Clutch engagement problem.

[Richard B]

My MkI PI had a progressively worse clutch engagement after I bought it. This car had originally been an auto, but had been converted by a garage for the previous owner.

Panicking abouth thrust washers, I changed the clutch before the 2008 RBRR. The problem was 'severely' worn fingers on the pressure plate. I changed all three parts of the clutch and checked the lever arm, pivot pin, cross-shaft bushes etc. Problem solved.

Two years later the problem returned, clutch getting progressively worse etc.

So whilst I was changing the engine over, low oil pressure and worrying about thrust washers, I thought I'll sort this problem out. Must be the thrust washers this time.

No, yet again the fingers have worn down "wafer thin" to quote John Cleese. So proceeding to swap items over between the old and new engines. I discover;

A) a ring of rust dust around the flywheel bolts.
B) the backplate is still the automatic backplate (did'nt realise the bolt holes were the same).

Now is this the cause of my problem? Is the large hole in the automatic backplate letting in suffuicient water to seize the clutch release bearing and knackering the pressure plate?

Any one else experienced this, have I sussed it or am I barking up the wrong tree?



ps. also posted on the 2000/2.5 Register forum.

[nang]

Have you done anything to the hydraulics? Looks like the fingers are not completely disengaging from the thrust bearing for some reason.

[Andy Borris]

Perhaps the M/C and/or slave are the wrong parts, not giving enough travel?

Andy

[Lord Sorbington]

A similar thing happened to a friend's Fiat Punto last week, the clutch release bearing wore right through the fingers!  It's quite an old car, 7 or 8 years of age but has only 29,000 miles from new.  Very strange.

[dazzer]

I dont think its the backplate as my rally 2000 was an automatic and has the original backplate with a J type box. Did 15K in 12 months and no sign of excessive wear on the pressure plate fingers.

Cheers

Dazzer

[Nick Jones]

Might actually be the opposite of what you expect - I'm thinking that if the release bearing is in proper contact with the clutch fingers then the bearing turns rather than skidding on the fingers and wearing them away.  Had this problem on the Vitesse, which was also accompanied by odd high pitched squealing and squeaking noises that went with a a lttle pressure on the clutch pedal.  Missing spring in the slave cylinder?  Problem seems to have gone away after the Toyota conversion - but only by chance.

Nick