Just finished a 2.0 16 valve conversion have refitted the engine 2.0 (ACE code) original rod change gearbox (02?) and a lightened KR flywheel, I put a new clutch kit in when I was re fitting everything Went to take the car out for the first time this morning and I can get any gears, the arm on the gearbox is going right up to its maximum when the pedal is depressed but it feels like the clutch isnt engaging as there is an awful crunching sound, Any ides what could be causing this? Any help appreciated Pete
Have you tried disconnecting the linkages to the gearstick and selecting gears in the engine bay by moving the selector in/out. left/right by hand (engine off of course!)? Also, same with the clutch, operate the lever by hand rather than with the pedal - could be the cable adjustment not allowing the clutch to fully disengage or perhaps the clutch arm/lever is catching on something and jamming? Do the wheels rotate freely in opposite directions if it's jacked up to check the diff is ok and not jammed or anything? Edited by: Stu
Cheers Stu havent disconnected the linkage and tried but the gear lever seems to be moving correctly when the engine is off, my mechanic was pressing the clutch and I was watching the lever on the front of the gearbox and it appeared to be moving correctly it feels like its something in the box or clutch mechanism Unfortunately I can only work on only car in the morning before work which is very frustrating I'll have a go of the things suggested in the morning, I hope I havent fitted the clutch incorrectly I dont know whether I could face taking the box out! Can you believe it, this conversion is nearly into its fourth week! originally I thought I'd have it done in four days Pete
Stick with it Pete, you'll be able to do the next one much quicker... I would always say look for the easy, maybe too obvious possibilities first and try each bit separately by hand if possible. I always overlook these things and go for an overly technical approach like worrying the head gasket has gone when really I've not tightened up the expansion tank cap or something! Know what you mean about not wanting to take the box out. I felt the same way when I installed my engine and realised I'd trapped a driveshaft so had to lift the engine back out... then my gearbox started leaking... Edited by: Stu
I'm hearing that! I thought my top end was very rattly after about ten minutes investigating I found it was my strut brace which I had removed previously and it was resting on the inlet manifold and vibrating! Respect for doing your conversion at home I dont think I would have even got the front end off it was me, I've had full access to a garage with inspection pit and almost every tool imaginable and I still cant get it right Just hope it all works out, I try to resist but I cant help looking at early Clio 172's and Williams lately any more big problems with Golfy might just send me over to the dark side Pete
Just been up to the garage in my lunch break and my mechanic had taken the box out, on inspection everything was fitted correctly so were stumped on why it doesnt work, were both fresh out of ideas, we moved the arm on the box and the lever was coming out of the main shaft in what appeared a correct manner, the new pressure plate seems a lot firmer than the old one I guess thats to be expected as its a lot newer than the old one Its almost like the shaft (which pokes out when you press the clutch pedal to the floor) isnt long enough to push the cover plate which is on the pressure plate (held on by the big circular clip) As I am using a 2.0 block do I need a different shaft or some kind of spacer What this clutch alignment tool I didnt use one is it necessary? My mechanic has suggested using the old flywheel but I ideally want to use the lightened one, could the new flywheel have something to do with it? Comparing old and new it looks like metal has only been taken from the front the bit where the friction plate sits into seems the same depth as the original Any ideas would be a great help as I at a complete dead end on what to do, I really am at my wits end with this project Pete Edited by: Peter
One thing when we bolted the pressure plate to the crank with the six stretch bolts, IIRC there was a metal ring which holes for each of the six bolts (th best I can describle it was like a flower shape)I placed this in front of the pressure plate, should it go behind the pressure plate ? (between the pressure plate and crank) pete
Just bought a Haynes manual and it looks like I have put the ring in the right place so it is'nt that When I was trying the clutch this morning it did feel a touch dead it sprung back ok though pete
The plate goes gearbox side of the plate Pete, so you have Crank > pressure plate > flower bit > bolts Only thing I can think of is if the splines have gone or the arm cracked in the box where the clutch rod is pushed (actuated) from, there's a cam arrangment in there behind the green cap. Or the rod itself is worn? No doubt it all worked fine before you did the swap tho?
Just reading my green Mk2 Haynes book, has a decent section on clutch stuff - will report back if I come up with any bright ideas! Was the gearbox/clutch working alright before the engine swap? Only thing I can think is to try it with the old flywheel but don't see that lightening it will have altered the dimensions where it matters to affect clutch operation as it must still bolt to the pressure plate the same as the old one.
Thanks Gary Appart from the crunch between 1st and 2nd the box worked fine, when I removed it and refitted it I took care not to drop or bang it, the only thing I have done appart from change the oil is to steam clean it. When we had the box out at lunch lifting the clutch arm up on the front of the box the rod was coming out of the shaft. Could it be possible that the rod isnt strong enough to push the new pressure plate in? Pete
The rod is only a steel bar, it's worked from the cam arrangment in the end of the box, cable pulls the arm, cam pushes on the rod, rod pushes the plate, if that's all ok it should work. Good info here from Broke etc, pics aren't working tho. http://www.clubgti.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=91614&KW=+c lutch Edited by: GVK
From looking in the Haynes it doesn't look too tricky to remove the end cap on the 'box and check out the release lever mechanism (never done it myself) - surely that's where the problem lies? What effect would a knackered release bearing or return spring have on things? Maybe worth a look? Does your Haynes manual cover it in detail Pete? If not I have the old green one and can scan/email the relevant pages tomorrow for you at work if required.
Thanks fellas, had a read through the post seemed like some good info looks like I need to remove the green cover and take a look, I PM'd broke to see if he can send me the pics One thing I picked up when I was engaging my clutch the lever was going past 9pm it was actaully going as high as the round metal part on the front of the gearbox Also we tried to fix it by altering the manual clutch cable got to a point were we had no more thead left to adjust cable ( idont know whether thats at maximum or minimum?)
If the clutch lever is moving that much then presumably something has broken in the mechanism or perhaps slipping? Can you adjust the position of the lever to the shaft it sits on, could it have slipped? If you are getting to the end of the adjustment on a manual cable with a new clutch then something is amiss!
It isn't the flywheel thats the problem for sure. As long as the pressure plate is bolted to the crank, the friction plate is in the middle and the flywheel bolted to that, and the disk in the centre then that part of the setup is right. I hadn't machined the friction surface of the fllwheel no did I machine the matting surface where the dowels are that the pressure plate bolts to, so the distance from face to face where the clutch clamps is exactly the same. Is the round disk in the right way round? IS the disk located properly with the retaining spring? Is the clutch plate the right way round? Is the release bearing knachered? Rod could be severly worn and isn't pressing on the Clutch plate properly. No 20 in the pic, the clutch finger, could be cracked and is turning on the splines. Edited by: Hotgolf
Yes, that's the point I was trying (not very well) to make above. Applied movement on the clutch arm sounds like it's not directly proportional to the amount of movement on the clutch finger. You work in I.T like me don't you Pete? We shouldn't be allowed near cars...
Mart - nanananananaaaa it's your fault sh4g (joke) It is easy to blame a modified part, especially if it turns out it's human error Edited by: GVK
