A clutch hydraulics overhaul on my friend's 951 has just gone from bad to worse. It appears that a slightly binding clutch (possibly from a fallen-out dampening spring or possibly from a broken clutch arm) had made it too difficult for the hydraulic system to open the clutch. We found a leaking clutch hose, replace it, bled (and bled, and bled). Now we've got perfect hydraulics, but it appears it just pushed our marginal clutch over the limit. Gergo hit the clutch and we heard a distinctive small-metal-peice-jingling noise and now the clutch pedal STOPS halway down.

We're about to start on clutch replacement, and we've hit a little snag. One bolt for the trans-to-driveshaft couple is visible - the other needs the engine turned over. BUT it appears that our broken peice of metal has jammed the engine. I was able to turn the engine over one cycle (and felt the resistance of compression) but now it appears to be LOCKED. I don't want to pull on the wrench too hard. Any ideas on how we will line up the other bolt? Is it safe to rotate the engine backwards, or am I risking valve damage by doing this?

thanks guys,
-Ben

 

You can rotate the engine backwards with no worries, provided you have a properly tensioned timing belt. I did a clutch in a similar state of disrepair (wouldn't disengage b/c of broken spring fragments). I was able to rotate the engine to get at those coupler bolts. Sounds like your situation is worse though. Again, similar experience where I dropped a small bolt down into the bellhousing which jammed up the flywheel. I put a breaker bar on the crank and rocked it back and forth with some force and eventually it came loose. I imagine a similar rocking of the crank would work for your situation too. Let me know how it turns out (and what the real reason for the clutch failure was).

 

Thanks Joe - rocking it back and forth did the trick. Trans is out. I'll post some pictures and a write-up when we're done. It'll be after Easter though.

thanks for the help.