Clutch job - Aaargh!

antijam

CCCUK Member
It's all right, I don't have a C5 and I don't have to change the clutch. I thought a clutch job on the C3 was a bit of a faff, but having just watched a 'Wheeler Dealers' episode (Series 15, episode 4) where Ant Anstead does a clutch change on a C5 Z06 , the C3 seems like a walk in the park. It does emphasise that mass production techniques are geared to making line assembly as simple as possible and subsequent service a really good money spinner. Ant reckons a garage clutch change at around a £k! I just wonder if anyone here has done their own?
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
Still ain't a particularly easy job on a C3 however you look at it. Lotsa heavy stuff - access is particularly challenging on BB cars. Important to do it only once and do it properly..............
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
I figure anything that needs the box out it’s easier just to pull it with the engine. Never really takes much longer.
 

Roscobbc

Moderator
Removal of the engine/transmission as one assembly is not quite so easy on BB cars. Perhaps better to first remove shifter assembly, disconnect exhausts and drive shaft (possibly headers) Once you've lowered-tipped rear end of assembly down you can get to the bel-lhousing to engine block bolts and/or gearbox to bell-housing bolts and withdraw as a complete assembly or in two parts if you wish.
 

silver50

Busy user
I must admit that it looked far from easy but unless he had a lot of help it looked like he rattled it out well.

Any eagle eyed CCC members notice that they thought a coolant leak needed investigated and sorted but that this was never mentioned again? I thought it was pretty funny that Ant was obviously far from impressed with the car at the start of the episode (in fact pretty scathing on looks/image) but by the end seemed thrilled with it speeding round a track!
 
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PhilV8

CCCUK Member
I must admit that it looked far from easy but unless he had a lot of help it looked like he rattled it out well.

Any eagle eyed CCC members notice that they thought a coolant leak needed investigated and sorted but that this was never mentioned again? I thought it was pretty funny that Ant was obviously far from impressed with the car at the start of the episode (in fact pretty scathing on looks/image) but by the end seemed thrilled with it speeding round a track!
When you watch the end credits of the Ant Anstead WDs there's a list of mechanic comes up plus a workshop foreman and a parts buyer. I've also noticed that things appear to be self cleaning/painting.... never happens to me. As to the bit's they 'forget' about, that seems to happen quite o lot of the programs. It's a totally different concept to the UK Ed China era which was geared much more the the home mechanic.
 

antijam

CCCUK Member
WD with Ant Anstead is certainly slicker and glossier than in the Edd China days - I remember in an early series Edd doing a full panel respray with areosol cans! The program of necessity can only take a fairly superficial view of all the work needed on a car but certainly Edd went into a lot more detail when tackling jobs within the scope of the average diy-er. With Ant you come away with the feeling that you'd be asking the garage to do the job rather than doing it yourself.
The next series moves back to the UK - without Ant who is staying in the States. The new co-presenter is Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley, an ex-McLaren mechanic. It'll be interesting to see what direction it takes next.
 

PhilV8

CCCUK Member
WD with Ant Anstead is certainly slicker and glossier than in the Edd China days - I remember in an early series Edd doing a full panel respray with areosol cans! The program of necessity can only take a fairly superficial view of all the work needed on a car but certainly Edd went into a lot more detail when tackling jobs within the scope of the average diy-er. With Ant you come away with the feeling that you'd be asking the garage to do the job rather than doing it yourself.
The next series moves back to the UK - without Ant who is staying in the States. The new co-presenter is Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley, an ex-McLaren mechanic. It'll be interesting to see what direction it takes next.
I thought that was a different (spin--off) program, Wheeler Dealers - Dream Cars where MB takes someone's car and with Elvis' help does various trades to get to their dream car. I watched the series via NOW TV and it wasn't bad, in fact I preferred it to to LA based WD.
 

FIVE RED

CCCUK Member
WD with Ant Anstead is certainly slicker and glossier than in the Edd China days - I remember in an early series Edd doing a full panel respray with areosol cans! The program of necessity can only take a fairly superficial view of all the work needed on a car but certainly Edd went into a lot more detail when tackling jobs within the scope of the average diy-er. With Ant you come away with the feeling that you'd be asking the garage to do the job rather than doing it yourself.
The next series moves back to the UK - without Ant who is staying in the States. The new co-presenter is Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley, an ex-McLaren mechanic. It'll be interesting to see what direction it takes next.
To be honest I've watched a lot of Ed China's efforts, and as antijam has said I got the impression that Ed knew what he was doing and explained stuff in a way that us wanabee mechanics could understand. He would also advise if it was too difficult for those new to a spanner, but in a way that wasn't condescending.
 
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