Miata clutch issues, what are your thoughts?

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

JamesShort wrote:

Guy on miata.net thinks it's a seized pilot bearing and that the nose of the input shaft is now spinning within the inner race of the pilot bearing when the clutch is depressed. Not sure how much I believe that given you'd think about a few revolutions of the input shaft in that seized bearing and the friction in that interface would cause some noise from the expansion of the metal.

I'm sure whatever it is will shine it's head once I get the parts off the car. I don't intend on pulling the flywheel unless the RMS is leaking. Any tricks to get the pilot bearing out of the flywheel? Puller? Fill with grease and hammer something the size if the ID into the cavity and have the hydraulic pressure push it out?

The pilot bearing probably going to look what mine did when James and I pulled my clutch out: seized and rusted.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:32 am

Andrew Jonell wrote:

JamesShort wrote:

Guy on miata.net thinks it's a seized pilot bearing and that the nose of the input shaft is now spinning within the inner race of the pilot bearing when the clutch is depressed. Not sure how much I believe that given you'd think about a few revolutions of the input shaft in that seized bearing and the friction in that interface would cause some noise from the expansion of the metal.

I'm sure whatever it is will shine it's head once I get the parts off the car. I don't intend on pulling the flywheel unless the RMS is leaking. Any tricks to get the pilot bearing out of the flywheel? Puller? Fill with grease and hammer something the size if the ID into the cavity and have the hydraulic pressure push it out?

The pilot bearing probably going to look what mine did when James and I pulled my clutch out: seized and rusted.

Was your input shaft nose buggered up?

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

Nope. The bearing was seized to hell and back and you could see through a gap between the casing and the bearing. It was making all sorts of noises before I changed it out.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:42 pm

Got a $20 from Jason Fraley off a 94 with low miles. Can see the casting lines in the friction surface, no discoloration. I'm going to lightly sand this with some 1000 grit sandpaper and throw it on there. Got the RMS and Slave cyl, just waiting on the Redline MT90 and the clutch kit

.

Question for Miata folk....the oil level in the pan is lower than the lowest point on the RMS right? Ie if the car is levelish, can I remove the RMS without oil weeping out?

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:59 am

JamesShort wrote:

Question for Miata folk....the oil level in the pan is lower than the lowest point on the RMS right? Ie if the car is levelish, can I remove the RMS without oil weeping out?

It should be. If the oil was up to the bottom of the RMS then the crank would be hitting the oil in the pan causing it to foam up. I wouldn't remove it without an oil pan under the block just in case though.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Thu Oct 06, 2011 10:12 am

JamesMilko wrote:

JamesShort wrote:

Question for Miata folk....the oil level in the pan is lower than the lowest point on the RMS right? Ie if the car is levelish, can I remove the RMS without oil weeping out?

It should be. If the oil was up to the bottom of the RMS then the crank would be hitting the oil in the pan causing it to foam up. I wouldn't remove it without an oil pan under the block just in case though.

Good point.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:36 pm

Was the pilot bearing. RMS was leaky. New one on and clutch/ pb/pp/tob going on tomorrow. 1/2" impact u joint was a life saver

.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:52 pm

Not to mention that Jason Fraley got us a 8k mile oem 1.8l flywheel for $20 ....still has the casting lines on the friction surface.

JohnByers · **Posted:** Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:16 pm

Nice!

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 9:40 am

For reference sake for other to tackle a miata clutch/rms/fw job:

JamesShort · **Posted:** Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:46 pm

So this is weird.....car is back together. Clutch works.....sort of. If you press the pedal all the way to the floor and try to put it in gear (engine running), it is very hard. If you let the clutch pedal out just a bit (1"?) it goes into gear VERY smooth (smoother than Ram's transmission has ever felt). Once in gear, if you press it to the floor, you can feel that the clutch is trying to lightly engage and if you pull it out 1" or so, its in 'neutral'.

How can the clutch go from engaged, to disengaged, to lightly re-engaged through the sweep of the pedal?

Maybe I have to do the clutch height adjustment/freeplay adjustment now that there is a new friction disc in there?

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:59 pm

JamesShort wrote:

How can the clutch go from engaged, to disengaged, to lightly re-engaged through the sweep of the pedal?

Maybe I have to do the clutch height adjustment/freeplay adjustment now that there is a new friction disc in there?

Not familiar with the Miata. Does it have hydraulic, cable or linkage to the clutch?

JamesShort · **Posted:** Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:04 pm

Hydraulic.

New slave cylinder that is well bled

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:14 pm

Hate to ask - are you sure you got the correct side of the clutch against the flywheel? Did you get the correct pressure plate - how did it compare to the old one? When the clutch engages, is it smooth or does it seem grabby?

JamesShort · **Posted:** Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:18 pm

Cash Davidson wrote:

Hate to ask - are you sure you got the correct side of the clutch against the flywheel? Did you get the correct pressure plate - how did it compare to the old one?

Yep the bulgy side was on the trans side. PP was like the OEM one (OEM Exedy kit).

Had my wife pump the clutch as I watched the slave cylinder. As she held the pedal on the floor the slave cylinder stayed still (ie didn't retract any for whatever reason).

With a pressure plate, if the TOB presses the fingers 'too much' does the friction surface start heading back towards the clutch disc? I wouldn't think so, but that's what it seems to be happening.

THSCC Forums

Miata clutch issues, what are your thoughts?

Who is online