Mike K

'Listers,
Posted awhile back about separating eng/trans in the car (c4s)
Got the trans out...going to be fun reinstalling but my question is re:clutch/81k mi.
What initiated the drop was while the clutch was literally fine one day, the next, i heard/felt a twang and suddenly clutch actuation became very easy compared to its action previously. 1st through 3rd gear felt mostly normal but any of the higher gears i had to drive like there was an egg between my foot and the gas pedal otherwise slippage. Up until the initial incident the only indications something wasn't exactly right was a slight squirrel cage sound emanating from trans when stopping at a
signal with the car in neutral. A slight press on the clutch pedal and slow release would eliminate the noise. I assumed that my release/throw out bearing was nearing eol. I'm aware that a properly operating clutch in these cars have a fairly light action and mine has since i've owned it, a fairly heavy feel though i've yet to check if my helper spring is broken. Never any clutch slip until...
Upon inspecting clutch components nothing jumps out. Flywheel, pressure plate & disc all look good. I will reassemble with a new pressure plate, clutch disc, throw out bearing, contemplating flywheel even though it appears sound and passes its test. Not sure about wear as no definable grooves but searching this forum and others regrinding not recommended. Maybe a wire wheel cleanup?
So my main question is can anything else cause clutch slip? Master/slave cylinders?
While i'm in there i'll be doing the Solution and RMS.
Tia.,
Mike

Ahsai

Check each finger of the pressure plate where they join. There could be cracks that are hard to notice at first glance.

Mike K

Ahsai,
Thank you for the response...in reading up prior to the drop I was hoping to find broken fingers but all are intact. I will inspect more closely.

Ahsai

This is how they break. Do you spot the crack close to the center of the photo?

Mike K

Ahsai,
Thank you so much! Upon further inspection I have a break just like your photo. Is it fatigue that causes this?
I don't think I'm hard on a clutch.
I'm so relieved to find a fault, just visually looking at the components they really don't show much wear, until you know what to look for.

Ahsai

Yup, pretty standard mode of failure, probably due to fatigue.

I know the feeling of being able to find the exact fault. You are smart to put in new parts so you would have been ok anyway but imagine if you think your pressure plate is fine and decide to reinstall it...