Clutch scoring bolts - 4.2 1997

[Tafford]

The mechanic that's helping me with my body off restoration has just pulled the clutch apart. I've not seen it but apparently the centre of the flywheel side clutch plate has been scoring / catching on the flywheel crank bolts. I'd noticed a slight scraping noise when the clutch was depressed before but assumed it was the thrust bearing on it's way out - obviously not. Any suggestions as to why this should happen? There appears to be plenty of friction material left on the plates and I can't see the flywheel being that worn! The only thing I can think of is incorrect plates or plates fitted the wrong way round - is this possible? What thickness should the plates be anyway?

[ridds]

Backwards plate or wrong flywheel bolts I would guess.

[shpub]

Could also be the wrong clutch on the flywheel. The flywheel changed several times to go with the clutch pack changes. The recess for the flywheel bolts varies in depth.

[Tafford]

I've now had a chance to look a the clutch and the problem is very strange. The clutch / flywhhel bolts have been wearing the springs around the centre of the flywheel clutch plate. It also looks as if there has been no wear at all this plate - it still has manufacturers markings painted on it. Basically it looks as if the plate has not been tightening onto the flywheel but has been held off by the springs /bolt heads with drive being taken up by the other plate.

Now the weird bit - if you put the flywheel bolts into the flywheel and then rest the plate on the flywheel there is at least 3mm or so clearance between the worn springs and the bolt heads and the plate sits flush on the flywheel as you'd expect. So why/how does this clearance disappear when the clutch pedal is depressed? The flywheel and bolts obviously don't move and I can't believe the centre of the clutch plate distorts so what gives?

[a1rak]

From your description I would presume that something possible got jammed between the friction plate and flywheel are ALL the other parts of the flywheel/clutch assembly in tact and accounted for or maybe Loose Flywheel bolt?

One common fault is that the small bolts fall out of the starter motor fixings (not the mounting bolts). They are small bolts/screws about M5. I found mine in the bottom of the bell housing but they could get jammed in the clutch plate. They had spun around in the bell housing and gauged out the housing.