Problems with Pressure Plate/Bellhousing

[chally72]

I am assembling the pressure plate and bellhousing on the torque tube before putting the engine in, due to clearance issues. I find that when I slide the pin for the clutch fork in, the pressure plate is pulled so far back that the starter ring gear is pulled against the bellhousing, and the pressure plate will not even turn. Is this normal for a new pressure plate? Do I have to torque it to the flywheel to pull the plate away from the bellhousing enough to spin freely? In other words, the pressure plate fingers should be pulled slightly away from resting position when I torque it down, and that will be their clutch-fully-engaged point?

The old pressure plate spun freely on the pilot bushing even with the clutch fork in. The assembled dimensions between the old pressure plate and the new one seem to be the same. I'm puzzled.

[944 Ecology]

Sounds like you're trying to fit a turbo clutch inside an NA bell housing...

[chally72]

The bellhousings are different?

Equipment being used is: Turbo bellhousing, 930 clutch, stock pressure plate.

[944 Ecology]

I just reread your original post.

Despite the clearance issues, you have to install the disk and pp to the flywheel before installing the bellhousing over that, then install the torque tube into the bellhousing.

[chally72]

Thanks for pointing that out. This is going to be like a puzzle! Small garage space, less than a foot of space in front of the car and the ass end of the car hanging over a dirt ledge. I bet I have to drag the engine back out twice before I figure out the winning assembly combination.

[944 Ecology]

Of course, you did remove the transaxle first...

[nynor]

wow. i am really confused. you are "assembling the pressure plate and bellhousing on the torque tube"... really? WTF?

you need to have the clutch and pressure plate assembled well prior to putting the bellhousing on. then, you put the torque tube on. did i miss something?

if the ring gear is moving, you did a whole bunch of things wrong.

[chally72]

Yes, Nynor, you did miss something.

I took the engine out with the bellhousing still on the torque tube. I undid the pressure plate bolts through the starter hole, turning the engine and doing them one at a time. This allowed me to pull the engine without moving the transaxle/torque tube/pressure plate/bellhousing at all, and saved me a bunch of time.

Now that it's time to put the engine back in, I shuffled the transaxle/torque tube back about 5 inches, but did not disconnect it fully. My hope was I could play the same game with the pieces inside the bellhousing to reassemble, but because the pressure plate has a preload on it that sucks it against the back of the bellhousing, I won't be able to turn it, and I can't do it this way.

[nynor]

gotcha. sounds like a good time.

[nize]

wait, how are you going to re-center the clutch and insure the whole rotating assembly is balance-matched?

the flywheel and pressure plate must be balance-matched together after they are mated.

[chally72]

.....balanced matched?

[chally72]

This was from a long time ago, but I wanted to mention that it is entirely possible to put an engine in these cars without removing the transaxle from the torque tube. Indeed, I only took the two outer bolts off the bracket for the transaxle.

[Bonestock951S]

Originally Posted by nize

the flywheel and pressure plate must be balance-matched together after they are mated.

While this is a common way to do things, it is not 100% necessary. Having the pieces individually balanced will give the same result (Did this on my car with no issues at the advice of a well known engine builder).