Got an 88 1.4L 46k on the clock. Had the RAC out on Saturday because the car cut out when she idled. She'd start immediately and pull away smoothly but on idling, she stalled, which was a pain at traffic lights and stuff! They identified I needed a new idle switch, upped the revs at which I idled and said I'd be fine like that for a good while but should get it sorted. It's supposed to be sorted this Saturday.

Today, however, similar issue, except it would jolt on increasing speed and on stopping (at roundabouts and sucj like!), would cut out completely, I could feel it in the brakes, I couldn't push the pedal down! Moreover there was this amazingly loud whirring noise going on, which the first garage I encoutered, said was the bearing bouncing around. This would not go away and I should attempt to drive home (I was 70 miles away!) but I'd be unlikely to make it.

I've made it. Moreover, I think the noise has gone. I didn't stall once in the final 50 miles (once it had been on a motorway, and living in London, you have to stop a lot!) I can still hear a whirring but I think it might be the fan belt. The idle switch needs doing anyways.

Any ideas if a) this is the clutch bearing needing replacing and b) if it is a hard job because I really couldn't afford to if it is.

I don't really want to send Gertrude off to the great auto shop in the sky!

Can't advise as to whether or not is needs replacing. If it does, It shouldn't be too hard.

I would think that you need to unbolt the propshaft and exhaust from the bellhousing, then remove the bellhousing from the engine. Pop in a new bearing, and bolt back up.

It's probably a bit more involved than that, and will involve a bit of lateral thinking, but I should think that it'd be doable in a few hours.

I read on one the various websites I've checked out since I got home that they would just replace the whole clutch; if so that's gonna be several hundred quid? The bearings themselves look like they're about a tenner, plus the labour I'd pay as I'm not that mechanically minded :S??

Where abouts are you based?