New clutch mounted but won't engage
 

Hi everyone! First post. I'm in the middle of a clutch debacle on my 2003 Mini (non S). It started squeeling when you pushed on the clutch and I looked here (nam) and it sounded like the throwout bearing. I had a local "travelling" mechanic come to the house (mistake) and after working on it for about 18 hours we started it up and the clutch would not engage. He offered to "fix it" again but said if it wasn't his installation then I'd have to pay again, so I opted for a local transmission shop because I felt safer. I've only paid him half so far. The transmission shop pulled the transmission and it looks like it was mounted but the input shaft didn't line up properly in the grooves of the new clutch and the new clutch and throwout bearing are shot. I just bought a new clutch and they are installing it. Meanwhile, the original mechanic wants the rest of his money saying that everyone knows you can't mount a transmission if it doesn't line up. I'm thinking you can, but you screw up the new clutch by squeezing it all together.

So the question is - have you ever heard of a Mini transmission mounting up without issue, but the input shaft and clutch are not fitting together properly? I Googled around, but I can't find much on it. I called one shop and they think it could happen and of course my shop says it can happen since it obviously did.

Ever seen or heard of this?

Give him the old parts and ask him what he thinks caused it...user error?

I sent him a picture. I finally took a good look at it:

http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...i/IMG00330.jpg

Amazing what tightening a few bolts can do when it isn't lined up.

Now I would be asking him for your money back.

Tell him he messed up, he needs to give you your money back + the cost of a new clutch. He's in the mechanics business, he messed up and now he needs to own up to it. It's why he has insurance anyways. If he won't man up to it, bluff it and take it up to small claims court.

Being a bit more aggressive than usual; the one thing that really gets to me are people who do not man up to their work.

That is the result of an improper installation.
There is no way that the input shaft was lined up with that damage.

It is possible to tighten the bolts and "mate" the trans with the engine even if the input shaft isn't lined up with the pressure plate. I know this from unpleasant personal experience. I also thought, "everybody knows" this can't be done...it can, and I had exactly the same results. Tell him to consider the unpaid part of his bill your fee for MINI tuition.

Thanks Densmini - and everyone else. I just needed some reinforcement that it CAN happen since all of his "experts" say it can't be done.

His idea of manning up is "We'll do it again and if we prove it wasn't us, we won't charge you" - and deep down, I know how that would end. I opted for Plan B - the second shop.

Never never NEVER use the bellhousing bolts to "suck" the tranny in when doing a clutch. If it doesn't slide upto the engine block by wiggling and jiggling then it's not lined up right. Period.

Guy either installed it like you say or put it in backwards. I'd lean toward forced it all together.

18hrs is rediculous time for a clutch on these cars.

He obviously had no idea how to work on the Mini and I bet you he'll never take a Mini clutch / transmission job again. LOL