Drive train tests

[upstateny944]

Hello all,

I have been tring to diagnose the slop in my drive train. One very perplexing question though. Why would the drive shaft rotate between the clutch and engine? I can understand slack from the wheels to the clutch as being a bad rubber clutch center. But movement in the shaft within the tube while the engine is in gear? Is there any potential source of slack between the engine and the clutch? I would assume that the shaft would always stay movement free if in gear and the slack would be in the wheels from the clutch problem but not the case the entire assembly moves freely about 1/2 rotation while in gear? I must not understand something quite right any help would be great!

[lordgrommit]

from the wheels to the clutch the drive shaft is in the middle bad clutch disk and you would see rotation on the shaft.

Matt

[Mrmerlin]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by upstateny944:

Hi Upstate, hey if the driveshaft is turning at all with the clutch released then the only thing that it can be is a bad cluch disc, replace the disc with a spring centered unit..... to check for play jack up the back of the car use jackstands, find the acess hole on the housing of the transaxle, remove the rubber cover and try to turn the drive shaft it should not move with the clutch released......Stan

[upstateny944]

Hi Stan,

I still have some questions if yourself or anyone wouldn't mind getting down to the basics. On the car, there is the fly wheel only at the forward end of the torque tube. At the other end of the torque tube and rear of the bell housing (access plate) reside the clutch, transaxle and gearbox. I think I have this right and if I do I can't understand why there would be any movement in the drive shaft at the access plate if the forward end is only attached to the flywheel. I am obviously not turning the motor. So I guess I need to confirm whether the clutch is attached to the engine with the flywheel (then I certainly understand the slack at the access plate) or is it at the rear of the car behind the bell housing. If the flywheel has a coupler of some sort can there be slack in this? Please set me straight on this.

Mike

[dmac]

The clutch is in the front, right behind the engine - that's why you see the slop in the torque-tube shaft. I am just finishing up a clutch replacement on my 86-944na now. It's a big job, but patience and a couple special tools help. Basic parts cost $380 from Vertex, but "as long as you are in there you might as well..." replace the pilot bearing, actuator shaft roller bearings, change the tranny oil, replace broken/missing/rusted stuff. I have about $800 into this now.

[dmac]

Detailed instructions on clutch replacement are available on the net at http://www.rennlist.com/techarticles/951clutchreplacement.htm

[This message has been edited by dmac (edited 05-29-2001).]