Clutch issues - ARRRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!

[r0gue]

I'm fairly sure from what I have read that it can only go on one way.

[ampz]

That's a relief

I haven't ever checked if there was a 'box' side before, I always copy the way it was installed before.

(My mum's old clutch is still taped together in the corner of the garage when i changed it this easter. Time for a clean up i think)

[jules]

You could put it in the wrong way if you were a clutz. I imagine it would wobble like hell when you are holding the pressure plate up against it and you would know something is not right, as the input sleeve protrudes on the gearbox side.


Jules

[sabretooth]

I think the first thing to establish here is the travel of the slave. When the pedal is pushed is the slave moving a proportional distance? If it's fine, then the problem is going to be inside the gearbox. If not, then either look at the pedal, master, slave or hydraulics.

[jules]

We need an interim Dodgy Day PT IIa

[JBT]

The pressure plate is correct. It fitted the flywheel dowels properly. The clutch plate looked correct as well. There was plenty of meat left on the plate. Everything lined up nicely.

That the PP fitted the dowels does not mean it is necessarily correct. It may not have enough release travel. There could also be too much meat on the clutch plate i.e too thick, and therefore the PP cannot release fully.

then it would be either too heavy a pressure plate, or an over machined flywheel.

Agree with the first part but not the second Jules. If the flywheel was "over machined" there would be more clearance between the flywheel and the PP. An "over machined" flywheel i.e too much metal removed, would be akin to a worn clutch plate.

There is something very wrong with these aftermarket clutch kits if people are having problems after installation. I've replaced clutches on four cars of my own and never encountered these dramas.

[CT]

Sounds like a throwout bearing/fork/pressure plate issue to me. There are different throw outs depending on your model, one is slightly shorter than the other. I don't know when the models changed but I think it's a 1.6 vs 1.8 thing. Anyway, I've heard of a similar issue cause by this. Free play shouldn't be an issue at all. I adjust my clutches and brakes so there is very little free play - never seen a problem like this. Also, never heard of needing a larger slave on an MX5. If you need that much pressure, somethings wrong somewhere else. Maybe the flywheel?

[jules]

Sounds interesting CT.

Mikey,

How come the clutch and presure plate were used, but the throwout bearing was new and in a plastic bag?

Jules

[OMY005]

It may be a throw out fork issue. I noticed when I put mine back together a few months ago the first time I put it into the gear box it didn't go on properly. Then with a bit of jiggling it clicked home.


Andrew.

[jules]

OMY That's normal.

Jules

[sabretooth]

I had the same issue with the engine out of the car. I was able to fix the gearbox solo, but it took a little careful adjustment (OK, heaving the gearbox solo) to get it to work.

[Sheck]

Juels:
The clutch/pressure plate combo was used by me for a while but i didnt install the throwout bearing for some reason when i installed the clutch. I think i figured the one that was in there looked good enough so i didnt bother. Sure enough a few weeks later it started getting noisey. But i didnt bother replacing it with that new one i had. Then i got the new clutch which came with a new throwout so i ended up with that old one spare sitting in plastic.

Hrrrm really weird about the clutch not working properly, especially since you rebuilt the master. Did you rebiuld the slave too??? I think i may of rebuilt mine after intsalling the clutch. It can leak inside of itself i've been told. ie it wont leak fluid all over the floor but the seals dont seal properly and the fluid moves around it?? Maybe i'm just making it up cant remember.

Does it make a difference if the bolt surface doesnt get machined at the same time as the pressure face?? Which would make it like a worn clutch like JBT suggested.

Also was the gearbox sitting completely flush with the block? I know i've put the box on before and i started putting the bolts on only to realise after they we tightinging funny that the box wasn't sitting right. (only once out of the 6 times the/a gearbox has been off my car )

Probably been mentioned but is the clutch pedal adjusted properly? (can it be adjusted? )

Dave

[Uncle Arthur]

Jules - regarding the clutch and bearing being used and new respectively - what Sheck said.....

I'll reseal the slave, and try it again, butit sounds as though Rogue and I are suffering exactly the same issues - I'll do the slave on the weekend, rebleed the system, check the travel, and go from there.....

[manga_blue]

Totally weird suggestion, I know, but it wouldn't hurt to check ...

I had the same problem with my Fiat once and couldn't sort it until the master cylinder and a fist-sized piece of firewall were blasted into the engine bay on a snap 1-2 change behind Newcastle Beach. The heavy clutch was stressing the firewall to the point where it cracked and then failed completely.

Mazdas are not Fiats, thank Christ, but is the master cylinder sitting flush on the firewall, are the bolts tight, are there any extra spacers there or is there anything else funny happening there?

[OMY005]

I had the same problem with my Fiat once and couldn't sort it until the master cylinder and a fist-sized piece of firewall were blasted into the engine bay

Ahh, the infamous fire wall mod. That happened to me many years ago on my 124CC as well. Silly 70's Italian engineering.

I'm going over to UA's this evening, see what we can find.

Andrew.