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Hello all, My name is Keith. I'm new to the forum but not to the Mustang scene!
I have a......
2001 Mustang GT Tremec 3650 (75,000 miles)!
Thowout Bearing question!
When the clutch pedal isn't engaged should the TO bearing still spin? I heard that there should be about 1/8" to 1/4" play between the TO bearing and the Pressure Plate. Because of the cup like recess in the Pressure Plate center (where the TO bearing rests) I can't measure the gap because the TO bearing is resting in that gap! The Pressure Plate fingers don't look like they are engaged but yet the TO bearing spins wether cluch is pushed in or not, is this normal (or could the bearing be spinning because of friction)??
If the TO bearing isn't suppose to move at all while clutch is disengaged, how can I get enough play at the clutch fork to move the TO bearing slightly away from the Pressure Plate (the self adjusting quadrant automatically adjusts to this setting) ??
I have messed with this all weekend to get some free play and I can't get any (I even tried a new OEM cable)!
B.T.W: The car shifts fine, no grinds and when clutch is pushed in gear engagment is butter smooth, I want to make sure i'm not wearing out my TO bearing because of it spinning!!
Thanks for the attention!!!
Little History.....
Been playing around with a squeaky clutch pedal for about a week now! I was told possible TO Bearing but not sure. Wearing TO Bearing may be the case, although I have my doubts because of the noise that it's making!
The noise is only present while the pedal is on it's enaging stroke (inward towads floor). When the pedal reaches the floor no noise is present (TO bearing should squeel with pedal on floor). So this noise seems to me to be coming from the cable or stock quadrant! Also note that the noise doesn't happen all the time (it will do it for like a minute, then won't make a peep again for sometimes 1-5 mins). I'm thinking either cable or Quadrant.
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Last edited by kfirest711; 09-28-2009 at 06:45 AM.
As long as the TO bearing is not spinning, it cannot be too close to the pressure plate fingers. I like to have about 1/8", so I can "feel" the gap being closed when I push the clutch. The magnet is perfect for this job, because you can feel the "release" of the bearing from the magnets pull.
Here is what I've foundout:
I called 2 ford dealers yesterday and explained my concern "My throw-out bearing spins regardless of clutch engagement, is this normal"?
The first dealer I spoke to (a general service tech) told me that it is completely normal, but he wouldn't go into any more detail then that (like it is a safely guarded secret or something).
So I called a 2nd ford dealer and explained my concern. He told me to please hold he'll get a Tech. !
The guy that answered said he was the shops transmission tech. so I explained it to him as well. He told me that it is completely normal for the TO Bearing to spin at all times (regardless of clutch engagement). I was told that the bearing rides the Pressure Plate but doesn’t engage the pressure plate. If the cable is adjusted so loose to allow enough of play in the retainer that the bearing doesn’t spin you will not be able to fully engage the clutch. This will result in notchy gear engagement at best, or no gear engagement at worse and either condition will cause transmission problems in the future. The self adjusting clutch cable quadrant will automatically remove any slack in the cable and restore the TO bearing retainer to the proper clearance. So providing you have a stock cable and quad it will automatically adjust to this setting!
So coming from 2 ford tech at different dealership, they both say the bearing should be in light cantact with the Pressure plate! I would rather it not be (less wear to bearing if it isn't spinning all the time). But it is comforting to know it's normal!
Here is what I've foundout:
I called 2 ford dealers yesterday and explained my concern "My throw-out bearing spins regardless of clutch engagement, is this normal"?
The first dealer I spoke to (a general service tech) told me that it is completely normal, but he wouldn't go into any more detail then that (like it is a safely guarded secret or something).
So I called a 2nd ford dealer and explained my concern. He told me to please hold he'll get a Tech. !
The guy that answered said he was the shops transmission tech. so I explained it to him as well. He told me that it is completely normal for the TO Bearing to spin at all times (regardless of clutch engagement). I was told that the bearing rides the Pressure Plate but doesn’t engage the pressure plate. If the cable is adjusted so loose to allow enough of play in the retainer that the bearing doesn’t spin you will not be able to fully engage the clutch. This will result in notchy gear engagement at best, or no gear engagement at worse and either condition will cause transmission problems in the future. The self adjusting clutch cable quadrant will automatically remove any slack in the cable and restore the TO bearing retainer to the proper clearance. So providing you have a stock cable and quad it will automatically adjust to this setting!
So coming from 2 ford tech at different dealership, they both say the bearing should be in light cantact with the Pressure plate! I would rather it not be (less wear to bearing if it isn't spinning all the time). But it is comforting to know it's normal!
Thanks again guys!
Either you mis-spoke or he did, but this is backwards
A loose clutch cable would not completely dis-engage the clutch leading to the items described. Not being picky, just clarifying. I have not found that to be the case in my car at all. I run an aftermarket quadrant, so maybe this has something to do with it, not sure. If the stock quadrant has less travel than my aftermarket one, this could be true.
I prefer NOT to have the bearing spinning all the time as this will just lead to premature failure. There have been many posts on exactly this subject.
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Clutch related: Throwout Bearing clearence!
