12 replies to this topic

[Purple Tom]

Hey

Yesterday on the way back from Dover after the BH2N run we were stuck in traffic coming up to the Dartford Tunnel toll booths. I was trying not to use the clutch too much, as the engine has a steel lightened flywheel, orange plate and orange diaphragm, and I didn't want it all to get too hot.

Anyway, it appears it did get too hot, as suddenly the clutch went very light and the biting point moved almost to the floor. But it still had full travel, ie resistance from the top of the pedal to the floor, not a loose bit and then resistance. I opened the bonnet and the clutch arm was a good quarter inch away from the throw out stop. I could push the arm towards the throw out stop a little bit by hand, but not much. The clutch also made a creaking/clicking noise as the pedal was depressed.

Now today it has stopped clicking but is still creaking, and it appears to be coming from inside the clutch housing.

I was wondering what it could be? Has anyone every experienced this before?

Thanks

Tom

[Guess-Works.com]

Dunno, but may be worth re-adjusting and then checking the end stop... etc.. if it's still playing up I'd be whipping it of and checking the plate.. and pressure plate as that may have blue'd

[minidaves]

take it apart and cjeck it, i have an idea what it might be like the big bolt has gone lose

dave

[Madmax]

woo not just me with the clutch problems then eh

from my un-educated opinion on preverto clutches, i'd have a look at the clutch plate, only takes 4hrs to get the housing off....

[Purple Tom]

lol, I like your sig writing James :tongue:

I think the pressure plate or diaphragm may be damaged, hence it going so light and the biting point moving down. It has had a bit of stick on the ring (56 miles of stick), then some stick in the traffic too. I'll whip it out and see what it looks like....

thanks everyone

[Alburglar]

my advise is bin the lightened fly wheel. They are good for the track but even there the advantage is minimal. Put a normal flywheel on and your low down torque will return, which is desirable in a fast road car.

[Purple Tom]

I'm kind of thinking the same thing Ali, its not a race car, and not having the low end torque is annoying. I have a brand new non verto standard flywheel which I think i'll put on (but keep the orange plate and diaphragm), that'll make it much nicer to use I reckon.

How much is a lightened and balanced steel flywheel worth do you reckon?

[Guess-Works.com]

Can't agree with that...

I've gone from a std flywheel in my 1330 to an ultralight/backplate and the change in the engines pull and characteristics is phenominal...

With the long duration cam, power below 3k is rather scarse, and the last thing you want to do is wait for a flywheel to be wound up..

[Alburglar]

I'm kind of thinking the same thing Ali, its not a race car, and not having the low end torque is annoying. I have a brand new non verto standard flywheel which I think i'll put on (but keep the orange plate and diaphragm), that'll make it much nicer to use I reckon.

How much is a lightened and balanced steel flywheel worth do you reckon?

You'll probably get £30 + for it on ebay. Or keep hold of it untill you've got lairy cams, card and head work.

They work on the right application, if you've noticed lack of power bottom end since fitting it then take it off. If your running an sw 5 or kent 276 equivalent. You will have little power at low end because it comes in 'on cam' higher up the rev range, this seems to be exagerated by lightened fly wheels in my experience.

I personally find no benifit on road cars. And my 1380 has no problems in the torque department.

[Purple Tom]

You'll probably get £30 + for it on ebay. Or keep hold of it untill you've got lairy cams, card and head work.

They work on the right application, if you've noticed lack of power bottom end since fitting it then take it off. If your running an sw 5 or kent 276 equivalent. You will have little power at low end because it comes in 'on cam' higher up the rev range, this seems to be exagerated by lightened fly wheels in my experience.

I personally find no benifit on road cars. And my 1380 has no problems in the torque department.

Well it has a stage 4 head fitted, and a Morspeed Phase 3 cam, roughly 270 duration. It does appear to come 'on cam' at about 2k, but I think like you say its exaggerated by the lightened flywheel. It will spin from idle up to about 7k very quickly off load, but that isn't very useful on a road car. I have no problems higher up though, it will still climb hills fine, and has acres of torque more up the revs, well as much as a 1293 can offer anyway I reckon.

I'll try it with the standard flywheel, would it be worthwhile getting it balanced before I fit it do you think?

[Purple Tom]

Can't agree with that...

I've gone from a std flywheel in my 1330 to an ultralight/backplate and the change in the engines pull and characteristics is phenominal...

With the long duration cam, power below 3k is rather scarse, and the last thing you want to do is wait for a flywheel to be wound up..

Hmmmmm....

this is a hard decision!!! Part of the problem is I've gone from a virtually standard 1275 (just a 266 fitted), to a heavily modified 1293. And although its been to a rolling road (one in Cambridge, a good one apparently), I don't think its set up properly, still feels like there's more to be had.

:erm:

I'll sleep on it! :grin:

Thanks for the advice everyone, it is appreciated!!

[Guess-Works.com]

would it be worthwhile getting it balanced before I fit it do you think?

In an ideal world, yes, a flywheel should be balanced ( basically to get the backplate and flywheel in balance ) before fitting, but as we al know this is not always possible, so get your driving straps evenly spaced from the center of rotation.

[Dan]

It will be balanced as standard, but that's balanced to work with an untouched pre-balanced pressure plate and spring (that's what the A's are for in one corner of each component) and your pressure plate has probably been balanced to work with your lightened steel flywheel so it won't be in standard balance any more.
Basically, yes you'll need it balanced.

Try a lightened standard flywheel instead of the steel one as it won't be quite so lightweight and will still give some benefit with less drawbacks.