thrust bearing not engaged, suggestions

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Wed May 06, 2009 9:01 pm

Gday all, just putting it out there to see if anyones got any experience/suggestions to get the thrust bearing to clip into the clutch pressure plate without separating the engine/box...

The b4's nearly ready to fire up, just need to sort the clutch before putting the intercooler on.

Any help will be MUCH appreciated

Cheers, Jay

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed May 06, 2009 9:03 pm

Have you moved the pedal at all?

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Wed May 06, 2009 9:23 pm

i haven't adjusted it if thats what you mean. The thrust bearing is not engaged, thats the problem. its not grabbing the pressure plate like its designed. slightly different than an MY or L

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Wed May 06, 2009 10:05 pm

happened to me about 2 yrs ago in my other liberty, i stuffed it up and had to seperate the box from the engine, i already thought about it and figured it was too hard, easier to move the box away from the engine and fix it. I dont think there is a easier way? Unless you can borrow doctor's tools

Cheers
AP

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed May 06, 2009 10:43 pm

Im gathering its a Pull clutch yes?

its been awhile since ive done one but i remember something about pressing the pedal for the first time being what engages them.

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Wed May 06, 2009 11:00 pm

pressing the pedal pulls the thrust bearing away from the pressure plate, so thats the opposite of what your saying

its a hydraulic "push" clutch

complete opposite from from the cable operated pull clutch in the L and my

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed May 06, 2009 11:27 pm

L's and MY's are a cable operated clutch yes. but they are infact a Push clutch. they don't get designated by how the fork gets moved, like your thinking.

Move the pedal out first then in ? They click in when u first press the pedal. im sure the ones ive done have been like that, i do realise it pulls the Release bearing away yes, but moving the pedal in and out a couple of times i would be surprised if it doesnt engage itself

I do know the difference with the Pull and Push clutches to.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed May 06, 2009 11:51 pm

Nah it would be a pull-type clutch setup, it should be if its a turbo. L and MY are push. It's not called push/pull from the way the fork is actuated, rather what the fork does to the thrust bearing, in your case pulling.
I managed to do this once on a wrx but it was very tricky....just took quite a while dangling the fork down there and shining a torch until it slipped into the little lugs.
*edit - I remember using a long, thin flat screwdriver to very gently rotate the thrust bearing lugs around to get them in the right position.
**EDIT - heh idiot...I just re-read the post and that's not your problem at all, ignore that!

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:12 am

Matatak wrote:Move the pedal out first then in ? They click in when u first press the pedal. im sure the ones ive done have been like that, i do realise it pulls the Release bearing away yes, but moving the pedal in and out a couple of times i would be surprised if it doesnt engage itself

right, so its a pull clutch.... still wont engage by depressing the pedal, as there is about 20mm for the thrust bearing to move on the shaft, to lock it to the pressure plate the top of the fork needs to be pushed towards the fire wall (have tried). when you press the pedal, it extends th pin on the slave cylinder (mounted behind the fork) which pushes the top of the fork forward, dragging the thrust bearing away from the pressure plate

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:30 am

just going to have to try harder, this is what the manual says...

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:40 am

Yeah thats what i remembered just before.

I knew what i meant lol.

When the box is tight to the engine engaging the Bearing is the next step on the ones ive done. but its been so long since ive done one now. Finished up another Push clutch today though....

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Thu May 07, 2009 2:10 am

As long as you haven't done what I did a couple of years ago, I had a new motor re built, put it back in with fluids etc etc ready to go., clutch pedal hits the floor, motor out because like the cock that I am I had put the thrust bearing in the wrong way around aggggghhhhhhh.

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Thu May 07, 2009 2:11 am

when i did my rex. it was a pain in the ass...endedup splidding the box enough to get the thrust bearing on the pressure plate, then visually gettint the fork in the thrust bearing. there was a neat little trik that made it easy but i cant remember....

lol....just like the first time i tried splitting the box and motor without removing the pin...AHAHAHAH...that was interresting:P

dave

Outback bloke · Post by **Outback bloke** » Thu May 07, 2009 6:45 am

Jay, in your model is the slave cylinder on the motor or the box?

If it is on the box and you haven't managed to knock the retaining clip off the pressure plate you should still be fine. Take the front bolt out of the slave cylinder and loosen the back bolt. You can then tilt it up out of the way. Then push the clutch lever back as far as you can with a big bit of pipe. Once it is right back give it a jolt to get the clip to work.

If it is on the motor I have a feeling you may have knocked the retainer off. It is inside the pressure plate.

What happens with it is when the TOB is pushed through the ring on the pressure plate it pops in to the clip. Then when you pull on the lever to disengage the clutch it pulls the complete set up in to the housing on the pressure plate and locks it all in to place.

If you have popped the inner retainer off you will have to split the motor/box to remove the pressure plate to refit the ring.

Hint: when bleeding a slave cylinder that bolts to the box, take it right off the box. You then bleed it in your hand with the bleed valve pointing vertical. It is the only way to get all the air out.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Thu May 07, 2009 6:47 am

If you push the clutch fork away from the engine[ towards the firewall ] you should be able to feel it click in] unless you have done what i did a few years back and didn't check if the retaining circlip was on the pressure plate. If this clip isn't there the bearing will just slide in and out and do nothing.

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:09 am

thanks for the advice fellas, the slave cylinder is mounted on the box, yeah took it off to bleed it and held the bleeding nipple on top, cycled about 100ml's through it to give is a clean and ensure no air bubbles.

I have definatetly put the thrust bearing on the correct way:) and i never stuffed around with the pressure plate so hoping the retainer is still in place. Had the bearing clipped into the plate on the bench before it was installed.

Goind to get a decent lever bar on it and cross fingers:) Ill let you all know how i go.

Cheers, Jay

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:39 am

righto, it appera the clutch bearing was engaged the whole time, tried levering it towards the firewall to no avail, so thought i'd test it by levering it forwards (operating the clutch) to find that its definatelt doing what its meant to.

Next question is - The pin of the operating cylinder isnt applying any pressure to the fork. Have bled it by the book (removing, clamping and inverting), re installed to find the clutch pedal springs to the floor and stays there... Is it possible to not have enough oil in the system?

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:51 am

problem solvered..... pumped the clutch till my leg went dead, topped up the fluid and she's working good now.... rather overestimated the problem:)

but thanks everyone for suggesting ideas.... i must try harder next time:)

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:42 am

so how does she drive then!!!?

vidler · Post by **vidler** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:51 pm

righto, all sorted, was engaged all along, had to pump the clutch about 30 times to get it extend the operating cylinder ram to pick up the fork, bit more oil and good as gold.

ready to fire up now apart from issues with the crappy brant alarm system....

got it cranking over but no fuel is getting through, guessing the alarm system imobilises the fuel pump or something... just going to rip the brant out