. If you apply the power slowly, then the load on the clutch is less and it manages not to slip......

I never saw any smoke from under the bonnet, but when I realised the clutch was slipping I was on my way to manchester (from dorset) and had to get back home again, so I was nice and gentle to it....

Put the hand break on, and gently try pull away. This should, with the right revs pull the front of the car up slightly. If the car is going no where, or making noises, expect a sharp intake of breath through the teeth of the mechanic you go see.

New clutch fitted is around the £600 mark, iirc.

Cheers. I'm now thinking not the clutch. This morning going to work I have now noticed the noise occurs when put the power on when turning left. So maybe it's a CV joint instead ?

I had a similar thing happen when I had my cam belt changed on my 51 plate Octy Vrs and it turned out to be the Aux belt which made a noise when the engine was under load especially pulling out from junctions.

I'm not saying that your fault is the same but it's a lot cheaper than a new clutch.

Would have thought that the aux belt would have made the noise either turning left or right. I've been out at lunch and drove around in a circle a bit (people must have thought I'm mad) and it can make a right old noise, and I can even feel the vibration through the bottom of the car.

Been quote

Does sound lke the cv.

Either the boots split and leaked the grease or its shagged.