9N rear door unlocking curious problem

[rmacka]

Hello everyone,

Firstly I would like to say what a great forum this is, I've been using these resources and all of your expertise for years (but never registered, as 'search' normally works!)

I had an issue with the rear door unlocking (especially with the older crap battery) which improved with the new battery. Eventually it got worse and I only just scraped the MOT, so I spent hours replacing the door locking mechanism before it completely broke with a £20 generic Ebay one.

After the replacement, the door locks first time. However it NEVER unlocks the first attempt, but ALWAYS on the second attempt. The new mechanism is stronger than the others, and it consistently opens on the second attempt, so I'm wondering what the problem could be, as this sort of fault is normally intermittent.

So a couple of questions:

1 - What do you think the problem is? Is this a common issue when replacing these? Or just the cheap module?
I will remove the door card (yet again!) and see if the mechanism locks and unlocks on the first attempt whilst unconnected to anything mechanical. Then a bit of 3in1 oil on any moving parts. Any tips?

2 - As a last resort, does anyone know if I could leave this connector unplugged (door permanently open) to pass the UK MOT? AFAIK unlocking is a requirement for emergency services, but I can't find requirements for locking. I park off street and there's never valuables inside. I could bend and lower the locking snick/plug/thing so it never LOOKS like it's open, but would open if someone tried.

3. unrelated.... the clutch will soon be on it's way out (110,000 miles, end of it's travel). I'm a novice DIY'er, but have access to enough tools and an empty weekend. Would anyone recommend a DIY clutch change, or have a guide for it? The alternative would be the scrap yard, as paying £400 would not be worth it on such an old car!

[RUM4MO]

For the clutch, maybe buy a Haynes manual as it will outline each step and give you torque values?