While replacing the clutch master cylinder and slave on my sons 94, I found that the throwout lever was not connected to the pressure plate. There is no resistence in the movement of the arm and it can be moved all the was forward and back with finger pressure. Is this an indication that the throwout bearing is shot? I'll admit that I have very little experience with transmisssions and clutches. Any insight would be appreciated.

Brian

 

Bad throwout bearing usually only sound bad with the car in neutral and the clutch released...they make a kind of a dirty sounding hum. Throwout bearing connect to/slip into the fork on most applications....not the pressure plate. The fork uses the bearing to place pressure on the face of area just around the shaft for the outer most portion of the clutch to release and apply pressure to the friction plate....the clutch slave cylinder provides force on the opposite end of the clutch fork to make all this happen. If you have the clutch and tranny bolted back up onto the car and you can move the fork/throwout bearing back and forth with your finger something is wrong. Make sure the slave cylinder's actuator pin is seated into the fork's arm and has postive pressure on it. You may need to bleed the system if you have no pedal pressure from the clutch master cylinder change out. If you have the tranny off replace and are replacing the clutch go ahead and remove and replace the "old" throwout bearing with a "new" one...this is money well spent. Replace the tranny pilot bushing in the back of the crank if it is out of round as well. Think of a clutch fork as a "seesaw" on a kid's playground....there is a pivot point in the middle, throwout bearing on one end and a slave cylinder/actuator pin on the other. Hope this helps.

 

"The fork uses the bearing to place pressure on the face of area just around the shaft for the outer most portion of the clutch to release and apply pressure to the friction plate...."




From your description I am assuming that the pressure plate provides the back resistence to return the clutch fork to it's rested position. In my case there is no spring resistence in the fork and the arm can be moved through it's entire travel with finger pressure.

So..... is it reasonable to then deduct that the pressure plate is the cause of the problem or can the fork become detached from the bearing?

The hydraulic system has been vacuum bled and the slave can push the clutch arm to it's furthest position.

 

Sounds like you've got a problem in there....hard to say what it is from here....maybe this generic service info will better explain the operation and help with your repair task.http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId...00c1528008ffd9