Clutch pedal only moves about 2 inches and hard stops

[FL7602]

I've mated the transmission (4-speed) with the engine prior to the installation of the assembly.  The clutch was built up but the hydraulics were not installed until after the engine was in.  The problem that I have is the pedal travel and associated slave cylinder travel bottoms with minimal pressure plate disengagement.  Seems I've got too little travel of the throw out bearing once it reaches the pressure plate.  I see a comment on one of the forums that says "Make sure the throw out bearing is oriented correctly. Ears of the throw-out bearing on the release arm, not in the slots." 

 

Is it possible I've got the release arm orientation wrong on the throw out bearing?  There is a lot of inner release arm 'swing' aft of the pressure plate and the release arm seems to be positioned mostly aft in the transmission case opening, which also limits the external arm throw aft.

 

FYI, Metric Mechanic 4 speed ultimate 232 trans, eight bolt 228mm flywheel and Sachs clutch kit, MM 2200 HiFlo ST Sport engine.  All of this has been in hibernation for many many years, just now getting things back together.

[Son of Marty]

Try pumping the clutch a bit and see if more travel is gained if so you have air in the system the slave is known to be a bit hard to get bleed properly, if things stay the same it's possible that the 215mm clutch t/o bearing was used.

[zinz]

You installed the pushrod onto the slave cylinder, right?  
 

I got in a hurry when I changed out the 4 speed in my Inka car last year. Put a new slave cylinder on while I was at it, but forgot to swap the old pushrod onto the new slave. The clutch pedal would not move because the cylinder was bottomed out in the slave. 
 

Bonehead mistake, but Barney diagnosed it with me and kindly pointed out the errors of my ways. 
 

 

Ed

Edited April 2 by zinz

[Preyupy]

With the 232 transmission you should be using the original style clutch slave cylinder (mounted low on the bellhousing with the end of the throw out bearing arm coming out of the bell housing. Using Zinz's picture above its the cylinder on the left.  With everything assembled push the rod coming out of the slave cylinder in as far as it will go.  How much gap between the throw out bearing arm (with the bearing touching but not depressing the pressure plate) and the end of the push rod do you have?  It sounds like you have the wrong push rod in the cylinder, and you are running the piston in the cylinder all the way to the stop before you move the arm far enough to release the clutch.  

[FL7602]

Hey all, Thanks for the feedback.  I'm using the 'new' slave with the 'long' push rod.  All new parts.  See the pics, first is without the pushrod installed, second is the pushrod, third is pushrod installed (with dust boot removed).  This release arm position is the static position, when the pedal is pushed the arm moves aft until the angle of the pushrod end stub interferes with the opening in the release arm and a hard stop on the pedal.

 

Notice the limited space aft of the release arm as compared to the forward space in the trans case.

 

[FL7602]

Son of Marty, I've used Sachs P/N 3151 040 131 T/O bearing.  I'm going to research the application but a quick look online isn't definitive........If you know if this is a 215 mm bearing let me know.  

 

The original parts are long gone, sad to admit but this came apart in 2003 when I had MM do the trans mods.

 

Also, used a motive power bleeder AND did a full pedal travel bleed.  I did the pedal travel bleed to be sure the pedal mechanism was not the issue (I got full travel from top to floorboard with no interference).  I certainly can bleed again.

 

Thanks,

[conkitchen]

Arm appears to be too long or the slave plunger inside is stuck in an extended position. ??????

 

Edited April 2 by conkitchen

[FL7602]

Conkitchen, The reason the pushrod is extended is because that is the travel required just to get the T/O bearing to the surface of the pressure plate.  This is the static position, ie pedal up and at rest.

 

I agree it looks a bit long without the dust boot installed..........

[Preyupy]

If that is a picture of the throw out bearing arm with the bearing just touching the pressure plate and not compressing it.  You have the wrong throw out bearing or something else is wrong.  The arm is going to hit the bell housing before it can push the pressure plate far enough to disengage the clutch. 

 

Do you have a picture of the TOB mounted on the arm before you installed the transmission on the engine?   

[FL7602]

Preyupy, I don't have a pic of this going together, but I can see inside the bell housing and the release arm looks to be at the rear end of the T/O bearing, inserted into the wire clips on the back surface of the bearing.

 

The release arm doesn't quite get to the trans case since the slave rod end pivots and gets hung up at the release arm external end.   I've used Sachs P/N  3151 040 131  T/O bearing, will continue to research it.  Pictures on a quick search look like what I have installed.

 

My sense is the T/O bearing needs to be 'longer' or the pressure plate needs to be 'taller', or both......

[FL7602]

Short video of release arm travel.........painful to watch from this end.......

[Son of Marty]

23 minutes ago, FL7602 said:

I've used Sachs P/N  3151 040 131  T/O bearing, 

Realoem doesn't recognize that part number.

 

t/o bearing for a 228mm clutch is 2152 1204 224 and it measures 47.5 mm tall.

t/o bearing for a 215mm clutch is 2151 0670 070 and it measures 42.5 mm tall

[conkitchen]

Okay silly question but did you forget to install the pressure plate? 

Edited April 3 by conkitchen

[tech71]

Yeah….something’s not right in there, rediculously too much play.

Going to have to go back in to determine what’s going on.

Edited April 3 by tech71

[Tommy]

Sachs# 3151 040 131 is cross referenced to BMW# 21511204225 which is H=42,5mm. So I'm guessing you have 228mm clutch and should use the taller one.

 

EDIT. And 228mm clutch was already mentioned in first post, so wrong T/O bearing confirmed.

Edited April 3 by Tommy