Clutch Assembly In Good Shape?

[mbwesty]

Bite the bullet and ordered a clutch kit. Rice and bean for the whole family next month.

Too much trouble. The clutch slave cylinder bolt (the back one) was way loose (I could wiggle the cylinder) when I was removing it who knows for how long and for what kind of damage it may have done (god knows I hope some of the howling sound I heard from the tranny wasn't from that). At least I now know everythings are new from the tranny up to the engine...hopefully, it will purr when I put everything back together.

That was the reason I started working on the van myself as everytimes it came back from the shop I would find some bolts loose or over tightened.

[Wildthings]

Never had any idea that you could disassemble a bearing and grease it. New info for me. I guess if you did it before the mileage got too high then it might give a significant amount of extra life, but once the bearing has been damaged by wear, regreasing it would not undo the wear and could only extend the life marginally.

I would think the amount of grease would be critical as well. Add too much and it might get thrown out possibly harming the fiction surfaces.

Seems like T1 engines and some T4 engines get pulled pretty often so there would be lot of opportunities to regrease a TOB before the wear became significant, but on a WBXer that may only get pulled once every 150,000 miles or so, I would think a new bearing would almost always be in order.

[mbwesty]

[Wildthings]

[mbwesty]

Tried that grease hydraulic hammer method no go. I don't think the pilot bearing cavity is big enough like in that video. It didn't take much to fill it with grease. I image the hydraulic power is a function of volume and velocity. I really didn't feel like banging the crap out of the crankshaft even after L.A. rush hour traffic.

Desperate, had to give the slide hammer loaner tool from Pepboys a try and guess what? I was able to fit it under the van and gave it couple good whacks and off the bearing it came...the worst part was the tool barely fit into the bearing...safe!

[Wildthings]

[mbwesty]

[Wildthings]

The Diesel bearing was used for years, can't say the exact range though. It is what they give me when I ask for one, don't remember ever having to give a year or application.

[crazyvwvanman]

It is an Audi bearing but easiest to get by asking for the clutch pilot bearing for an 82/83 diesel Vanagon 1.6 CS code engine.

VW # 056 105 313C

Diesel Vanagons were built from 1981-1992 in "germany" so asking for 82/83 is for USA/CA folks.

Mark

[Wildthings]

[mbwesty]

Thanks for the info.! So the idea would be to bore the fly wheel with the depth equal to the difference of the diesel and regular bearings? Should I give a + something tolorence to make sure that the bearing isn't being compressed? Anyone have a spec I can tell the machine shop in what to do?

Thanks!

[Wildthings]

[mbwesty]

[rsxsr]

Without a dial indicator, it is sort of futile for someone that has not setup the end play on a engine before. Once you have done a dozen or so, you get a feel for what is too tight or too loose.

No movement, you are too tight. If you can barely feel some movement, that is pretty close. If you can see it move or it clunks, you have too much. It is always best to start with the shims you have. I realize this is not much help.

Too tight is probably worse than too loose within reason.

edit: The endplay should always be checked and set. If a shop is not doing it, they are cutting corners. This is true for all engines. Endplay must be set. VW was nice to have a shim package. Most other engines require surfacing the thrust bearing during the assembly to get the proper endplay.

If the endplay was set correctly before, unless the thrust bearing or flywheel has worn, it should not change. If you are using new main bearings, case, or flywheel, you need to set the endplay. If all the original parts, probably ok to just put it back togehter.

When I built aircooled engines, I would actually check the endplay with the crank out of the engine and a feeler blade. I would recheck once I had it all together with a dial indicator.
_________________
1982 Diesel Vanagon Camper with ALH TDI.
1987 Syncro Tin Top. Organ Donor
2011 TDI Jetta Sportwagen.

[Christopher Schimke]

And just to clarify, setting the endplay of the crankshaft is setting up how much the crankshaft can move forward and backward within the crankcase. Too much or too little and you will have more to worry about than just your clutch....you will eventually have your engine to rebuild.
_________________
Christopher

*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected]

[mbwesty]

The real problem is I can't imagine one can feel a 0.005" movement. I bet if you can feel it then it is already OTC. Then couple with variables that could contribute to errors (like the dial setup for instance) it becomes why bother?! Moreover, I read somewhere that reshimming may not be a good idea as damaged bearing is just going to go.

My guess is since I don't know what happened before I owned the van 10 years ago. I have to assume the endplay initially was setup correctly. Then if my endplay is now OTC, I probably shouldn't reshim it and perhaps start another piggy bank and get ready for the other rebuild (I just finished the tranny)? The thrustbearing is gonna go, right?

I'll get a dial from HF so I'll have an idea about the endplay for my van...thx!

[mbwesty]

Ok, I was wrong. I guess one can see/feel a 0.005" movement.

So I setup the dail and took several measurements. One time it averaged 0.005" endplay, and the other time 0.006" endplay. Given the uncertainty of how vertical the dial was would anyone recommend adding a thicker shim or just go with what I have.

I have never done his before and your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks! Tim

[Wildthings]

.006 is the wear limit so you could just leave it. If it is going to keep you up at night then tighten it up by a couple of thousandths.

[mbwesty]