The pressure plate is mounted in a stamped steel casing 2 (Fig. 6.1), bolted to the engine flywheel.
Slave disk 1 (see fig. 6.1) mounted on the splines of the primary shaft of the gearbox and clamped by a diaphragm spring between the flywheel and the pressure plate.
The bearing 3 of the clutch release is of a closed type, which does not require lubrication during operation, and is installed on a guide sleeve pressed into the hole of the clutch housing. The guide sleeve is a non-separable unit, including a seal and a front bearing of the primary shaft. The bearing is moved by a fork 6, installed on a ball joint screwed into the clutch housing. The fork is inserted into the grooves of the bearing coupling without additional fastening.
The free arm of the clutch release fork, sealed in the clutch housing with a rubber boot, is acted upon by the clutch release drive cable 4, the other end of which is secured to the clutch pedal sector 5. The pedal travel during operation is adjusted as the driven disk linings wear out by the adjusting nut installed on the threaded end of the cable (see "Replacing and adjusting the clutch release cable").
The clutches of 1.4 and 1.6 liter engines are identical in design and differ only in the diameters of the driven and pressure plates. For a 1.4 liter engine, the diameter is 180 mm, for a 1.6 liter engine - 200 mm. The values of the working stroke of the outer arm of the clutch release fork also differ: for a 1.4 liter engine, the working stroke is 28-33 mm, for a 1.6 liter engine - 30-35 mm.
Helpful tips:
- To ensure that the clutch serves you for a long time and without failure, do not keep your foot on the clutch pedal all the time. This bad habit is often acquired during driving lessons at driving schools out of fear of not having time to disengage the clutch when the car stops. In addition to the rapid fatigue of the foot, which is always above the pedal, the clutch is at least slightly squeezed, and the driven disk slips and wears out.
- In addition, although the release bearing is designed to operate in constant rotation mode, when the pedal is pressed even slightly, it is under load and its service life is reduced.
- For the same reason, we do not recommend keeping the clutch in the disengaged position for a long time (for example, in traffic jams). If you don't have to move off right away, it's best to put the gearshift lever in neutral and release the pedal.
- Clutch slippage can be easily determined by the tachometer. If, while driving, when you sharply press the accelerator pedal, the revs increase sharply, and then drop slightly and the car begins to accelerate, the clutch needs repair.
Fig. 6.1. Clutch and its release drive: 1 - slave disk; 2 - clutch housing with pressure plate; 3 - clutch release bearing; 4 - clutch release cable; 5 - clutch pedal; 6 - clutch release fork.
Possible clutch malfunctions, their causes and solutions
| Cause of malfunction | Method of elimination |
| Incomplete disengagement of the clutch (clutch "leads") | |
| Insufficient full travel of the clutch pedal | Adjust the initial setting of the clutch cable |
| Warping of the driven disk (end runout more than 0.5 mm) | Straighten or replace the disc |
| The driven disk hub is jammed on the splines of the primary shaft | Clean the splines, wash with white spirit. If the splines are worn, replace the primary shaft or driven disk |
| Misalignment or warping of the pressure plate | Replace the pressure plate assembly |
| Loose rivets or broken friction linings of the driven disk | Replace the linings or driven disk, check the axial runout of the disk |
| Malfunction of the clutch drive cable or the wear compensation mechanism of the driven disk linings | Replace the cable |
| Incomplete clutch engagement (clutch "slips") | |
| Oiling of the friction linings of the driven disk, flywheel surfaces and pressure plate | Wash oily surfaces thoroughly with white spirit, replace worn or damaged gearbox and engine seals. Check for oil leaks through flywheel mounting bolts, if there is a leak, install bolts with sealant |
| Increased wear or burning of the friction linings of the driven disk | Replace the friction linings or the driven disc assembly |
| Damage or seizure of the clutch drive | Eliminate the causes of jamming. |
| Jerks when engaging the clutch | |
| Oiling of the friction linings of the driven disk, flywheel surfaces and pressure plate | Wash oily surfaces thoroughly with white spirit, replace worn or damaged gearbox and engine seals. Check for oil leaks through flywheel mounting bolts, if there is a leak, install bolts with sealant |
| Clutch release drive jamming | Eliminate the causes of jamming. Replace damaged parts |
| Damage to the surface or warping of the pressure plate | Replace the pressure plate assembly |
| Increased noise when engaging the clutch | |
| Damper springs of the driven disk are broken | Replace the slave disk assembly |
| Increased noise when disengaging the clutch | |
| Wear, damage, grease leakage from clutch release bearing | Replace the bearing |
(Original publication on the portal www.RENAULTBOOK.ru)