Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud

[Guest Dredd]

Michael and I hd a fantstic day out on Sunday at Stonleigh. It was a real buzz joining the Thames Valley Convoy into the showground, thanks all for your hospitality and it was great talking to many people especially those building the SuperSpec, glad I was able to assist.

 

The journey home started with a car park on the M40 with both carriageways closed whilst the air ambiulance lifted casualties from the scene of a major RTC. We decided after that we would leave the motorway at Cherwell and I asked the TOMTOM GPS to plan a route home avoiding motorways. Well what a drive, through Oxford into Henley then Windsor and home - a really great drive through some nice countryside in gloriuos sunshine.

 

The downside came when I realised that the noisy thrust bearing I was telling all about decided to strat grinding when pulling away and it has got progressively worse. Also , the exhaust bobin broke.

 

The question I am coming to is; with the mt75 box is it possible to remove it without taking the engine out too? Also what bearing and clutch assembly would I need to replace the existing ones?

 

I'm hoping a Super Spec builder out there can put my mind at rest?

[Guest bugsy]

Hi Dredd,

Great to see you on Sunday , Congratulations again on getting the car sorted, it looks great, Well done.

Sorry to hear you are having problems, I cant shed any light unfortunatly, hope you get it sorted!

See you soon

Bugsy

[Big Jim]

The question I am coming to is; with the mt75 box is it possible to remove it without taking the engine out too? Also what bearing and clutch assembly would I need to replace the existing ones?

 

I don't think anyone has tackled that yet, but to be able to withdraw the gearbox from the engine, leaving the engine in situ, you'll need to obviously remove the propshaft & gearstick, speedo drive & reverse wires, starter motor, then once unbolted from the engine, you'll need to be able to pull it out around 6" - 8" to dissengage the input shaft. (it's usually best to either lift the front of the engine or jack it up, could mean removal opf the rad) So the question is, will you be able to withdraw it backbards far enough? (with the engine tipped slightly)

 

Once it's off, I would suspect the the withdrawl bearing is the one from a DOHC sierra, but it would be best to take the old one to your local motor factors to compare.

If the withdrawl bearing has seized, check the fingers of the pressure plate also.

[Guest Dredd]

Jim

 

Thanks, I doubt if there is 8" of clearence with the prop removed, so it looks like a engine tilt job. I'm tmepted to replace the bearing and cover in one go. The friction plate should be fine with only 3K on the clock.

[Guest Cantbearsed]

Dredd, Find your local LUK Clutch supplier as MOST of their clutches come as 3 part kits. If you've got the bearing out and the pressure cover off, why leave the friction plate to chance? My guess is there may be excess wear that you've not thought of until you see it.

 

Also, if your bearing is of different "parentage" to the rest of the clutch assembly, LUK can supply it seperately once you've established which part number you want with the supplier.

 

If you can give me your clutch and bearing doner details (ie bearing from this and clutch assembly from that) I can probably find you the part numbers from our books/computers at work.

 

HTH

 

Dale.

[Big Jim]

Dale, Dredd has a superspec, built with new parts all round, it's done bugger-all mileage yet, so apart from any damage the clutch should be fine!

[Guest Cantbearsed]

Big Jim, The superspec may have new parts all through but what i was suggesting was they must originate from somewhere.(rover, ford, peugeot or whatever...)

As the bearing is K.N.ackered it may, as you rightly say, have caused some damage. Maybe not. What i was getting at was, why leave the clutch friction plate to chance when it's all stripped out anyway...

 

Just out of idle curiosity, what flywheel was used in the superspec? was it Rover 220?

[Guest Dredd]

Intersting one this, I've tried to call Richard today but no answer, I guess he is recovering from he show. My intuition is that the flywheel is probably

rover 220 from the t series engine. It could be 800 series but chances are they are the same. The clutch assembly is more than likely sierra 1.8 / 2.0 given that the gearbox is my75 and the trailing arms / brake assemblies are Sierra. In the scheme of things the extra cost for the friction plate is not significant so I will probablt replace all; or I could go for a more specialist plate?

[Guest Wick12]

Hi I have super spec non turbo just applied for SVA I have noticed that the clutch makes wierd noises when pressed lightly and all I have done is 15 miles to Mot station.

Is this likely to be a problem with super spec? I have noticed the blacksmith engineering on the clutch release fulcrum and it makes me wonder about the parts inside that you can't see. I think the inside parts have plasma cut holes as bearings

like the brake pedals etc. I have modded most parts like this but not inside the clutch yet! I dread.

 

Regards all

[Guest bugsy]

Hi I have a Super Spec Non Turbo and had no problems yet (touching wood ) with the clutch, i have only covered about 260mls though, bit worrying

Bugsy

[Big Jim]

Not actually having had a clutch off the Rover engine, I don't know what size the friction area on the flywheel / pressure plate is, but on the Vauxhall it's bigger than the standard sierra, so although the sierra "spinner" will work, it's not ideal, that's why we look for a bigger one. I would suspect that RHSC have just put a sierra spinner into the rover clutch, it may be the correct size, but Murphy's law says otherwise.

So then Dale, being as nearly all motor factors now sell "3 piece" clutch assembly's, and not individual items, you'd have to buy the Rover assembly, and "a.n. other" to be able to get the "full" set-up.

 

Just having checked out the sizes of the friction plate (spinner) the sierra spinner is the correct size for the Rover clutch (according to the info available).

The Rover spinner probably won't have the same spline dia and number of splines though, to fit the MT75 box.

Edited May 6, 2005 by Big Jim

[Guest Dredd]

Jim

 

If by Spinner you mean thrust bearing, why will the sierra kit not fit? The box is from the sierra. Am I missing something?

[DAVE CASTLE]

Hi dredd the spinner is the ferrodo drive plate

Dave

[Guest docter fox]

K.N.ackered

whats that meant to mean?

[Big Jim]

The spinner is the driven plate that fits between the pressure plate and the flywheel.

the pressure plate (or diaphram plate)bolts to the flywheel and must be compatable with it, ie. Rover in your case. The spinner locates onto the splines of the gear box input shaft, Ford in your case, so the Rover spinner that's in your kit won't fit (unless Rover have gone for the same spline measurements, ie. 23 splines at 1 inch dia. and I very much doubt it) The withdrawl bearing rests against the fingers of the pressure plate until you press the clutch, then it pushes the fingers inwards to release the pressure that's trapping the friction plate, thus disengaging the drive allowing the spinner (& g/box input shaft to spin freely)

 

Apology's if I'm teaching Granny to suck eggs.