Clutch bearing

[esprit22]

Had new clutch/bearing etc, replaced a few years ago but at tickckover the bearing makes a grating noise as it slightly touches the fingers on the pressure plate. If I press the clutch pedal very gently, the noise stops as the bearing is pulled back a tad. Is it possible/safe to put a spring on the slave cylinder to pull the arm back?

 

[ramjet]

You 'press' the pedal lightly? That will push the bearing toward the fingers. Not away.

There should be no hassle with adding a spring. You need to make sure that it can handle the full travel of the clutch arm so that it doesn't overstretch. It might increase the pressure you need to exert on the pedal as well. 

[esprit22]

Yeah, resting foot lightly on pedal, not pushing it down at all, and the noise stops. Clutch works/feels fine, just bloody annoying noise when ticking over, seems worse when engine cold for some reason. Never had this happen on any other car, dunno why happens on the Esprit..

[Vanya]

I have the same on my Stevens. I was thinking of pulling the box just to change the bearing. Pain in the ass to listen to... 

[esprit22]

..but it's not a worn bearing, mine is almost new, something to do with grease (or lack of it) on the fingers of pressure plate...or something..

[esprit22]

..so putting a spring on end of 018 to 006 should pull bearing 015 off pressure plate fingers 010.. 

[CHANGES]

Uhmm....  If you put a spring on to retract the thrust bearing off the pressure cover then you will have a soft spot on the top of your clutch peddle when you take up the slack . You will also generate less travel in the disengagement and may introduce clutch drag...   It mat be better to do it correct and whip it out and fit new..  While at it check the pressure cover springs to see if they are uniform .  I have known some go soft and cause an uneven surface which in turn causes the bearing to chatter at low rpm. This is more common with after market clutches...  

[gvy]

I dont know about the turbo esprit, but S1, S2 and S2.2 have a spring:

Part 7 spring, between part 10 (attached to part 5 clutchfork) and the bellhousing ( see picture below) 

 

[esprit22]

Yeah,  if only it was as easy as whipping it out! GST done all the work before, so best I have words.. 

3 minutes ago, gvy said:

I dont know about the turbo esprit, but S1, S2 and S2.2 have a spring:

Part 7 spring, between part 10 (attached to part 5 clutchfork) and the bellhousing ( see picture below) 

 

Hey Geert, thats what mean! Strange that the S3 turbo doesn't appear to have the spring.. makes sense to have one.

[gvy]

Indeed strange?

Did you regulate play with part 023 and  024 in your picture? I had this noise in the past, but it could be regulated with setting the correct play.

On my S2.2 that is part9

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by gvy

[esprit22]

24 minutes ago, gvy said:

Indeed strange?

Did you regulate play with part 023 and  024 in your picture? I had this noise in the past, but it could be regulated with setting the correct play.

On my S2.2 that is part9

 

No ' I haven't adjusted anything yet as I assumed that GST would have done this already, but think you are right Geert, reckon it's worth a go!

6 minutes ago, gvy said:

I dont know about the turbo esprit, but S1, S2 and S2.2 have a spring:

Part 7 spring, between part 10 (attached to part 5 clutchfork) and the bellhousing ( see picture below) 

 

Hey Geert, thats what mean! Strange that the S3 turbo doesn't appear to have the spring.. makes sense to have one.

[marode]

Chris, how did you get away with that noise? I have had the same noise while idling and currently have my engine out (gearbox is still in the car). Would be a good oportunity to figure that out.

 

[ekwan]

Did you use the correct bearing and pressure plate?

[marode]

I hope so. Got the bearing from Harry Martens, so that should be right, as pressure plate I had bought a "LUK 122 0035 10 D 215". Same as in Elite/Eclat and obviously Triumph 2000.

It had worked fine for quite a while. Just lately, before I dismanteled head and block, I had a squeeky metalic-noise coming from the clutch area. I´d say the bearing still feels good when I turn it. That sound was also somehow different to a typical singing bearing.

[Steve4012]

I've had this on my '85 turbo as well. It was a squeaking at idle and with a tiny bit of pressure on the clutch pedal it stopped, release the pressure and it returned. It was a squeak between the clutch fork and release bearing collar. I managed to get a few drops of thick oil though a tube inserted through the clutch fork hole into the right area and it was gone. I could make it happen simply by moving the clutch fork with my hand and the squeak was there with the engine off.

[marode]

cool, I`ll have a look. It´s exactly as you described.

[ekwan]

There is also the spigot bearing to consider a well. Sigh......these Esprits are nothing but trouble.

[esprit22]

Noise is still there, does piss me off somewhat as shouldn't be there!! Gerald at GST done all the work in the first place and tried to sort it out but still does it. Guess if you want a good job done properly then maybe just do it yourself, at least you know what has been done?.

[esprit22]

So, GST fitted a bracket/spring which has stopped the noise 👌

[marode]

I had to take the gearbox out when I was ready with the engine rebuild, because of a leaking rear oil seal. Anyway, I totally forgot about that noise, but i's gone now. So all you'll need to do is a complete engine overhaul and after you`re finished with that, simply take the gearbox out and put it in again. Easy as that!

[Andyww]

I have EXACTLY this issue!

Recently put the engine/box back in after rebuild, clutch is all new, release bearing is new, the Lotusbits CNC one. 

The grating noise is LOUD well above engine noise. I actually came to the forum to search for people who have removed gearbox with engine in, as I have never done this and not sure how much has to come off (turbo? brake discs? big mounting brackets either side?)

But I found this thread.

The grating is intermittent and the strange thing is if you manually activate the fork you can still get the noise when the release bearing is not touching the clutch but it always goes away with light pressure towards the fingers. So the noise is not actually the bearing touching fingers, in fact it seems too loud for that. I suspect its the gearbox input shaft touching the release bearing inner. I had a look with a borescope and cant see anything amiss, the bearing looks fine, wire springs are on. The fork flops around a lot and the bearing follows it, but this is located by its spigot and it all seems normal. When the pedal is slightly pressed the fork and bearing centre onto the pivot so no longer flop about and I think that is when it stops contacting the input shaft.

The service notes explain that there is no return spring fitted as the slave is supposed to be self-adjusting and fitting a spring would stop this happening. But that does seem an option, maybe a very weak one which doesnt force the piston back in. The spring would need to hold the fork in the up/down plane to some extent as well as pull off the clutch.

Steve I would be interested in what GST did exactly. I am stopping work on taking box out as I might be wasting my time!

[Steve4012]

Not sure about the noise problem Andy, but I always take the 'box and engine out separately as I don't trust my hoist to lift both. It's not a difficult job. I remove discs, gearbox mounts and although I've read people twisting the gearbox slightly to manoeuvre it past the turbo I've never been able to do that and have always removed the turbo as well and turbo drain pipe to sump. The most difficult bit is actually sliding the gearbox backwards under the rear boot lip of the body and through the chassis hoop. A lot of pushing and heaving. You'll need to remove the gearbox mounts from the chassis also as the bolts that stick upwards stops the gearbox sliding back. Hope you get it sorted. Steve.

[esprit22]

So as I said, Gerald at GST fitted a bracket and a weak spring, just enough to pull the bearing off the fingers, it definitely works, don't get that embarrassing noise on tickover, I'd say it's 99% gone. Must admit I haven't looked to see exactly where the spring/bracket is located, but is obviously on the gearbox. Give Gerald a ring, he will tell you 👍 He still insists that the problem is caused by 'hard' grease in the clutch bearing 🤔... 

 

[Andyww]

OK thanks weak spring it is then ie not the one they fit to S1 ansd S2.

I managed to get a borescope in, with the engine running and the issue definitely is caused by contact with the fingers. When the bearing is running at half speed due to partial contact its really loud. I suppose the fingers act as tuning forks and bellhousing as speaker  

The fork can be pulled back quite a way and it still happens but thats because it is then free to move in other directions and one side of it can keep the bearing in just contact.

[esprit22]

Let me know if you want the exact location of where the spring and bracket are located and I will endeavor to take a photo of mine, 🏎️