In a posting to the list back in May I described a problem with my
clutch (reproduced below). I should add to this description that the
clutch slipped badly.
Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 10:50:19 -0400
From: Jonathan Mies <jmies@comcast.net>
Subject: clutch problems
Sender: owner-alpines@autox.team.net
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To: alpines@autox.team.net
Reply-to: Jonathan Mies <jmies@comcast.net>
Original-recipient: rfc822;jmies@comcast.net
Just went to take a ride in my series 5. (I even waxed it last night
for British car week.) While engaging the clutch to back out of the
drive way, it made a single click sound. At the same time, I lost
some of the resistance in the clutch pedal. My 1st thought (a hopeful
thought) was that a return spring had broken. I checked both the a
heavy spring at the pedal and the lighter spring at the slave
cylinder; both seemed to be working fine.
I thought "maybe it was just my imagination" (Another hopeful
thought.) Started out again and noticed a definite difference in the
clutch. It has less resistance than normal and it engages at the
bottom of the pedal travel, way earlier than it used to. It's also
not as positive as it should be.
Any thoughts from the list on what the problem is? ...or
recommendations as to how to proceed?
J. Mies
jmies@comcast.net
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jmies/alpine/alpine.html
Besides checking return springs, I rebuilt the hydraulics (yet
another hopeful thought). It didn't help.
After 7 months, I've finally gotten into it. My son and I removed the
transmission and the clutch. At first, everything looked good, aside
from a worn clutch plate. I still had no explanation for the
symptoms. Then, while checking the retractor clips, which are visible
through ports in the clutch cover, I noticed that the diaphragm
spring is broken; not the radial spring tabs, but the outer part of
the spring plate. (Off list, Jan had suggested that the diaphragm
spring might be broken.) In my mind this explains everything. It must
have broken with some vigor, for me to hear it happen over engine
noise. I think it explains why the clutch engages prematurely, but
doesn't fully engage (slips). This failure could easily be overlooked
because the outer part of the diaphragm spring is mostly obscured by
the clutch cover plate and the pressure plate.
Photos of the clutch job, including a close up of the break in the
diaphragm spring, can be seen at
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jmies/alpine/clutch/clutch.html
Is this a common failure? Has anyone else had this experience? I've
not had it happen before; nor has my dad; and we've had a Series V
since 1967.
Any advice on where to obtain a new cover plate assembly for this clutch?
I've not serviced this clutch as extensively as this before. Any
advice on how to proceed? I am planning to replace the clutch plate,
since it seems to be worn and it's convenient to do so now. Should
anything else be done?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Merry Christmas.
Jon
jmies@comcast.net
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jmies/alpine/alpine.html
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