clutch help, i keep breaking pressure plates

[Doward]

What if the flywheel wasn't machined perfectly flat...

 

[di_rosa]

if it wasn't machined perfectly flat, i would have vibration/chattering when i was engaging the clutch, but i don't. everything is perfect up until it blows.

and IJ, how can i check for this center line being off? if all the bolts are all tightened, if the tranny mount is on and everything *looks* center in the tranny mount, and the engine looks centered in the bay and both the engine mounts are in tight, i don't know how else to check this center line?

 

[IJ.]

DiRosa: Really not sure how you'd check a 154, normally what I do is to mount a dial indicator to the crank then turn it through 360 degrees make any corrections needed from there.

Can't do this on a 154 as the Bell housing doesn't have a round hole to indicate off.

 

[Joel W.]

Man this is a wierd one, I would try and go back to a 7m flywheel and a 7m bell housing. :dunno:

I don't really know why...

 

[di_rosa]

ah......so i'm screwed there.

well, i'll try examing the flywheel and crank, and how far out the crank sits, and everything. i'll let you guys know.

 

[IJ.]

Was the motor an Auto?

 

[di_rosa]

originally yes, but then i threw on a flywheel and manual trans, and called it a day. and no, i did not re-use those shims between the flexplate and crank

 

[Clifton]

I would check the input shaft for straightness. You would need a dial indicator for this too. Go to Harbor Freight. They have them and magnetic bases cheap. Where did you get the dual diaghram PP from?

 

[di_rosa]

local shop in toronto that builds them.

yeah, i'm pretty sure the input shaft was fine cause it was pulled from a perfectly fine running car, but i will double check again. but if the input shaft was slightly bent, i'm pretty sure it would be causing some hardcore vibrations. either way, when the tranny comes out for the 7th time in 4 weeks, i'll re-check everything, and maybe swap in another tranny.

 

[supra90turbo]

$1500 for a "good" clutch? no, thats a "fantastic" clutch.
I would source another R154 and put that on when you do the clutch again.

 

[di_rosa]

yeah, i have another r154 i am probably going to try next after i rip it all apart again, and verify the flywheel hieight and some crank specs. hopefully someone will have their engine outside of their car so i can compare my measurements to theirs.

 

[Zazzn]

this is fuqed guys what is going on here.. Even i'm stumped how can you break something that shouldn't be spinning that way.

 

[di_rosa]

what if i have crank walk? it woud kinda explain why it only happens when i floor it (crank pushes forward and somehow causes pp to break). also, i've noticed that i have a slight vibration that goes up with rpm, but i just assumed it was a loose engine mount or something touching the frame like my stupid ebay manifold touching the frame. it would also explain why my original 1st pressure plate lasted like 5-6 days under my heavy foot, compared to me roasting a pressure plate in less than 2 hours of driving now; damn jdm engines. i dunno, just shooting out ideas.

 

[Zazzn]

you should see the crank go forward and back if you push in the clutch i believe

 

[IHI-RHC7]

Sounds like a bad flywheel or mis-alligned bellhousing to me...

 

[aye mate]

tranny is stock r154 from 86.5,

R154 from an NA?

 

[di_rosa]

bah, must have been a gte swap, or it was an '87, i don't remember

but if it's a bad flywheel, how can you tell?

 

[di_rosa]

well, pulled the tranny and flywheel today in the rain, and i've verified the bolt holes in the flywheel are the correct size as they match perfectly to the ones in the stock w58 flywheel (a spare i had laying around) bolt holes.

so does anyone know how to measure the flywheel step? i was thinking of getting a straight edge, laying it on the contact material of the flywheel (part that touches the disc) and trying to slide feeler gauges under it where the pressure plate bolts to. anything wrong with that?

also, is there anything else i can check on the flywheel? anyone got one handy to take some measurements for me to compare with?

i have compared my flywheel to my old w58 one (don't have another r154 one handy), and the my current one is like 1/4" taller (just eyeballing it). could someone take a measurement of it's height with a caliper? i've measured it's height with a tape measure, and it's about 1.25", so i would guess about 1.30" total height with a caliper.

thanks for everyones help/input

 

[IJ.]

Hang on here.....

Are you using an R154 Pull clutch on a W58 Flywheel?

 

[di_rosa]

no no, i just had an old w58 flywheel to compare it with, i'm using the proper release system and proper clutch and proper flywheel