So, I think I may have found my shifting problem.

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:38 pm

So, I think I may have found the issue with my car. As I said in my dead tranny thread, it was having issues shifting and made awful noises when it was in gear.

So, do you think this might have cause the problem...

And this is the flywheel. The bearing fell right out when I took the clutch off. Also, you can see where the liberated clutch spring rubbed on the hub of the flywheel.

So, do you think that this may have been the cause of my problem or should I open the tranny and have a look inside? Keep in mind that transmissions scare me and I am a little aprehensive about opening it up.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:45 pm

Check the input shaft of the transmission for any abnormal play, and make sure that you can shift it into all of the gears with it disconnected from the engine. If those two check out, I would just put it back in with a new clutch, flywheel, pilot bearing and t/o bearing.

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:47 pm

I didn't think about just puting the shifter in the tranny and trying that. I'll give that a try.

When you say abnormal play, what do you mean? There is a little rotational play but not longitudnal play at all. Is the rotational play an issue?

Kevin Harvey · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:50 pm

I had a spring pop out of the clutch many, many years ago in a 1989 Ranger ... very similar to your pictures. Nothing else was wrong with the clutch, yet I could not shift gears because of the spring.

I'd say you found your problem, but do as Jason suggested and see how well the tranny shifts while sitting on the ground.

Kevin

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:15 pm

So I went out to the garage and checked the tranny again.

There is just a little rotational play in the input shaft.
There is absolutely no longitudinal play
The shifter seems to go through the gears fine so I am assuming that is fine.

Side question, do you think the flywheel is still usable, after obvious resurfacing, even with the scratch caused by the displaced spring?

Kevin Harvey · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:41 pm

If the resurfacing will take out the scratch, then I would say yes. The machinist that does the resurfacing should be able to tell you whether or not it is worth it and how close you will come to the tolerances.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:17 pm

Is this in the miata? If it were in a high hp / high heat application, I would be a little concerned with weakening the flywheel. They can do nasty things if they come apart.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:47 pm

Kevin Harvey wrote:

If the resurfacing will take out the scratch, then I would say yes. The machinist that does the resurfacing should be able to tell you whether or not it is worth it and how close you will come to the tolerances.

I lightened my stock '93 flywheel when I had my CSP Miata. It lost about 4.5 # when T-Hoff did the work. After seeing one that has broken in a car, I will never do that again.

In your case Todd, I'd find a new one and button it back up. A broken spring will certainly cause the issue you were having and the Miata trannies are considered near bulletproof aside from some shifting grind at higher miles.

If you do resurface it, be careful how much material is removed so that you don't put yourself out of STS rules by lightening the flywheel. - AB

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:46 am

order a new one from Madaspeed thru the grassroots racer support program. Likely cheaper than even refinishing. I'd say that yours will not be able to be cleaned up tho.

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:57 am

if you do get yours surfaced it is not going to take out that scratch by the bolt holes. You also prob need to get a balance if you reuse the stock one just to be on the safe side! I would find a good used one and not worry about it while you got everything apart. I had the clutch in my del sol do somethign very similiar but i kept putting it off and when i went to change it the spriings had cut the bolt head to where you couldnt put a socket on them. I had no choice to but not surface and leave it in the car. As far as i know it is still going strong.

Kevin Harvey · **Posted:** Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:01 am

jeremy gast wrote:

if you do get yours surfaced it is not going to take out that scratch by the bolt holes.

Good point... since that is not on the mating surface that is normally ground by the machinist.

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So, I think I may have found my shifting problem.

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