Tranny / Clutch Problem
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Macon GA
Thanks alot guys. For now she is driving my spare van. I will be pushing the car to my house tonight. With a spare car around I can take my time working on it.
You guys seem pretty knowledgable about these cars. I think I came to the right place. I usually go to the Miata.net forum and the Ford truck enthusiasts forum for my other vehicles. I've had good experience there.
I hope I don't need it but I may be posting more questions once I get started. Thanks again.
Tom
You guys seem pretty knowledgable about these cars. I think I came to the right place. I usually go to the Miata.net forum and the Ford truck enthusiasts forum for my other vehicles. I've had good experience there.
I hope I don't need it but I may be posting more questions once I get started. Thanks again.
Tom
Cop Magnet
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Columbia, SC
NorCal DC4 said this one in another thread... but the same thing happened to 94 Integra RS... Getting the cluthch replaced... and flywheel resurfaced. Hope this helps.
My 97 LS showed exactly the same traits, and what was the problem,you ask? Simple.
The throwout bearing failed, causing the friction plate to come away from the flywheel at an angle (rather than parallel) which result in an accumuation of the remaining friction plate lining between the flywheel and pressure plate.
This meant the clutch, and by extension, the tranny input shaft was not fully disengaging when I depressed the clutch pedal.
The synchromeshes had to "work against" this partial disengagement when trying to match the speeds of both the input and output shafts.
Hence the stiff, virtually impossible shifting.
Order yourself a new ACT or ClutchMasters clutch, one that is appropriate for the amount of power you plan on making, and swap out the dead clutch and throwout bearing. And be sure to resurface the flywheel!
My 97 LS showed exactly the same traits, and what was the problem,you ask? Simple.
The throwout bearing failed, causing the friction plate to come away from the flywheel at an angle (rather than parallel) which result in an accumuation of the remaining friction plate lining between the flywheel and pressure plate.
This meant the clutch, and by extension, the tranny input shaft was not fully disengaging when I depressed the clutch pedal.
The synchromeshes had to "work against" this partial disengagement when trying to match the speeds of both the input and output shafts.
Hence the stiff, virtually impossible shifting.
Order yourself a new ACT or ClutchMasters clutch, one that is appropriate for the amount of power you plan on making, and swap out the dead clutch and throwout bearing. And be sure to resurface the flywheel!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Macon GA
Well, I finally got the tranny out last night. I took a vacation in the middle of it.
Believe it or not the hardest part was disconnecting the shifter from the tranny. The pin would NOT come out. I beat and beat it. I ended up drilling it out. I went though about $40 in drill bits too.
The problem, as it turns out, was that one of the spring came out of the clutch plate. It was stuck between the clutch and the pressure plate. No damage to the flywheel!
So, now it on to looking for a clutch kit and putting it all back together. Thanks again for all the advise.
Believe it or not the hardest part was disconnecting the shifter from the tranny. The pin would NOT come out. I beat and beat it. I ended up drilling it out. I went though about $40 in drill bits too.
The problem, as it turns out, was that one of the spring came out of the clutch plate. It was stuck between the clutch and the pressure plate. No damage to the flywheel!
So, now it on to looking for a clutch kit and putting it all back together. Thanks again for all the advise.