The clutch just went out on my 2004 Crossfire. I was wondering if anyone had an idea of what I can expect to pay if I take it to the dealership.

 

Really I haven't a clue, but I can assure you it will be WAY TOO MUCH !
Why not try to find a local German car specialist shop ????
( The running gear is after all entirely Mercedes Benz )

 

This is how to do it yourself and there may be some part prices here as well.

 

Procedure looks the same as for my '70 Judge except for the juice actuation. Have a Centerforce in it and is great particularly in parades.

Looks much easier than an E-Type or my RV.

Just sent an e-mail to see if they have one for a Crossfire.

BTW I always replace the clutch, disk, and throwout when doing a clutch job and check the slave, lines and tranny for leaks. Is much easier to replace when the tranny is out.

Now my real question: anyone know of a pumpkin with about a 2.60:1 gear that will bolt in ?

ps that is a really nice and detailed write up, must admit I cheat and use a lift.

 

I am going to come up with an emoticon or some kind of doctored up picture for questions like this.

For now, this will have to do:

DO NOT TAKE YOUR CROSSFIRE TO THE DEALER. DON'T.
TAKE IT SOMEWHERE THAT WILL HAVE EXPERIENCE PEOPLE TO WORK ON IT.
YOUR CAR IS A MERCEDES, IT IS NOT A CHRYSLER.

Those who take their cars to their local Chrysler dealer ALMOST NEVER come away pleased. And ALL of them pay WAY TOO MUCH for the work. Seriously - $1500 for a stuck ignition switch? $340 for a new KEY? Deb Walker bought a fan/motor on eBay and took it to the dealer in Savannah - you can change out the whole thing in 4 to 10 minutes - I cannot remember what they quoted her, but I remember the four letter words she quoted THEM!

Find a local shop with a good reputation - TRY to find one that is known for working on Mercedes cars charges fair prices. I can easily see $100 an hour or even $150 in some areas. But please, how can we get the word out to people that they are taking a German made Mercedes to an American dealership and they are going to be S O R R Y ?

 

I believe that Buckhead Imports gets $1500 for the clutch job. I just can't imagine what a dealer would want - but I will bet you that when the car comes back from B.I., it will be RIGHT.

 

Thanks guys that's kind of what I expected. I'd love to do it myself and not take it to the dealer but I'm currently working on a copper mine in the middle of nowhere and didn't bring my tools with me and I don't really trust small little garages in the middle of nowhere to do such a big job. There's a chrysler dealership about 45 minutes away from me that's really the only option.

 

And you trust a Chrysler dealer? I must ask: "why"?

I take it you dont read the threads here at all. Anyway, PLEASE don't come back and tell us what hell you are going thru with them.

On the OTHER hand, if they do well and keep the job under, say, $2500, you might come back and clue us in on what we all wait for: those posts from people who stumble onto a good dealer! (Hayes in Gainesville, GA for one - but I still don't go there as they are just too expensive.)

 

+1 on the BHI endorsement. Top notch work and personnel.

 

You could probably buy a nice metric wrench set, metric socket + ratchet + swivel + extension set, a nice jack and still do it yourself far cheaper and faster than a shop could.

 

Be nice to have a vender put together a clutch parts kit: pressure plate, disk, throwout, with optional slave cyl and tube.

 

here's a vendor with 2 options :
05 2005 Chrysler Crossfire Clutch Kit - Clutch - LUK, Rhino Pac - PartsGeek

and another :
Carolina Clutch and Performance, Inc.: Performance Clutches &amp Flywheels

and a HEAP of 'em on EBay :
luk clutch kits crossfire | eBay

 

The partsgeek LUK I can vouch for. It comes with everything you need, good customer service and delivers quickly at a pretty good price. Mine is sitting, waiting for me to ruin my original lol. Also op not sure what you did to yours but holy cow lol. I abuse the crap out of mine and I'm still on the original. It refuses to die lol.

 

Years ago I had a Sunbird (glorified Vega) with a SBC and four-speed. It won a lot of autocrosses including SW DIV SCCA divisional & coupla state trophys that would eat clutchs, about one a year. Maybe because it had a super low first gear so I always started in second (was faster).

How the 6speed feels so much like that Muncie, I do not know but granny low and at 70 am looking for the next gear that isn't there. Had a Fiero GT like that also.

Just got the Crossfire and is supposed to have had a new clutch about 30k ago but I never know.

Interesting thing is that all of the links for clutches trace back to the same Ohio manufacturer. That is known as being a Sole Source but seems like a reliable on (parent also owns *** bearings).

Was more replying that it does not look difficult other than being a juice clutch so will need to be bled after. Nice write up, the FSM did not mention having to remove the exhaust system which is always fun.

Am looking for a way to change to about a 2.60:0 rear gear.

 

What interval is this based on? I posted a thread from the MB forum where I guy went something like 262,xxx miles on the stock clutch.


When I do mine I'm going to get a check bleeder valve, haven't researched beyone them being available for my bike. Worth looking into though.

 

Has a bit over 100k and as one of my questions of the PO was whether the clutch had been replaced and he said he had had it replaced at about 80K.

Whether true or not and whether he kept his left foot on the pedal all the time I don't know but felt tight to me. Have not been to my local dealer to ask for the service history to be pulled but had stickers from another deal for regular service.

 

Then you didn't really RTFM ...... The first thing is :

 

Relate To the Factory Manual?

Or golden shade of Post Toasties this morning?

Duck Dynasty be on soon... and we can all be HAPPY...HAPPY...HAPPY..

 

Must admit I haven't memorized the FSM yet. What I did was to download the 2005 and go to Clutch Disk Removal on 6-9 which says "
1. Remove the transmission (Refer to 21 - TRANSMISSION/TRANSAXLE/MANUAL - REMOVAL).
"
So I go to section 21 page 357 (Manual Transmission) Removal:"
1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and support the vehicle.
3. Remove the propeller shaft. (Refer to 3 - DIFFERENTIAL & DRIVELINE/PROPELLER SHAFT - REMOVAL).

Which gets me to 3-29 which does say
REMOVAL

1. Raise and support the vehicle.
2. Remove the exhaust system. (Refer to 11 -
EXHAUST SYSTEM/CATALYTIC CONVERTER -
REMOVAL).

I must admit to failure to get to the third reference & stopping at the transmission removal. Mea culpa.

 

onehundred80, yes terrific write up. To be honest I don't plan on ever doing it myself. Except for my own (previous daily driver) car which has a transaxle, all of the clutches are installed with the engine and transmission off the car. They then install together.

What torque is the clutch plate (preferably in ft. pds)?

Is it pretty much a given that when the clutch plate is shot, most likely the cover is also? I do have to say, your clutch plate looked to me like it had a lot of mileage left on it.

I'm having a really hard time visualizing the slave cylinder you describe and about pushing the cylinder in. To me a new car in the shop is a '78. The brake fluid has been completely drained, attach slave cylinder, then later bleed it when everything's in place. I'm sure it's a situation that 'ya gotta be there to understand it'.