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Geek2.0's VP Berlina

Geek2.0

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Yeah those were my thoughts LAP, I've got a spare clutch cable so that will be my first port of call. Managed to get my phone camera up into the tunnel, the fork and bearing seem to be working perfectly, all be it a little squeaky. I'm now wandering if it could be the pressure plate as that could also cause the squeak when the pedal is pushed in?

Tell it how it is hi_ryder hahaha, I love the mudflaps so they are staying!
 

hi_ryder

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Yeah those were my thoughts LAP, I've got a spare clutch cable so that will be my first port of call. Managed to get my phone camera up into the tunnel, the fork and bearing seem to be working perfectly, all be it a little squeaky. I'm now wandering if it could be the pressure plate as that could also cause the squeak when the pedal is pushed in?

Tell it how it is hi_ryder hahaha, I love the mudflaps so they are staying!

you wernt kidding about grandpa spec... what ever pulls your trigger man. i had these wogs doing the roadworthy on my red vp, they were giving me heaps. they hated the ice pearl in the paint and the crushed velvet headliner....
 

WazzaVN

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Nice job with the paintwork dude!

for your gearbox i'd say try adjusting your cable first. if it's cheap try a new one like lap said. If that's not good you're probably gonna have to take the gearbox off (i'm feeling you're pain lol). My bet would be on the thrust bearing seeing as it happened so suddenly. although last time my clutch started slipping it was the pressure plate. but it seemed like more of a gradual thing.

And nice mudflaps pops :p
 

Geek2.0

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I chucked an old (but still good) clutch cable on, appears to be no change.
I got some videos on my phone the other night and the thrust bearing looks fine.
Really not wanting to drop the box I went out and grabbed a USB inspection camera, fairly low depth of field and low quality but it does the job!
The bearing seems to be working perfectly, but it appears that some of the fingers on the pressure plate are different heights. I'll watch the video a few more times and crop it and put a link up.

I have no idea what would cause the finger to bend so suddenly....
 

WazzaVN

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ahh well as long as you're thrust bearing doesn't look like it's crushed that wont be changing your friction point then. probably the pressure plate like on mine. mine was a pbr clutch. the clutch itself still had a fair bit of meat on it which was disappointing.

i think you're gonna have to take off the box man.
 

Geek2.0

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Yeah the bearing looks fine, and the rubber bushes in the clutch fork are sitting on the bearing exactly how they should. What was wrong with your pressure plate?
This clutch is an Excedy, standard not a heavy duty or anything. It is about 10 months old and would have less than 15k on it.

Here are a bunch of random pictures of the pressure plate from the inspection cam, maybe someone else can see something i don't:


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Capture2.PNG
 

Geek2.0

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So i pulled the gearbox off today, getting pretty quick at it! haha

Everything looked really good except the pressure plate, there was something rattling around inside. I had a good look and found what looks like some sort of retaining ring, it is snapped and a little deformed at another location around the circumference.

I gave the shop where i bought it a call and they said that they would have a look but would probably have to send it to Excedy, and told me id have to pay freight and they would probably refuse a warranty claim anyway.

I'm not sure where we go from here, ill go have a better chat to the clutch shop and see how i go. Does anyone know what the broken ring is called or its purpose?

Photos:
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Geek2.0

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Sorry for the double post, but i just did some research, anyone who is interested there is some good info here: Clutch Tech Part One: The Pressure Plate, Get a Grip!

"The throwout bearing pushes on the center of the diaphragm spring bending it inwards. The diaphragm spring pivots about on a fulcrum which is either a rim stamped into the clutch cover, riveted or bolted in pedestals, or a round wire held in place with rivets around the inside of the clutch cover. The outer end of the diaphragm spring is attached to the pressure ring. When the spring pivots on the fulcrum as the diaphragm spring is pushed in by the throwout bearing, the clamp load is released on the pressure ring and the clutch disc is allowed to spin free, disengaging the engine from the transmission."

In this case i believe this clutch uses the "or a round wire held in place with rivets around the inside of the clutch cover" system, and that ring is what is broken. Furthermore:

"This clutch uses a wire ring fulcrum. Moving the fulcrum locations can keep a high clamp load pressure plate’s clutch pedal effort manageable by increasing the leverage that the throwout bearing can have on the diaphragm spring. Moving the fulcrum outward will reduce pedal effort without loosing clamp force by increasing the leverage. It will also increase engagement travel which can make a heavy duty clutch easier to drive smoothly as well."

So that could definitely explain my symptoms, the leverage of the pressure plate is being changed as I depress the clutch pedal.


I'll be very curious if anyone has something to add? :)
 

Geek2.0

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Had a chat to Exedy this morning, they seemed surprised that the fulcrum ring broke and said it was likely to be a manufacturing fault, and therefore would likely be a warranty job (Score!). Had a little bit of a disagreement with the clutch supplier but i got my way in the end. The clutch kit has now been sent to Exedy and should hopefully be at their Sydney office tomorrow morning.

Until i figure that out i went and picked up some new engine mounts, the ones on atm were cheap garbage that a mechanic put on and then charged me $135 each! They are destroyed after less than 2 years. So i went and grabbed some nice oil filled Mackay mounts which are apparently the same ones Holden used from the factory and at $134 for 2 I was sold. While i was there i grabbed some new exhaust hangers.

I think i might chuck the mounts on while the gearbox is out, might make things a little easier!

I'm also in the process of ordering some lower trailing arm front and rear bushes from whiteline, with any luck that will fix my rear end noises.
 

Geek2.0

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Just realised i never updated this thread!

Exedy covered the cost of the clutch kit, the supplier covered the flywheel machining and I had to pay freight and for new bolts. Apparently the bearing had been applying unevenly and that caused the failure. Who knows, i got a free clutch so I'm happy.

I installed the new clutch and all is good, changed the engine mounts (cannot recommend doing it with the gearbox off, had to use three jacks to get it level), and put the new exhaust hangers on. I also figured out the heater core was leaking so i replaced that too (cut and join method). Old core was destroyed:

2014-12-11%2013.16.41.jpg


Finished at about midnight then drove her down the coast at 9am, not a bad test drive! haha

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While i was down the coast the clutch pedal return spring snapped, was making an awful noise (TB rattling around in the belhousing) and i had to rest my foot on it constantly, not fancying doing that all the way home:

2014-12-15%2016.01.59.jpg


This was actually very effective!
 
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