Is there any easy way to repack a throwout bearing?
I have a almost new throwout bearing, and was wondering if there was a way to perhaps clean it out, and regrease the unit?

Quoted ~$100 to replace, and this one should still be good with less than 1000 on it.

 

I would just use it. Repacking would probably do more harm than good.

 

Why is that?

 

1) You could get contaminants in it
2) You could overgrease it
3) You could damage the seals and cause it to get contaminated

Above all, the life of a throwout bearing is really based on the life of the grease. The grease of a bearing with 1000mi is basically new. Can't do much better than that.

David

 

You don't do anything to a throwout bearing with a 1000 miles on it. Just clean off the old grease inside the bearing where it slides on the transmission shaft and apply new.

 

My concern is that I believe it has a bit of carbon dust built up inside the bearing.

I checked it against a identical higher mileage bearing, and the rotation feels smoother in the older bearing, and slightly “crunchy” in the new bearing. Instead of that sticky rolling sound, it sounds dry and mechanical in comparison.

Reason for this, my thoughts are, the stock organic disk does not powder or bond to surfaces as readily, but the castoff from the twin carbon, seems to be accumulating rapidly.

I checked the axial play and torsional play, the old bearing certainly has more just by a cursory check, but the new one as expected is quite tight.

I would just replace the unit, but I am 100% certain the bearing is in good order still, and what would be the use if I am only going to get ~1000 miles out of a new throwout, might as well test now.


I posed the question in the recent Exedy Twin Disk Carbon thread, but no takers so far.


My worry is, just how abrasive will this carbon dust be inside the throwout?
Will it act more like graphite, or more like sandpaper grit suspended inside the grease?

 

Maybe you have a bad bearing? I have a carbon twin disc and have put about 4000 miles on the throwout bearing and it seems to be working fine. However it is kind of hard to tell with the twin disc rattle.


I think the factory bearing is sealed and non servicable. I agree dgeesamen you are probably better off leaving it alone.




BTW, why did you take your transmission/engine out?


John

 

Ok.I am gonna throw something at ya..think of it like this.
The average Throw out bearing would see like 50km right?...You have one with like 1k(Km).
so that is like 2% of it's life expectancy..
Run the bearing.

 

Thats exactly it, looking for feedback from those that might have a good idea of what is going on.

Have you had the throwout in your hand and personally checked it?


I am confident when it came out of the packaging new it was operating properly.

I did a out of transmission check switching from a cerametalic 6puck and all was well before the carbon.

(I love the rattle BTW, its always a fun tease to a new passenger that wants to tell me there is something wrong with my car! , I just play along stupid )


Winter, just upgrading and servicing odd items....it was there....


BTW i checked out your build thread....NICE, good job!
Lot of clever/ interesting items.

How does the PC680 compare to the braille batt in your thread? Advantages?

 

If you have doubts about the bearing, buy a new one.

Do you really want to install it, and then take it all apart because a bearing you weren't sure of failed?

It's < $100, just replace it.

 

Its not that, $100 for a confident car, worth every penny...

The thing I am wondering though is if this bearing has taken carbon into it in such a short time as to cause a dry condition, how long before the next, and the next after that.

I think its worth time to consider the scenario, and see if something could be done better.

I have been trying to think of a good way to seal the throwout from contamination if this is going to become a regular service part at low mileage intervals.

We have a local specialty bearing shop, and I am going to take it in and see if they cant make a recommendation on sealing it with a abradable seal to keep carbon from entering the bearing.

No doubt they could clean and repack it for me.


The bearing showed no sign of wear, noise or malfunctioning while in service, I half think it might be a common thing to just continue running it in its present condition if my guess is correct.

Still would love to hear feedback from someone that has tested for this phenomena, and could shine a little light on if what I believe is happening really is.


Would love to hear a comment on this however, does anyone know what the properties of the carbon dust will act like?

I would think abrasive, but it would be great to hear a definitive idea on this issue.

 

Ah, I get it.

Last summer I took the tranny out as the throwout was making some noise. When I removed the TO bearing it was clearly not the original one, as it was obvious the ends of the forks had been tempered. Someone else had put in a new clutch and flywheel about 5 years ago, and I guess he replaced the TO bearing at the same time.

What is interesting is there couldn't have been more than 3k miles on the bearing, if that. The car is autox and track only, with about 700 miles put on it on back roads to break in a new motor about 5 years ago.

I just attributed to spirited use, but you may be on to something.

 

what does throwout bearing noise sound like? my transmission makes a noise as well. doesnt seem to hinder performance at all. in neutral if i push the the clutch in, the noise stops completely. its like a chatter noise. i would imagine it makes the noise in gear as well, i just cant hear it over the motor

 

That sounds like input shaft bearing noise, not t/o bearing noise.

If you let it get bad, the transmission will not be rebuildable. Fortunately if the transmission is out, it's not too hard to replace this bearing.

David

 

When I push/step on my clutch in makes a squeeling noise. But none when I am not stepping on it. What is going on there?

 

any1??