Clutch life and replacement options

[mangocrazy]

Thanks Eric, that answered my next question; re clutch alignment when fitting. I noticed the Haynes manual mentioned a mandrel; I guess the two are synonymous. The gearbox is on a dolly and chocked up with pieces of wood, so should mate up almost exactly when pushed back onto the engine. Hopefully, anyway.

I'll know more when I've got the clutch off, but I was thinking of renewing the driven plate in any case, as they're cheap and it seems silly not to. Thanks for the tip about brake cleaner; I'll check the 'ingredients'.

With regard to the clutch release bearing, would it be wise to replace that at the same time? When I pulled the clutch lever in on the bell housing and waggled the release bearing there did seem a fair amount of slop in the assembly. Is that normal?

[mangocrazy]

After having removed the clutch (it came off very easily with only slight assistance from a pry bar) and had a good look at it, it doesnt seem to be in too bad condition at all. The pressure plate is covered in rust around about 65% of its circumference, but should clean off fairly easily. I'm intending to immerse the friction material in a solution of citric acid, which I've found to be excellent as a rust remover. A quick wipe down in clean water and then thoroughly dry it out over a radiator and it should be good to go.

The inside of the cover plate and the flywheel have similar amounts of rust, but I think a quick lick over with a wire wheel in a cordless drill should clean that up.

And having looked more closely at the release bearing, the 'wobble' isn't in the bearing, but the housing. The bearing itself spins freely without any noise, so that seems serviceable as well.

[mangocrazy]

The next question - what type of clutch alignment tool do people regard as best? There's an enormous variety on ebay, most of which are pretty inexpensive.

[HFStuart]

One with plenty of adpators!

To be fair mine is a cheapo like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-CLUTCH-ALIGNMENT-TOOL-KIT-UNIVERSAL-SET-18-PIECES-/301861586609?hash=item46485a46b1:g:D0sAAOSwFMZWrepf and it works well.

If I don't have an adaptor that's a snug fit a few wraps of insulating tape do the job.

[mangocrazy]

Cheers Stuart - I've snaffled one of them... Just another thought - would a complete clutch from a Fiat 132 2.0 fit my engine? From what I can see the clutch on Fiat 131, 132 and 130TC 2.0 motors all use the same clutch part as the 2.0 Beta... Is that so?

[mangocrazy]

After some thought I decided to get the clutch components bead blasted by a guy I know who does this stuff. As you'll see from the photos, it's made a big improvement...

[Ammy]

Surely looking clean doesn't compensate for wear.  Would never dream of going to all the trouble of removing a gearbox and not replacing used parts.

[mangocrazy]

Ammy, I'd agree if the motor was to be re-used for any length of time after the rebuild, but all the car has to do is to get back to the UK then it's going in for a full refurbish. This motor I'm getting ready is intended to be a drop-in replacement for the one the French garagiste buggered up. The original engine will be coming back in my van, the car (with replacement engine) will come back some time in the summer.

Once the car is in the UK it's having a top to bottom refresh, including totally refurbished engine.

[Ammy]

Understand now,  commented before aware of the facts,  apologies.

[mangocrazy]

No problem, and no need to apologise! I'd look askance at someone putting 'cosmetically enhanced' secondhand pieces back in an engine under normal circumstances...

What was particularly galling was that the car was just about to be repatriated last November, and then the water pump failed. What should have been a simple replacement turned into a nightmare when he mis-timed the auxiliary shaft while replacing the cambelt (which I hadn't asked him to do...) So all I want to do is get the car back to Blighty where it can be sorted properly.

[WestonE]

Graham

In the circumstances I would get a flat sander on the surface of the cover plate where it will touch the pressure plate to try to get a smoother surface. That rust pitting will rip into the clutch friction material and might create all sorts of snatch and sticking when you use it. Otherwise it looks OK for your use.

Good Luck

Eric 

[mangocrazy]

Thanks for that, Eric. I did think that the pitting, even after blasting, might make the clutch take up too aggressive. I've got a Bosch Multitool with sander attachment that's perfect for getting into tight corners, so I'll put some fine emery cloth on that and get to work.

[mangocrazy]

As advised by Eric I've given the driven area a good sanding with 80 and then 240 grit emery cloth, and when I run my fingernail over it now it is far smoother, with no raised parts which might snag or grab. I also gave the body a quick blow over with etch primer just to inhibit further rust formation.