I used the racing beat race clutch and stock pressure plate for the engine I've just rebuilt.

After installing the engine, pressed the clutch and it just fell to the floor and stayed there - suspected the slave cylinder - but it seems the piston just pushed past the seal and fluid went everywhere.

This happened because when I inspect the fork through the slave cylinder port on the bell housing, it seems too far away to make contact with the rod in the slave cylinder when installed.

I suspect its the clutch collar and wire (which I reused) is the culprit - which might explain why the fork is pushed too far away from the slave cylinder rod? I did notice the the clutch collar didn't really seat snugly into the pressure plate and seemed to want to pop out (towards the transmission) when I was lining the engine up and pushing it the last couple inches towards the bell housing...

Any ideas / advise please???

 

Go to the clutch fork access hole and see if you can move the fork by hand. Is the collar and wire ring interacting with the diaphram spring properly?

Personally, I have never had any luck reusing the wire ring. On top of that, the FSM says it is a replacement item.

 

Also, the lever end of the clutch fork should be touching the end of the slave cylindar rod. This is a pull-type clutch, meaning that the slave cylindar pushes against the lever end of the clutch fork which in turn pulls the diaphram spring towards the transmission. So if they are not in contact, you probably have something installed wrong.

 

jd, thanks man! I will have a look and get back to you..

I noticed the manual says replace the clutch collar and wire ring.. just me chancing my arm..

 

I think it's the wedge collar and wire wring that is causing the problem. When looking up through the inspection port, the release bearing is away from the pressure plate. So I used a long flat screwdriver to pry the release bearing towards the wedge collar. It clip into place, but he wedge collar has about 1/2" of play in it. Also the release bearing will pop back out, if I apply moderate pressure to it away from the pressure plate.

I'm pretty sure it's just the wedge collar needs to be replaced?

Finally, when I reinstall the transmission, am I correct in assuming it's just a simple matter of prying the release bearing towards the pressure plate / wedge collar is enough to snap it into place?

 

Most likely. That needs to have even pressure on all sides to push into the pressure plate. If you were able to do it with a screwdriver from one side, then its damaged.

Yes. It will still have a little play as its suppose to pull back from the pressure plate 'some'. However, the throw-out bearing should not release from it when its working properly.

 

Pull it back out and inspect.

 

Once you have the wedge collar and wire ring properly installed in the pressure plate, then the throw out bearing will snap right into the wedge collar with a nice firm "snick". You just use the clutch fork as a reverse lever to snap it into place. It should go together very smoothly and securely if everything has been assembled correctly.

 

First of all, thanks guys for your help.

How do you do this? I thought using a long flat screwdriver through the clutch inspection port to pry the release bearing towards the pressure plate might do it but...

So the only other option I would see is using some wire to pull back the tail of the fork through the slave cylinder port and pull back? Obviously will not be able to click the release bearing into the wedge collar until I have the transmission back on and bell housing bolted up?

 

I'm talking about using the screwdriver to push the wedge collar in, not pushing the throw-out bearing into the wedge collar. Its ok to wedge in a screwdriver to push the throw-out bearing into the wedge collar. However, if the wedge collar isn't seated into the pressure plate; you need to drop the tranny to reseat it before pushing the throw-out bearing into place.

 

I assumed based on the previous discussion that your wedge collar and wire ring were already knackered and you would be needing to install a new wedge collar and wire ring. To do that you will need to pull down the transmission, unbolt the clutch cover and reinstall the wedge collar and wire ring through the pressure plate opening.

Once that is accomplished, let's go step by step starting from the point where you have the transmission on the ground (or slid back if you are really talented) and you have just bolted up the clutch cover (pressure plate)and finished with your alignment tool. (Hopefully, you have also greased your pilot bearing with Slick 50 grease by this point.) I am also assuming that you have the clutch fork installed in the bell housing with the throw out bearing in place by this point.


1. Raise the transmission into alignment with the rear bolt holes and pilot hole in the engine.

2. Slide them together (bell housing to engine housing)

3. Bolt up the transmission to the engine.

4. With everything lined up, access the clutch fork via the clutch fork access hole (driver's side of transmission and upwards towards the top)

5. Because you have not installed the slave cylindar at this point, you can operate the clutch fork lever in reverse fashion.

6. While operating the clutch fork in reverse direction, look up through the clutch view hole and watch as the throw out bearing moves toward the clutch cover. On the front cylindar part of the throw out bearing you should notice a notch.

7. When you press the throw out bearing cylindar through the opening in the clutch cover, the notch in the throw out bearing will lock into the wedge collar where the wire ring compresses the wedge collar.

It should click in nice and secure and straight. You should now have a functional clutch. Bolt up the slave cylindar, connect all electrical connectors on the tranny, reinstall all bracing, refill the tranny with gear oil and go do some donuts to celebrate.

 

jd, I would just like to say thank you for coming to the rescue! Really much appreciated. I'm not sure about donuts (just yet), because I just rebuilt the engine, but I will post to let you know how I get on this weekend. Your info is excellent and thanks again.

Mahjik, thanks also for your input - I was a bit confused but yes I tried everything including reseating the wedge collar as you say. Then, I used the screwdriver to pry the release collar / bearing towards the wedge collar (through the inspection port). It just wouldn't click in place properly and I could pop it back out with moderate pressure in the opposite direction.

It did occur to me to try and pop the release collar into place (with the existing wedge collar) using jd's instruction above, to see if that works without taking out the tranny - but I think it's probably prudent and wise to just drop it and replace the wedge collar with the new one I got here..

 

ky7,

Basically, if you see the wedge collar is not in the pressure plate; you only choice is to drop the transmission to push it back in. I know its a pain, been there done that, but that's just what it is.

It does sound like yours is damaged and replacing it is the best idea. Anytime you start trying to push it into the pressure plate from only one side, you'll end up bending it (i.e. trying to push it in without dropping the tranny). Good luck!

 

Will do the replace and let you know how I got on. Thanks man.

Any handy tips removing the transmission? I can only get the car about 3-4 foot off the ground (low ceiling), don't have a lift so it will have to be up on blocks.

 

No real tricks to it. At long as you have about 18-24" of space off the ground, that's all you should need. The tranny doesn't need to come all the way down, you just need to pull the shaft back enough to install the new wedge collar.

 

Again, thanks Mahjik. Really appreciate the help.

 

This issue is resolved.

My friend dropped over so I had a hand lifting the transmission. I had the bell housing away from the engine about 2" and I couldn't get it further, when I realised the throwout was engaged and this was holding up the show. Yes, the throwout was properly engaged in the wedge collar!!! After some deliberation whether to leave it and bolt up the bell housing, the advise from you guys was running through my thoughts, so I decided to just crack on and unbolt the pressure plate and remove. With everything out, lifted the engine to reseal the oil pan (last time I'll try using the mazda gasket), and reinstalled the clutch with new wedge collar and bolted it all up and clipped into place perfect!

Thanks again guys for the help!