Leaky gearbox funny clutch...

[tracingspirals]

The clutch on my puma has lately gone all funny. Today I went to check the car, firstly this is what I found underneath it:

And it was coming from here:

another view:

When I turn on the engine, it revs upto around 2500rpm as usual and usually it comes straight down to the idle speed of 900rpm. But this time it comes down very slow to around 1200rpm and hangs around there. The clutch has gone very funny too. There's this sorta grinding noise coming from under the engine. When I press the clutch pedal in fully it goes away. Then as I let out the clutch pedal, I can sorta feel the clutch engage and the grinding noise comes back.
The car doesn't go forward in neutral neither does it move when you press in the clutch pedal while in gear. But when the car is moving, the engine at times seems to suddenly lose power, the revs comes down and the engine feels like its about the stall.

And then the clutch pedal is all funny. It feels really soft and frequently when the engine is running it sinks into the floor when you press on it and takes a while to get back up. It doesn't take this long when the engine is off.

Another problem I've been having for a good while is the engine uses up around 1l of oil every 400-500 miles (500miles normal driving, <400miles if I give it the beans). This doesn't look normal and I think the engine might be leaking oil from here:

Also is this how the top mount for the suspension meant to be:

The main problem right now is the clutch and the leaking oil.
What do you guys think the problem might be??

Thanks for any help...

 

[ScubaSteve]

grinding will be the slave cylinder/release bearing

no top mount shouldnt be like that do you have standard shocks on it? points towards knackered rubber top mounts

 

[tracingspirals]

The shocks do look standard...

And so I will need to take apart the gear box to fix the clutch/leak problem. Might also tackle the rocker cover gasket while at it.
Would you think there's anything wrong with the gearbox that it could be leaking oil??


And do any of you have a picture of how a normal Puma suspension top mount should look like. Cuz it almost looks like that suspension is floating on top of the car, or has gone through the mounting hole... Like its a bit high isn't it?

 

[mix2000]

Check out the thread on my similar problem, hope yours isn't the same, unless it was the same mechanic.
http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=8152
Gearbox sound deffo sounds like screwed release bearing.
Also check the oil isn't seeping down from the drive seal.
And check your box oil levels.

 

[ScubaSteve]

check your brake fluid level aswell

 

[tracingspirals]

The brake fluid has gone a little low. First it was almost touching the max mark but now its midway between max and min.

Cheers mix for the link.
The leak's looks like from exactly the same spot as in your link. That surely was a shoddy mechanic. I wonder if I take apart my gearbox to find a similar surprise!
this is what i'll need for the clutch right:
http://www.pumaspeed.co.uk/showdetails.jsp?productID=290" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
or this: http://pumabuild.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_49_75&products_id=257" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and would you recommend this to be any good? Its almost half the price:
http://cgi.ebay.ie/FORD-PUMA-98-01-1-4-CSC-CLUTCH-KIT-OE-QUALITY-/120582275094?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM#ht_2292wt_801" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Might as well change the whole clutch assembly itself while at it.

How would you check if the drive seal is leaking?

 

[nutty]

Hi

You need a concentric slave cylinder not a gearbox you may as well put a clutch in at the same time, as the gearbox has to come off anyway it is not oil you are seeing it is brake fluid

For the engine you need a rocker box gasket that is were you are seeing engine oil from


Paul

 

[ScubaSteve]

yep will be brake fluid, will have ruined the clutch most likely aswell, you saying your clutch pedal was sticking down also points to knackered slave cylinder.

Basically you need a new slave cylinder and clutch