Wrong Throw Out Bearing ?

[djape1977]

remember the ball shaped thingy screwed into the bellhousing on the opposite side to opening where clutch fork goes? you seem to have missed it when you installed the clutch fork.

LOL, yeah, if you mean the pivot, that's installed, and the yoke is seated on it (clip underneath)....do you see something in the photo to think otherwise, or just suggesting based on symptom?

based on symptoms, you might have missed it, or it slipped off during instalation, or clip broke off

[76was124]

Okay, so here's an update.

I double check'd that clutch lever is not bent, properly engaged on Pivot, retainer spring in tact. Throw out bearing properly connected to throw-out lever. Clutch cable adjusted for appox. 3/4- 1" of pedal travel before resistance which puts about 1/8" gap between the throwout bearing and the clutch flingers when the pedal is released.

So everything should be perfect right? But its not. Shift in reverse fine, 1st gear from a stop no problem, sometimes to 2nd okay, always can shift to 3rd, always to f4th. I can downshift from 4th to 3rd, but never to 2nd, and can't get back into 1st unless I'm nearly stopped. These problems happen regardless of revving, double clutching. No firewall crack (in fact it looks like on my 81/82 it already had a factory added square plate reinforcement on this he firewall). Clutch Pedal seems fine, straight and no bent fork, ( There is a slight spring ringing (not quite a pop) sound on 1st inch of travel, but doesn't seem to be the cable or pedal fork making the sound, more like the pedal return spring rubbing on the bushing as it goes away with a little side loading of the pedal (to the left).

Clutch cover and pressure plate is new matched set, transmission sycnros and 2nd gear and fork have less than 100 miles on them.

So I am left with the difference in these two bearings,( less than a couple mm in dia.) as the problem.

I'll pull the trans again and use the plastic throw out bearing that came with the new Valeo clutch and pressure plate kit, but I'm skeptical that will fix it.

Should I be looking for anything else while I have it out again?
here's a video of the clutch cable/lever travel.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[BEEK]

to be honest, looking where your cable is adjusted, it does not look like a new clutch, the adjustment should be more towards the end of the cable. unfortunetly i would examine the pedal very carefully and make sure it is not bending. then i would check the fire wall for flex, then lastly looking inside the bellhousing , you might have a bad pressure plate , dont know without looking

[Ramzi]

Tony,

Didn't you mention that you had your flywheel lightened. Could it be possible that it was not correctly stepped?

Ramzi

[76was124]

Didn't you mention that you had your flywheel lightened. Could it be possible that it was not correctly stepped?

Ramzi

No, I didn't have it turned, but now understand I should have, but surprised that would cause it not to release, vs chatter or some other problem.

But either way, the transmission is coming out and I'll have the flywheel resurfaced and refaced with the. 020" step suggested to me.

[Exit98]

I put on a lightened flywheel from Miller's Mule and I'm very pleased. Big improvement. If you are going back in you might consider it.

[RRoller123]

So the lightened flywheel will quicken up acceleration, but did you notice any change in ability to idle smoothly?

Pete

[Exit98]

Hi Pete,

It's been in there long enough that I can report.

The car accelerates quicker. The motor just spools up faster, particularly north of 5000 rpm.

I don't think a lightened flywheel affects idle in any way, but one of my other recent changes was swapping out the original 32ADFA with a 34 ADFA and the car has never idled better. 800 rpm on the nose. Great upgrade by the way.

The lightened flywheel should result in the car slowing down more quickly when left in gear with your foot off the throttle. In other words when for example you approach a toll booth and lift off the gas and coast in (with the clutch engaged) the motor has less saved inertia. Something like that, the engineers can chime in. Maybe a better example, 65 mph on the highway, lift because there is a slow car ahead, your car will slow down quicker with the lighter flywheel.

Anyway, I've noticed no downside and a noticable upside. I'd do it again.

[RRoller123]

Thanks for the feedback, sounds good!

[76was124]

to be honest, looking where your cable is adjusted, it does not look like a new clutch, the adjustment should be more towards the end of the cable. unfortunetly i would examine the pedal very carefully and make sure it is not bending. then i would check the fire wall for flex, then lastly looking inside the bellhousing , you might have a bad pressure plate , dont know without looking

Update:
Finally got around to pulling the trans(again) to see why it won't downshift into 2nd, but shifts smooth up in all gears, and down from 5th thru 3rd

Flywheel surface looked good, Didn't look like it needed a resurface, step was at. 024" - a little high, so I am going to have it resurfaced anyway. Clutch is a brand new valeo, the new all metal throw out bearing I used was the same except the effective travel was about .040" less than the plastic sleeved one that came with the clutch kit. As a test, I had previously tightened the clutch adjustment up more than it should have been (1/2" pedal pre travel vs. 1") just to see if I could get it to release better, it didn't. I will reinstall using the throw out bearing that came with the kit. Throw out lever and pivot retainer spring was fine, and attached. So I am hopeful although a bit skeptical it will work right when it goes back together, but I am out of ideas before the gearbox (just rebuilt) will have to be opened up again.

[vandor]

>Finally got around to pulling the trans(again) to see why it won't downshift into 2nd, but shifts smooth up in all gears, and down from 5th thru 3rd

Sounds more like a weak 2ng gear synchro ring than a clutch.

[hamlet]

Is there a particular direction the plastic throwout bearing should be installed? Won't it be able to be installed two ways on the clutch fork?

[vandor]

From memory, no, it can only be installed one way, as there are guides for the clutch for tabs to slide into, and they can only slide in from one side.

[76was124]

>Finally got around to pulling the trans(again) to see why it won't downshift into 2nd, but shifts smooth up in all gears, and down from 5th thru 3rd

Sounds more like a weak 2ng gear synchro ring than a clutch.

Yeah, that's what I am afraid of....maybe the 2nd syncro retainer clip came off?

[76was124]

From memory, no, it can only be installed one way, as there are guides for the clutch for tabs to slide into, and they can only slide in from one side.

It can only go on one way......I used the all metal one now I am going to try the plastic sleeved one, but it also can only go on one way.