Throw Out Bearing Failure

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Last couple of days, my 75 trans has been getting harder and harder to shift. Finally I couldn't even get it into gear without grinding. I checked the clutch cable adjustment, and the cable and the adjustment seemed OK. Then I heard something break, and a metal on metal sound of something spinning. Time to pull the engine. Four hours from lifting the engine lid to this:

What would have caused this? It's been about 25,000 miles since I replaced everything in the clutch - including the TO bearing.

Is there anything else I should replace besides the TO bearing? It all looks OK to me.

Scooter · 05-07-2008, 03:53 PM

Rex, save yourself a ton of time and just call JW. You gonna make XXX Saturday or the show on Sunday?

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

looks like the guide tube to me

is it smooth and well greased?

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Quote:

looks like the guide tube to me

is it smooth and well greased?

No - it's dry and scratched up pretty bad.

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Scott - The poor thing wouldn't make it to Johns. Luckily it died in the garage.

I'm not sure about XXX - depends if Pelican can ship fast enough.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

that is likely why it failed

you don't give the year of your car, but it may be replaceable from the outside of the transmission.

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Sorry - the guide tube is OK - dry but smooth. The inside of the TO bearing is scuffed pretty bad - you're right, that's probably why it failed. Darn do-it-yourselfers anyway. Nothing but trial and error. I just have to keep the errors to a minimum.

ManaMan · 05-07-2008, 04:54 PM

How much grease are you supposed to apply, and what kind of grease are you supposed to use? I did my clutch for the first time and only greased up the pilot bearing. Looks like I may have to drop the motor and trans again...sheesh.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

thin film of Mb grease - Grady and many others have posted on it

didn't Bentley say to use grease?

RoninLB · 05-07-2008, 06:27 PM

JW posted 000 043 024 00 for tranny/clutch high temp&psi applications

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Quote:

didn't Bentley say to use grease?

I re-read Waynes 101 Projects book again, and there's just a brief note about some grease on the guide tube - I must have missed that remark when I was installing the trans after my engine rebuild.

Anyone want to give us some recommendation as to how much and what kind of grease to use?

RoninLB · 05-07-2008, 07:04 PM

000-043-024-00-OEM Olista Longtime 3EP, High Pressure Grease, 80g tube, each
$18.00

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

I just use Swepco grease - Wayne sells it.

I'm sure any name-brand Moly grease would be fine.

Ron's suggestion is made with gold particles I hope!

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

I received my new throwout bearing yesterday, and spent today re-installing the engine/trans. When I depress the clutch pedal, it still makes a bad grinding/squealing noise. Like a really bad bearing. I'd worry about not having installed something correctly, but this is the same noise it was making before I took it apart. Tomorrow I'm going to pull the starter and make sure the clutch fork is seated correctly - but I did that before I installed the starter - with the engine out of the car. I'm too tired and depressed to do any more today.

What would a bad pilot bearing sound like? What are its symptoms? Could I have damaged it when the old throwout bearing broke?

al lkosmal · 05-10-2008, 05:22 PM

Rex,
What a pain. I'm betting on the pilot bearing. They get noisy/squeal, with the clutch pushed in, if they run out of lube.

regards,

al

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

post a pic after you sep. the motor & tranny

whatever it is, it CAN be fixed

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

post a pic after you sep. the motor & tranny

whatever it is, it CAN be fixed

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

I've had the engine/trans in and out 3 times now. It is still making the metal-to-metal squealing/scraping sound. I let it squeal with the clutch pedal depressed, for about 1 minute, then it stopped. I pushed the pedal in and out a few times - it is still stiff and hard to shift. Then it started to squeal in neutral without depressing the clutch pedal. I think this means that it's not the pilot bearing. I'm guessing now that there is something wrong with the pressure plate. I think it may be time for professionals to look at it.

What would have caused the inside of the bearing to break off in the first place? I noticed that my clutch fork bushings have some wear, and the fork shaft moves a little. Could this be enough to load the throwout bearing crooked?

Not a fun mothers day - but I'm getting really good at taking the engine in and out. Not really a skill I was hoping to excel at.

RWebb - sorry, no pictures. Just that first one of the pressure plate and broken throwout bearing. If I do take it out again, what do you want to see? The way I have the throwout bearing installed? The clutch fork? The pressure plate? All of the above?

wilke3169 · 05-12-2008, 05:28 AM

Mine did something similar a few years ago. The clutch fork was obviously broken. Seems like if that were it you would have noticed it. But, The fact that it failed instead of wearing leads you to belive something snapped.
As far as what caused the problems I posted pictures back then and the first thing JW said was, "man everything is very dry in there." Grease seems obvious when you think of the number of moving parts.

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Kevin,

Thanks for the response. I have looked at the clutch fork - that was one of the first things I checked. It could be broken - just in a way that's not obvious to me. I haven't really put any pressure on it to see if it is bending. If I take it out again, I'll spend some more time looking at that.