Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:31:55 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: clutch disc
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; reply-type=original
minor correction :
re :
"You'll have to remove the flywheel and inspect the clutch disk wear."
that's not accurate of course..........you just remove the pressure plate
from the flywheel to inspect the clutch disc.
And as noted.........they don't wear much at all usually.- the disc
portion..
( one way waterboxer clutches get old is ...........they just get very old.
often. Unusually high clutch pedal effort.........is a sign of a very old
pressure plate.)
What usually goes first is pilot bearing.
And to get at the pilot bearing in a waterboxer engine you do have to remove
the flywheel from the crankshaft.
I find many waterboxer flywheels missing a tiny metal ring that holds the
pilot bearing felt dust seal in place.
And many of them with no dust seal at all - that causes clutch plate dust to
destroy the pilot bearing in 2 to 3 years.
So be aware of that. The little metal ring that holds the felt seal in
place is a part that is not available anywhere as far as I can find out .
Usually a 'pilot bearing removal tool............a slide hammer with small
expanding jaws on the front of it, is needed to get the pilot bearing out.
If the rollers are intact in a pilot bearing..........you'd probably be ok
re-using it, and make sure it's lubed, and a dust seal is in place.
If touching the rear main seal, be aware of the dreaded 'dropped thrust
washer' syndrome.
At Bostig.com there's a video of the famed Boston Bob going over that.
He puts the felt dust seal in dry. I soak them in oil first. All seals need
to be pre-lubed somehow, or they can burn out if used dry initially.
Might not matter with that felt seal though, but I still feel better with
some oil, or perhaps lubriplate white grease on it. If you put your van in
gear, hold down the clutch, and give it 2,000 prm ( which you'd never do
normally anyway ) .........the speed difference between the trans input
shaft and that seal is about a thousand miles per hour. I say lube them.
Lacking a clutch alignment tool one can eyeball it........but that's tricky.
I have about 4 left over plastic clutch alignment tools left over from
clutch kits I'll sell for cheap. They're not as good as an actual input
shaft from an old transmission, but they're much better than no clutch
alignment tool.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris S" <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 2:37 PM
Subject: Re: clutch disc
> You'll have to remove the flywheel and inspect the clutch disk wear.
> You'll need a clutch align tool to reinstall the disk if you're not
> replacing it. I don't know what exactly is replacement thickness, but
> if either of the sides are getting close to rivets I'd replace it.
> You may consider replacing the pilot bearing, felt grease seal,
> flywheel o-ring and engine main seal at the same time. In both of my
> Vanagons I replaced the clutch because of a failed pilot bearing not
> because of clutch wear.
>
> 2008/10/30 Shawn Clark <shawnclark77@yahoo.com>:
>> I have my engine out, and i'm wondering what i need to look for, to tell
>> if i need a new clutch disc.
>> If i need one this would be a good time to do it.
>>
>> thanks
>> shawn clark
>> burleson tx
>> 84 westy "ishmael"
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Chris S.
> Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"
