Once a suitable place has been found, it is time to make the car safe. Apply the hand brake and place a chock underneath the wheel. If you are working on the rear then chock the front, vise versa if you intend to work on the front like we are then chock both rear wheels. Look in the Ford owner’s handbook for the best place to jack up the car.
As always, I like to read the Ford owners hand book and Ford manual to check I have the ability to do the job and to ensure I have all the relevant tools. Over a nice cup of tea I read the sequence of gearbox removal and replacement and was satisfied, I can complete the job without any drama.
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The main area of my activity will be the passenger side front. There are a lot of bolts above but most work will be carried out underneath. I have to ensure I have enough room for the gearbox to be slid out once it is detached from the engine block. As always, my first step is to disconnect the battery. Once this is done I can start to remove parts such as the starter motor and clutch cable.
Working my way around the bell housing on the upper section of the gearbox, I removed all the visible bolts. It was now time to place an engine-supporting bar. This is to hold the engine whilst the engine mounting is removed.
Moving below I have checked the manual for a visual reference. I now have to remove the bottom ball joint and pull out the drive shaft. At this point, I
remembered to place an oil-draining bowl to catch a few drips. The remaining bolts were easy to reach and it was not long before they were all removed.
The gearbox needed a little persuasion to come loose from the engine block.
Just as it did dislodge I noticed there was still a thick wire holding it to the engine block. Having checked the Ford owner’s book and manual, I soon realized it was an earth strap. Once removed I placed the trolley jack under the loose gearbox. Once it was all loose, I lowered the jack and pulled out the gearbox.
At a glance, the gearbox looked ok, but I also know that all the working parts of a gearbox are inside and hidden. I checked the drive shaft oil seals for wear but they seemed ok. It was my intention to change the clutch, as it is better to do it now whilst the gearbox is out. The last thing I want is to replace the gearbox and in a month or so have to remove it again to replace a faulty clutch.
I drew my attention to removing the clutch. I undid the ring of bolts holding it on to the flywheel. I needed to prize it away from some locating dowels. The clutch cover came away first and then the pressure plate fell to the floor.
As I picked up the pressure plate, I noticed a small split in the metal. On closer inspection, I also noticed on the inner side that faces the flywheel the split went all the way around. I had a can of freeing oil so I gave it a little spray and wiped it with a dry rag. I then inspected it more closely. I placed it back on the first motion shaft of the gearbox. Now in theory, the plate would grab on the splines and when I rotated the clutch plate, the shaft should spin. As I did this the plate spun, however the first motion shaft remained still.
It was not the gearbox at all. The whole problem was when I lifted my foot of the clutch to drive away the plate did not spin. So effectively, I had no drive to the wheels. This was obviously a great outcome as a new clutch was so much cheaper than a new genuine Ford reconditioned gearbox. I did as many checks on the gearbox as was possible according to the owner’s handbook and manual.
After having made a visit to collect my genuine Ford three-in-one clutch kit, it was now time to reassemble my Fiesta. I noticed in the Ford manual that I would need a clutch alignment tool. You can do the alignment by eye but I think it would be more luck than skill. I intend to hire one from my local garage for ten pounds. It will make the job a lot easier as the other way means you need to keep lifting the heavy gearbox up and down many times. Using the correct tool ensures the plate is central and the first motion shaft will be lined up first time.
It is now time to reassemble the entire gearbox in reverse order. Be methodical and do not leave any bits until later as when the time comes it is annoying to have to backtrack your steps. Once the whole car is back together and it is time to reconnect the battery, make sure the driver’s door is open and the keys are out of the ignition. This needs to be done as when the battery is reconnected the central locking may activate. You may have to re code the Ford radio.
All done it is now time to test my hard work. After a short drive around the block my Ford fiesta is now back to normal. Job done.
I have noticed recently that when I start my Ford Fiesta the red Ignition light stays on for a while or until I rev the engine above three thousand revs, then it goes out or so I thought. The other night my daughter rang me to say, she had missed the last bus. I told her to stay where she is and I would collect her in ten minutes. When I started my Fiesta I revved the engine to extinguish the red ignition light but I noticed it does not actually go out it remains illuminated all be it dull.
Upon checking my Ford owner’s handbook and Ford manual in the trouble shooting section, it says I need to check my alternator. It should read above 13v across the battery. My reading was just below nine volts.
I called my local Ford dealership and they informed me a genuine Ford exchange unit was available and in stock. The guy told me to remove my unit and bring it with me to save me paying a surcharge and an extra trip.
The first step is to find a suitable safe area to carry out the repair. It should be level and away from moving traffic. You may wish to cone off the area or use signage to warn people about the repair you are doing.
DO NOT LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION AS THIS COULD
RESULT IN SOMEONE TRYING TO MOVE THE CAR AND CAUSE