Car is dead, so back to cycling!

[MontyVeda]

Surely the RSPCHC* should be notified about those videos... it was only a little one too.




*RSPCHC = Royal Society for the Protection and Care of Hairdressers' Cars

 

[GrasB]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-AjSAV96Xc

You mullared a 'cento sporting's clutch & an engine mount? That's impressive! My racing 'cento has 185bhp & 200lbft of torque being driven through a stock fiat 6sp 'box & using OE engine mounts. I am using a high performance clutch because the OE one was slipping in 4th gear up with full boost. The stock clutch was coping with 150bhp & 160lbft fine.

Diagnosis options -
a) you've been driving the car on a failed clutch bearing & now it's finally let go causing the clutch to implode.
b) the clutch was well worn & developed a stress crack which made it fail

As you had an engine mount failure your issue is much more likely to be option a) as this will hammer the engines mounts.

If it's really just a clutch & engine mount issue that's 1-2h work on a drive. You don't even need an engine crane. Fix the engine mount first then drop the 'box - only need to unplug the speedo connector at the back of the 'box near the firewall.

Matthew - if you treat a car that badly, it'll break.

In all honesty the 'cento is a tough little car, most of the components are designed for use in the Punto which is about 300kg heaver & also to deal with the torque of the 1.2 & 1.4l engines.

 

[Globalti]

Matthew, when you get back to driving, remember to hold the button in when you apply the handbrake. It's considered a mark of a good driver because in the long term, allowing the ratchet to click will wear the teeth and the handbrake might let go at a bad moment. I've never seen it happen but old stagers consider it a good technique, all the same.

 

[BSRU]

Matthew, when you get back to driving, remember to hold the button in when you apply the handbrake. It's considered a mark of a good driver because in the long term, allowing the ratchet to click will wear the teeth and the handbrake might let go at a bad moment. I've never seen it happen but old stagers consider it a good technique, all the same.

I always thought you only hold the button to release the handbrake not when applying it.
I'm sure I heard/read/saw something a few months ago stating holding the button in when applying the handbrake can cause problems.

 

[Globalti]

I always thought you only hold the button to release the handbrake not when applying it.
I'm sure I heard/read/saw something a few months ago stating holding the button in when applying the handbrake can cause problems.

Er..... well you've got to hold the button when releasing the brake or the lever will stop moving! A sensitive driver with good mechanical sympathy will hold the button and will be able to feel when the lever meets resistance, meaning the brake pads are pushed out against the drums. They will then release the button to lock the lever in place.

 

[Brandane]

Matthew, when you get back to driving, remember to hold the button in when you apply the handbrake. It's considered a mark of a good driver because in the long term, allowing the ratchet to click will wear the teeth and the handbrake might let go at a bad moment. I've never seen it happen but old stagers consider it a good technique, all the same.

........and always park the car with first gear engaged, so that when the inevitable happens and the handbrake does fail, the car won't roll down hill until it hits something solid enough to stop it. Hopefully not the queue at the bus stop .

 

[Brandane]

I always thought you only hold the button to release the handbrake not when applying it.
I'm sure I heard/read/saw something a few months ago stating holding the button in when applying the handbrake can cause problems.

NOT pushing the button in when applying the handbrake will cause problems, as globalti said. You will eventually wear out the teeth on the ratchet mechanism. Once they are worn, there is nothing to stop the handbrake lever slipping when it is applied. You might not be lucky enough to be in the car when this happens!!

 

[Globalti]

....and always park the car with first gear engaged, so that when the inevitable happens and the handbrake does fail....

AAAARGH! No! Please don't adopt that annoying habit, which seems to be so common amongst garage employees and people who knock around cars. I always declutch when starting the engine but when you're in an unfamiliar car it can sometimes be difficult to know whether the gearbox is in gear or not, meaning you have to lift the clutch slowly for fear of stalling the engine. If somebody has left it in gear and you forget to declutch, the car can jump when you start it, which is really annoying as well as dangerous and damaging to the car.

If you must do anything to protect against handbrake failure, leave the wheel turned so that if the car does roll the front wheels will come up against the kerb.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Er..... well you've got to hold the button when releasing the brake or the lever will stop moving! A sensitive driver with good mechanical sympathy will hold the button and will be able to feel when the lever meets resistance, meaning the brake pads are pushed out against the drums. They will then release the button to lock the lever in place.

It's the opposite way in my old TR4A: when parking, pull lever up then push button in to lock; when moving off, pull up on lever and the button will pop out, drop the lever and go.
Takes a wee bit of getting used to and it's fun watching a newbie trying to get to grips with it.

GC

 

[Brandane]

....and always park the car with first gear engaged, so that when the inevitable happens and the handbrake does fail....

AAAARGH! No! Please don't adopt that annoying habit, which seems to be so common amongst garage employees and people who knock around cars. I always declutch when starting the engine but when you're in an unfamiliar car it can sometimes be difficult to know whether the gearbox is in gear or not, meaning you have to lift the clutch slowly for fear of stalling the engine. If somebody has left it in gear and you forget to declutch, the car can jump when you start it, which is really annoying as well as dangerous and damaging to the car.

If you must do anything to protect against handbrake failure, leave the wheel turned so that if the car does roll the front wheels will come up against the kerb.

Like you say, always depress the clutch before starting the engine! Figuring out whether or not it is in gear isn't too difficult.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

........and always park the car with first gear engaged, so that when the inevitable happens and the handbrake does fail, the car won't roll down hill until it hits something solid enough to stop it. Hopefully not the queue at the bus stop .

I leave it in first if pointing uphill and reverse if pointing downhill.

GC

 

[Glow worm]

....If somebody has left it in gear and you forget to declutch, the car can jump when you start it, which is really annoying as well as dangerous and damaging to the car.

Always amusing though for passers by.

 

[Globalti]

I remember the first time I drove a Mercedes with a foot operated parking brake. It must have taken me 10 minutes to work the damned thing out. By then I had pulled and pushed almost every part of the interior trim in my search for the hidden brake lever.

 

[GrasB]

NOT pushing the button in when applying the handbrake will cause problems, as globalti said. You will eventually wear out the teeth on the ratchet mechanism. Once they are worn, there is nothing to stop the handbrake lever slipping when it is applied. You might not be lucky enough to be in the car when this happens!!

I'd be FAR more concerned with the drum actuation elbows than the handbrake ratchet. The ratchet in this case is seriously under cut wearing it out simply isn't going to happen. Actually it's a good idea to use the ratchet so you know what conditions the elbows are in.

 

[BSRU]

NOT pushing the button in when applying the handbrake will cause problems, as globalti said. You will eventually wear out the teeth on the ratchet mechanism. Once they are worn, there is nothing to stop the handbrake lever slipping when it is applied. You might not be lucky enough to be in the car when this happens!!

Extremely unlikely, it appears manufacturers manuals seem to state button only used when applying handbrake.