Having replaced the clutch and belts the car now has an intermittent loud rythmic rattle from the clutch housing when the engine is idling in drive. The noise gets gradually quieter if the revs are increased and disappears completely at 1000 rpm. It also stops if the button on the gear selector knob is depressed. It doesn't occur in neutral and is only apparent when the engine has warmed-up. I'm familiar with the usual 340 chatter when the idling speed is too low but this is different. I'm certain that I assembled and tightened everything correctly so I'm wondering if the new clutch cover or bearing is faulty although I don't quite understand why the noise only occurs in drive. Given that everything works ok I'm wondering whether to just increase the tick-over speed to over-ride the noise and carry-on driving until something develops.

I'm afraid I can't really help much here, having never seen the CVT clutch mechanism "in the flesh". Some thoughts though:

* higher revs mean the flyweights are pushing the clutch further towards the flywheel
* pushing the knob on the gearlever is activating the clutch disengagement valve

both appear to "bypass" the problem.

As it's a CVT-specific problem try posting on the DAF Owners Club UK forum:
http://dafcars.proboards37.com

or, if you're really stuck, try posting in English on the Dutch Volvo300 Club site:
http://forum.volvo300club.nl

I've seen people reply in English to people who are stuck and don't understand Dutch. At the bottom left there is a "language chooser" which should make registering a little easier.

Hope you get the problem sorted!

Tom

I have some rattle which I assume comes from the clutch; this happens only when the car is cold and the engine is running a bit roughly, at maybe 1000-1500 rpm and then goes away. But I've assumed this is nothing fatal and I've just driven... not to say that yours isn't something more serious.

Well, whatever it was seems to have settled down. I've done 300 miles since fitting the new clutch and belts and everything seems fine. I can only assume that the noise was caused by the initial contact of the bearing against the fingers of the clutch cover and its now 'bedded-in'. The noise has stopped anyhow so I'm not losing any sleep over it..!!