Clutch Not Separating

[scwmcan 0]

Well think I finally found out what is going on with the car. It worked okay for the last two weeks, but today when I needed it ( since I had the other car up in the air and needed to get something for it) it wouldn't shift into gear again ( or it would and then would stall when the brake was applied). Hooked it up and after a few times got a clutch not separating fault. Looks like I need to get a new clutch from what I can see. The car does have 193,000 km so I guess not that bad, I have a feeling this is along the lines of the spring problem someone else had and not a clutch surface problem as there was still no slipping. Anyway anyone know a good place to get ( relatively) cheap clutch parts for he car?

[scwmcan 0]

Anybody know if the kit from Rock auto is correct? It is SACHS K7053201 and comes with the fork etc. seems like a good price for the parts ( then all I need to do is get it in). Of course if anybody else has any ideas of what else I might be able to do I am all ears . I have a discount code till the end of the month so the kit is under $400 after delivery and taxes, almost sounds too good to be try considering what the module from fast eddy costs ( though maybe there is more work with the kit, re assembling the clutch vs a completed module?).

[Duck 16]

Are you sure you don't just need a new clutch actuator? If some part of that mechanism goes bad and it can't travel in the commanded time it would throw the same fault, but an actuator has got to be a lot cheaper than replacing the entire clutch. Might be worth taking a look at to see if it's moving properly.

[turbomar 13]

Yeah, that or a punched thru fork

[Alex 21]

The picture for that clutch kit, Sachs K7053201, looks nothing like ours. Either the picture or the kit is wrong.

I had the spring problem, but it manifested as slipping. I would lean to an actuator/fork/wiring problem, not the clutch pack. However, if you have to separate the tranny at almost 200K you might as well change everything.

[scwmcan 0]

Well I can say that the actuator is working properly, looked at it while I pulsed the clutch with star. I checked all the wiring and the fork when I was getting the car on the road again a couple of weeks ago, it was running and shifting fine for about two weeks, but on either side of that not so great on either side of that ( wasn't shifting properly, wouldn't go into to gear before, and now when it does go into gear when I step on the brake it stalls. I am going to look at the fork and the wiring again before I order anything, and I will also check the sensor on the transmission ( gear position I thin k it is, but just got home from the night shift and my brain isn't working too well at the Monet) as Tolsen mentioned in a previous thread. We are headed on vacation, so don't think I am going to have a chance before the middle of July to get back to the. Ar ( though I may be able to do a coule of things before that, depending on time and energy. Will keep you guys updated, and will research the clutch some more in the mean time as well.

[scwmcan 0]

It does appear that the clutch listed by rock auto may be incorrect, it doesn't appear to match the specs for the diesel clutch as sold in Europe. Is the diesel clutch the same as the roadsters? Mind you don't know why I am assuming this yet, I think I just went to worst case mode ( though I agree with the milage even if it is just the fork, if I separate the trans to replace it I would replace everything, just need to get the right parts.

Edited June 24, 2014 by scwmcan

[scwmcan 0]

Okay had a little time this aft to look a bit, the coauthor works still, the fork is not punched through, the car will shift gears ( and they engage) when the engine is not running ( checked by pushing the car with my foot, in neutral it moved, in reverse or first it would not) so all that seems normal and working, probably ruling out wiring ( though of course not positively). I took the actuator off and pushed the fork with a long screwdriver, it moved, but seems very stiff, anyone have an idea of how much forth would be needed? I then decided to see how the actuator was sitting in relation to the fork, with the car in neutral it seems not to contact the fork at all, even at the limits of it adjustment, this doesn't seem right to me ( as the manual adjustment procedure seems to rely it touching the fork) so now I am wondering about what would cause that, I would think either the clutch worn out, the clutch sticking in place, or the fork being bent. The actuator seems to be moving properly, but as I said I had to use a fair amount of force to move the fork and to me the actuator is moving freely in its motion. I will hook the computer back up to it tomorrow and see what I can check with reapect to the actuator tomorrow, I seem to recall being able to extend the tutor from the computer, if so I will do so and see if it is still moving freely at the other end of its range and therefor not contacting the clutch fork, and at least indicting the problem is somewhere in the clutch mechanism, If anyone has pushed the clutch fork by hand , can you let me know how hard it was to push the clutch to release it?On a different note, the clips for the bleeder for the coolant that I lost last year when I changed the coolant, magically appeared under the car today when I was playing with the clutch. Strange they would fall out today, instead of while I was driving sometime in the last year.

[Alex 21]

It's pretty stiff. You have only about a 2:1 mechanical advantage to compress a spring that applies enough pressure to transmit the full torque of... well... a tiny little engine, but still a lot of power, relatively speaking.The actuator should contact the fork directly, with a little preload. No play at all. If the actuator is at the limit of it's adjustment slots, something is mechanically wrong needing parts, that means: bite the bullet and change it all.

[scwmcan 0]

Thanks Alex, that's about what I thought, now just need to figure out the correct part, I know from reading another thread that our clutch is 215 m&m in diameter which is the same as the roadster clutch just not sure if they are the exact same part or not though, will need to find out I guess.

[scwmcan 0]

Sorry it's been a while on the update front. Haven't ordered a clutch yet as I am going to take a look at it first ( take it out). I am still figuring I will need one but funds aren't available yet. I did take the actuator off again and look at the fork, there are no holes, but after seeing the pic on the other clutch thread I can see that the fork is stuck partly engaged, thus my no shifting problem. I will try to get a photo in the next few days. I seem to recall reading that it is possible to split the transmission from the engine without completely removing the engine from the car ( seem to recall Dom mentioning this). I don't have the lowering bolts so don't know if I need to save up for those too. Hopefully I will get to this by September ( have a few things to do in the garage first before I push the car back in todo the work on it), and will know more then, but have to start planning the budget to get it done so need to know what I am expecting ( will have to look on the STAR computer as well).

[CANMAN 23]

Yes it's possible to split the engine/transmission while it's still in the car.

A set of lowering bolts would be a real benefit, but if you are determined enough you can do without.

You have to remove the intercooler and disengage both drive shafts from the wheel bearings.

And of course the rear clip, bumper, EGR valve, hoses, clutch actuator, engine ground wire and muffler.

And disconnect both big cables to the ECU on the side of the air box.

Use 2 jacks one on the engine and one on the transmission.

Remove the centre bolt on both rear engine mounts and lower both jacks, pivoting the engine/transmission down using the front engine mount as a pivot point.

Pay attention to where each bolt joining the transmission to the engine go, they are different lengths.

CANMAN

[scwmcan 0]

Thanks, if I don't get the bolts at least I have an alternative . Should be interesting at the least.