New Clutch -- direction

Pics are at

But the pressure plate is not yet reinstalled. It's possible I just made another bad assumption / stupid error (I'm REALLY green, not dumb, just green).

See my question here about the pedal play:

I am afraid to make it too tight and have my PP blow out like Lamprey's. But obviously I have to get it "tight enough". That's hard when I don't know the difference!!!

I'm going to go back out there in an hour or so and I plan to get it fixed up today if fate will acquiesce.

;) Chronologic

Another tid-bit (might as well make this thread feature-complete).

At location

thefollowing is said: "Measure the height of the release plate above the flywheel with a straightedge and depth gauge. This dimension should be 1.06 - 1.18 in. (26.7 - 30mm). Measure dimension at 6 or more points around the flywheel. If this not correct, or if any 2 of the readings are more than 0.02 in. (0.5mm) apart, the clutch pressure plate fingers require adjustment. I don't really know what's involved in this and have been told that the only way to do this correctly is to take the flywheel and the clutch assembly to a VW dealer (or a shoppe that know's how to do this adjustment) and have them do it."

Needless to say I'm not planning to take it to a VW dealer. But this does support that sometimes it needs to be done and it's probably those bolts you mention Joey.

Chronologic

A big thank you to all of you who helped me. I just got it back in and the clutch engages/disengages correctly. It also no longer makes a funny squeeking sound it made the last time, plus the engine went in much more smoothly this time.

I wish I could say I knew exactly what made the difference, but I can't. What I did do is carefully check and recheck everything that you guys recommended and paid very careful attention to ensure I didn't miss anything. I also adjusted one of the little retaining springs a bit because it had grown loose over the years and once I pulled the PP down it let the arm flop a little. I made very sure everything lined up right. I can't say for sure but I feel like the arms didn't get so over pressed this time. Why?? Don't know.

I am still not sure exactly how the pedal play should be adjusted but I'm going to use my head and go with interpretation #2.

Lovely working with ya. I may be back but I hope to have a good question. Surely you can tell I do try to do my research. If I can give back to this group I will.

Just wait 'til I get done. ;)

--Chronologic '72 SuperBeetle up and coming '71 Ghia Vert on the back burner Westfalia on the brain

It sounds to me like you think the pressure plate works differently than it actually does.

When you bolt the pressure plate down tight, the 3 arms are SUPPOSED to move out, and the clutch disk is SUPPOSED to be clamped tight.

When you press down on the pedal, the throwout bearing pushes in on the 3 arms and this actually releases the disk. The reason those arms don't seem to want to move in for you is that they are very hard to move. You really can't do this by hand. It takes your leg (much stronger than your hand) and quite a bit of mechanical advantage to push them in.

Chances are that this will simply work correctly (assuming you have the right pressure plate for your car) and you adjust the free play correctly once you get the engine back in.

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----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

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Clutch disk upside/down, the "nose" resting at the flywheel center bolt hence compressing the pressure plate fully when you tightened it down??

J.

Jim,

I as able to correct my problems. Everything went together correctly the second time. I did understand that was what the plate was supposed to do and it did appear to me that there was no play left. What I mean is the arms didn't have anywhere left to go the first time. The plate should pull away from the clutch disc right? So if the clutch disc was "too fat" then all the play would be taken up by the disc and the arms would be useless. The arms do after all have a limited throw. All the release spring would be used up. If you don't believe me try bolting it down with the clutch disc backwards! The nose should easily take up all the play as mentioned by another poster! I am still learning though so sometimes you get "idiot fever" when you get upset and you are not very knowledgable. It's a good bet that was my problem.

I may have been wrong but visually to me it appeared that the arms were completely spent and yet the plate was not released. But the second time I bolted it down it didn't do that (for some reason: aka I was probably wrong the first time).

I don't know what happened the first time but there was a LOT of resistance at the pedal, a terrible squeeking/groaning as I depressed it, and the clutch would not release. Second time...all were normal.

I'm just glad I got it back together. Spent today bleeding brakes and fixing lights. Almost ready to get back on the street after 10 years of storage!

Thanks again,

Chronologic