Author Topic: Figured out my clutch issue (Read 2202 times)

frazman · « **on:** February 18, 2012, 12:27:20 PM »

So I took the transmission and clutch off last night and figured out what the issue was: somehow the center lug on my clutch disk sheared loose from the rest of the disk. Voila, no power and no noise. Really weird...sorry for the blurry photos.

http://flic.kr/p/bvvM8t
http://flic.kr/p/bvvMre
http://flic.kr/p/bvvMBt
http://flic.kr/p/bvvMNr

Anyway, now that I've been looking at this for a little bit I have a question: why would it break this way? Clutch components all look pretty good so I'm worried I'm missing some root cause and it'll happen again. I've already had one suggestion that I have the wrong pilot bearing--wasn't a press fit in the crankshaft and came out on the transmission but seems fine otherwise--which let the input shaft vibrate a little bit. Any thoughts?

Not really interested in doing a single-mass conversion so I think I'll sand the flywheel and replace the clutch components with stock.

Ben

DesktopDave · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2012, 03:46:34 PM »

I'm no clutch guru but the few throwout bearings I've seen have tended to stay in one piece. I have no idea why it'd come apart like that. Odd that the pilot came out too.

Did you install the clutch with a centering tool?

frazman · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:56:01 PM »

Not the throwout bearing...the center of the clutch disk (for the dual-mass flywheel) that makes with the input shaft from the trans. The clutch was originally installed with the centering tool.

When you normally install a pilot bearing, what's the fit like? Do you really have to push it in with a hammer? Mine just slid right in and I've been wondering if it was the wrong size.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:00:31 AM »

I never put a new pilot bearing in personally, but I've never pulled a transmission that kept the pilot on the input shaft...

Geoff · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2012, 02:52:27 PM »

I have experienced the pilot bearing staying on the shaft, not on e-30 tho.
Once it was a really old car that had never been apart, and the pilot bearing was rusted to the input shaft. Another time, the bearing had gone bad and heat fused the bearing onto the shaft. If your bearing is stiff or frozen I would suspect that. If the bearing still turns easily, I am not sure what could cause that. However, sometimes the bearing is a bitch to get out, and you have that problem beat:rolleyes:
Geoff