[Spridgets] smoking release bearing?

[Marc]

Guess I shoulda replied to list:

I have a very heavy ground strap from one of the engine/transmission 
bolts to the battery ground point on the chassis. Also, since my midget 
has a flex host to the slave, I doubt that would have happened anyway!

Peter C wrote:
> Before I regale everyone with my successful journey home from LoTO.....
>
> Marc, How about you attach the ground strap from the tranny to the 
> chassis. That way you wont be boiling the clutch fluid in the pipe 
> and your slave can release, and the smoke and smell will go away.  If 
> one is not provided, the engine WILL find a ground. The throttle 
> cable route is even more exciting.
>          At least that's my take.
>
> Peter C.
> recovering Miniholic
> =============
>
> At 08:47 PM 6/29/2008, Marc wrote:
>   
>> Need some advice -
>>
>> To make a long story short, I pulled my engine & trans, installed a new
>> clutch, pressure plate and carbon release bearing. Installed a new slave
>> hose and cylinder (hose was cracked, cylinder was sort of seeping).
>> Installed a rebuilt transmission.
>>
>> After much difficulty bleeding the stinking clutch, I was rewarded with
>> a solid clutch pedal, good action.
>>
>> Only problem, the clutch just would NOT release. Not able to shift into
>> gear at all. If starting in gear, a little clutch action was observed,
>> but it wouldn't fully release. Visual inspection showed good travel,
>> could see the release bearing releasing the plate...
>>
>> At that point I was fully convinced I had done something stupid,
>> backwards clutch disk or something. So, today I pulled the motor & trans
>> again. The clutch was properly oriented, and everything looked ok.
>>
>> The old clutch was actually OK, might have been fairly recent from it's
>> looks. I only replaced it because it seemed the sensible thing to do
>> while I had everything out and apart. So, at a loss as to what the
>> problem was, I reinstalled the original pressure plate and clutch and
>> put it all back together. I left the new carbon faced bearing installed
>> in the fork. There was a roller type bearing that I had originally
>> removed, but it had a plastic body with obvious thermal damage...
>>
>> Clutch now releases and acts like it should, save for one problem: On
>> the initial testing, my son noticed some white smoke - I got out to look
>> and there was a fair amount of white smoke coming out of the top
>> inspection hole on the transmission. I've smelled roasted clutch before,
>> that's NOT what this smelled like. It smelled more like a burning
>> electrical component....
>>
>> Incidentally, while I did not see any smoke with the new pressure plate
>> & clutch installed, I did smell the exact same smell, so likely this
>> occurred as well, but not to the same extent as I was unable to drive
>> the car then.
>>
>> Now what?? Could there be a problem with the new release bearing? I hate
>> to think I have to pull the engine a third time...
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Marc
>>     

-- 

Marc