clutch disc thickness wear limit spec?

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30dodgeboy
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Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:54 am
Location: SE Wisconsin

clutch disc thickness wear limit spec?

Post by 30dodgeboy »

I recall the Bentley manual listed some wear limits, but not the thickness wear limit for a clutch disc.

When swapping in a different 1.6D engine, I had the self-adjusting clutch cable off. When I reconnected it clutch would not grab at all with clutch pedal completely out. My Bentley manual mentioned compressing a spring on the cable, so I pulled back the boot and compressed that spring to get the cable adjustment reset. Now the clutch pedal feels right again, but the clutch won't hold full engine torque. There is a small amount of free play at the top just like the previous clutch had. This is a different clutch setup on a different engine that I hastily swapped in, and I don't really know if the clutch was holding properly before I got it. I assumed ... and now I must dive back into it (I know, I know - I should have inspected it before swapping engines, was in a hurry) and am looking for some thickness inspection criteria.

Will these clutches still hold full engine torque when worn down past the facing grooves?

Does anyone have a spec?
bscutt
Turbo Charger
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Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:49 pm
Location: Springfield, VA

Re: clutch disc thickness wear limit spec?

Post by bscutt »

No Spec but I have had cases where the clutch would not hold torque, first being with my 75 Rabbit gasser that had several tweaks on power including headers, open exhaust and Weber carb. Getting on the highway in third gear would break the clutch loose at full throttle. Sold the car before replacing the clutch though. Generally I would say if the disc is worn that much it probably would not hold full torque, especially with the low end torque of the diesel. My rule of thumb is t hat if the engine is out and clutch age is unknown just replace it. HIndsight is 20-20 though. You might try some more adjusting and tweaking before you drop the transmission. You might get lucky.
Bob

'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
30dodgeboy
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Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:54 am
Location: SE Wisconsin

Re: clutch disc thickness wear limit spec?

Post by 30dodgeboy »

you are 100% correct there, Bob - last night I started eng/trans removal disassembly and before I got it out I scrutinized that self adjusting cable closer (while grille and core support etc. were off so the clutch arm was completely exposed. What I previously described as freeplay was actually just slack in the cable, etc, but the entire time the clutch lever was still pushing to some extent on the throw-out bearing... I devised a better means of retaining that spring in the self adjusting cable, and collapsed the adjustment more to get true free play (verified by manually moving the clutch lever). Testing it out with my calibrated left foot confirmed it was "normal" again, so I reassembled the front end of the car and took it for the required test drive late last night... and the clutch holds at full throttle just fine. Long story short is that the self adjusting cable was not reset properly at the engine swap, and my hastily done reset job was not done correctly. I got lucky - lesson learned... :lol:
bscutt
Turbo Charger
Posts: 1720
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:49 pm
Location: Springfield, VA

Re: clutch disc thickness wear limit spec?

Post by bscutt »

good deal, saved a lot of wrangling that transmission out of there. Glad that worked
Bob

'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
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