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82 brat clutch issues (updated 5/28)


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Yep the brat is still having moving issues...

 

The flywheel was JUST turned a couple of days ago. The disk, PP, TO bearing, and pilot bearing are all new.

 

The machine shop (or subaru dealer?) said something along the lines of maybe the input shaft is broken on the tranny.

 

I just find it odd that the car drove into the garage, got lifted got the engine yanked and put back in and suddenly it doesnt work... why would that break the input shaft?

 

I guess the next logical step though is to replace the tranny.

 

Anyone got a KNOWN GOOD 82 4 speed DR tranny laying around?

 

I know some of you may say just swap in a 5 speed, but I dont really have the money laying around for a tranny AND a kit. Not sure if I want to exchange my clutch setup AGAIN either.

 

See update further down the page....

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I've done all the work at my place... so any abuse has been done by me...

 

I have had easy times yanking the engine sometimes and hard times others.

 

I have always done the clutch work from the engine side as I have a nice hoist and a so-so jack... easier to unhook the engine in 45 minutes than wrestle a tranny for afew hours.

 

I suppose its possible that the input shaft has slid forward with the engine one time... Isnt there like an E-clip or something inside to keep it in there though? I know I have had an automatic tranny (a 3AT) shaft slide out, but NEVER a manual one... Anyone else? Think one of the times when I had to pry the bell housing apart that the clutch splines yanked the input shaft forward or something?

 

On another note, I will be discussing the matter with Jerry on Sunday, hopefully we can come to a solution... even if its a new 4 speed DR tranny.

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I've seen what it takes to brake an input shaft and well, if you did brake it, the bellhousing would be in 2 or 3 pieces. Moving the shaft forward is basically impossible without taking the transmission apart or braking the shaft.

 

When you were trying different clutch, flywheel and throw out bearing combinations, did you ever try it where you didn't install a throw out bearing and holder?

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Yes.... but I didnt actually try it that way with starting up and running the car... just with a breaker bar on the tranny. It moved with a breaker bar.

 

Funny thing is when I reseated the release fork and bearing the breaker bar made the car move again. then when I started it, it didnt move.

 

Thats when I yanked the clutch and saw some wear on the outer edges... therefore a concave flywheel it looked like, so I had it machined on the inside and out. I probably should have measured it, but bolting it on to the engine it all felt really nice. I saw the splines on the pressure plate move in as I bolted it to the flywheel.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well things just got a little less hopeful.

 

I met with the flywheel shop today AND with a friction specialist and the verdict is, my flywheel is within its correct tolerance. Its depth is .906 inches. And the acceptable range they said is like .875 to something else...

 

When you set the pressure plate onto the disk sitting in the flywheel the plate outside of the plate (where the bolts bolt it down) does not touch the flywheel, it stands off like 1/8 inch or so, it only touches once you bolt it down.

 

At this point its said my clutch is just fine...

 

So.... its looking like maybe something inside the tranny did go bad maybe?

 

Jerry, if you still have that 4 speed DR, I may want it unless I can find one locally thats cheaper than gas to get out there.

 

At this point the next idea is to get an 83-84 4 speed DR and a normal big clutch setup and install that. Dont know what else to try at this point.

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Mike, inspect the throw out bearing fork very well. These have a tedency to slightly bend due to the clutch being out of adjustment, especially if the Brat was abused which is a good possibility if you ask me. They also wear out where they pivot on the ball pivot mounted on the tranny. Make sure you also inspect the ball pivot as well to see if its majorly worn or cracked or something. I know Andrew had a clutch fork break on him, well actually me when I was driving the turbowagon while he was in Utah a couple years ago, and I didn't see it until we started looking at it a lot closer before we pulled the single range 5-speed outta it. So maybe its possible it bent or something isn't lining up right...

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Mike,

 

I'm sure this was covered before, but putting into 4 low or high doesn't change anything correct? it's not stuck in the neutral position between 4hi and 4 low?

 

if you have it off, and put it in gear (1st, and 2WD), foot off the clutch pedal, does it even attempt to lurch forward if you tried to start it? (be sure to have open area ahead of you just in case :brow: )

 

no hubs stripped out....?

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Mike,

Somebody slap me if I'm wrong, but I still think you have the wrong PP and clutch assy. You say it has 1/8 inch before it touches and bolts down? I don't think the 1/8 inch tension/pressure is adequate, even for 73hp. Only because I had the same thing with my '82 Brat - when I got the correct set, I swear it was more like 3/8 to 1/2 inch gap to tighten down. Taking the PP and clutch set back to compare with another at same store will not be of value if all their stock is the same. I went to Kragen and then Pep Boys and took my old PP to show and compare that their PP was wrong for an '82.

 

If I remember, you don't have the original PP to compare, so it makes it harder. I don't have good advice beyond finding another '82 PP (junkyard?) or take yours to a few different auto parts to compare with what they have for an '82. The difference in plate offset to housing will be noticeable. I think, not sure, but the clutches are also slightly different at the spline thickness. Best of luck. r/PK.

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WHen I was at the friciton specialists they grabbed another pressure plate from their stock, looked exactly like the peraut one that I had, just a darker shade of silver.

 

For now I am working on my street brat primariliy, but I'm gonna bug Richie for a used setup from another brat to see what happens. :lol: (Poor Richie, I wont leave him alone)

 

I definitely plan to try another complete used clutch setup next before yanking the tranny since it only takes me like 45 minutes to yank and install the engine myself whereas a tranny would take a little longer myself... especially with my tall but small jack. (not good for large items)

 

 

Mike,

Somebody slap me if I'm wrong, but I still think you have the wrong PP and clutch assy. You say it has 1/8 inch before it touches and bolts down? I don't think the 1/8 inch tension/pressure is adequate, even for 73hp. Only because I had the same thing with my '82 Brat - when I got the correct set, I swear it was more like 3/8 to 1/2 inch gap to tighten down. Taking the PP and clutch set back to compare with another at same store will not be of value if all their stock is the same. I went to Kragen and then Pep Boys and took my old PP to show and compare that their PP was wrong for an '82.

 

If I remember, you don't have the original PP to compare, so it makes it harder. I don't have good advice beyond finding another '82 PP (junkyard?) or take yours to a few different auto parts to compare with what they have for an '82. The difference in plate offset to housing will be noticeable. I think, not sure, but the clutches are also slightly different at the spline thickness. Best of luck. r/PK.

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  • 1 month later...

Hey mods I cant edit the topic on this thread anymore, can you please change the topic of this thread to read the date 5/28 instead of the old 4/7? Thanks :grin:

 

Now on to the post!

 

Thanks to the collective thinking and tinkering and parts stash of myself, Richierich and his dad my 82 Brat is now functional again.

 

This is what it took to make it work.

 

- Remove tranny

- Establish old setup not working right somehow even though it LOOKS good. (appeared to be a non true flywheel probably)

- Install good used KNOWN BRAT 83+ flywheel

- Install new disk and pressure plate.

- Install 83+ (large) TO bearing and carrier

 

So I now have the large beefy clutch and the good gears of the 82 tranny

 

And it backed out of the garage under its own power... something it hasnt done in well.... 9 months? :banana:

 

I think this just goes to show that when no one else can figure it out, take it to Richie and it will come back working :cool:

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Sounds like you''re on your way again Mike. At least your Brat is moving under its own power once again. My RX still isn't running but I've got to finish bolting parts on like the intake and exhaust and then rework the intake side for the intercooler. I did however finally get it back onto 4 wheels and roll it outside, something it hasn't done since before Christmas:rolleyes:

 

Congrats on the Brat!:drunk: :drunk:

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a problem i just ran into was, well 1 i apparently didnt tighten the flywheel bolts all the way but thats prob not ur problem the other problem i ran into was i needed to adjust the return spring up a bit, it was liek it was sitting right on the piece with the fingers(PP)?. could only put the car into gear if it wasnt running and could crank the car till it started but the only way to stop it was to turn it off. have you tried to start it while its in gear???? adn i couldnt shift at all since it was like the clutch fork didnt wannt work at all. of course mine might have been a dual problem because of 1 of the flywheel bolts touching the disk. good luck on ur brat

whoops maybe i should have clicked on the 2nd page first lol, well glad u got it going!!!

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