loose flywheel bolt/pp strap breakage/flat pushrod

[amalventano at sc.rr.com (Allyn)]

Toby,
My guess is that the bolt backed out first (along with a couple of others
near it), causing offset stress on the pressure plate straps, causing one to
break, causing the pressure plate to disengage unevenly (causing your noise
only when disengaged), causing an offset in the pushrod mating surface,
causing your pushrod end to get chewed.

advice: new tranny time (that will take care of the pushrod as well).
note: use locktite on those pressure plate bolts.

hth
Al

----- Original Message -----
From: "T. Reed" <treed2@u.washington.edu>
To: <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 6:44 AM
Subject: loose flywheel bolt/pp strap breakage/flat pushrod


> When I pulled the tranny tonight, the cause of my scraping/grinding noise
> when stepping on the clutch was immediately apparent. One of the flywheel
> bolts was backed out about a centimeter. Inside the bellhousing there was
> a nice line traced around the circumference. I still don't understand why
> it was only grinding when I stepped on the clutch, since in theory the
> flywheel is bolted to the pressure plate which is bolted to the
> crankshaft, and none of that stuff should move axially when you step on
> the clutch.
>
> But that wasn't all (of course not, it would be too cheap & easy to fix)..
> one of the three "straps" on the back of my pressure plate lost a rivet
> and had begun violently carving through my tranny case. It took several
> large "chunks" which fell out of the bottom when I pulled the tranny off
> the engine. One of them was 3/4 of the inner wall to the starter bushing,
> which is irritating since it will probably greatly reduce the life of the
> bushing and require me to keep replacing it to prevent the starter from
> jamming. I already fought that battle last fall-- feels like new tranny
> time...
>
> The third thing I discovered was that my pushrod was completely flat on
> the release plate end. This is surprising because last time I saw it
> barely 3000 miles ago it was nice and curvy still. Not sure what happened,
> but I need to buy a new pushrod I guess. Hope they're not too expensive.
>
> So although I would like my car to run ASAP I am at a bit of a crossroads
> here. If I keep this tranny, which has a chipped reverse gear and all new
> seals but still leaks (albeit minimally), I have to buy:
>
> pressure plate ~$50-$60
> pressure plate bolts ~$10-$15
> flywheel bolts ~$10-$15
> starter bushing ~$1
> mainshaft seal ~$5-$10 (it appears to be leaking again)
> selector shaft cover ~$5-$15 (the 27mm allen one, it's leaking too)
> pushrod ~$10-$30
>
> total cost: $91-$146; just to get my car back the way it was
> (but actually worse b/c of the starter bushing)
>
>
> The alternative; finding a 4K for sale would require:
>
> 4k tranny ~$100-$200
> misc seals ~$30
> pressure plate ~$50-$60
> pressure plate bolts ~$10-$15
> flywheel bolts ~$10-$15
> 8v clutch disc ~$40-$50
>
> total cost: $240-$370; to get a 3.89 r&p and quiet reverse
>
> Of course all of this ignores the fact that I don't have any money, but
> I'm inclined to spring on a 4k rather than sink another $50 in to my
> craptranny. With all the metal chips littering the starter hole I was sure
> it had self machined.. looks like I got "lucky".
>
> Problem is-- I don't have any leads on a 4k in Washington State.. I did
> about a month ago, but I never heard back from anybody.
>
> Grrr, why do these cars have to be such a PITA?
>
> -Toby
>
>
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