Clutch Industries - Australia's world class clutch manufacturer

How do I diagnose a fault?

Trouble Shooting Clutch Systems

Section #1 Noise

Noise while depressing clutch pedal

Cause
  • Off centering of the release bearing or mis-alignment of the main shaft.
Repair
  • Replace the release bearing.
  • Realign the engine and the gear box.

Section #1 Loss of Drive

Cushion Plate broken

Cause
  • The disc has been distorted when refitting the gear box on the engine.
  • The engine and the gear box are misaligned.
  • The pilot bearing is damaged.
  • Aggressive driving.
Repair
  • Replace the clutch kit.
  • Realign the engine and the gear box.
  • Replace the pilot bearing.
Caution
  • Be careful in selecting the gears and do not over run the clutch.

Clutch disc plate broken

Cause
  • Defective clutch installed or wrong direction for installation.
Caution
  • Make sure that the correct kit is used on the application.

Section #2 Noise

Noise when in neutral

Cause
  • Lack of care during installation, splines have been damaged by the gear box main shaft.
Repair
  • Replace the main shaft.
  • Replace the clutch disc.
Caution
  • Make sure that the splines properly match up.
  • Lubricate with a proper quantity of grease.

Noise during release

Cause
  • Seized / worn pilot bearing / bushing.
Caution
  • Replace pilot bearing / bushing.

Release bearing damaged

Cause
  • Seal torn.
  • Overheating during slippage.
    Leakage of the grease.

Damper spring break away

Cause
  • Wrong clutch cover size used.
  • Excessive release travel.
  • The clutch disc is installed on the wrong side.

Unusual worn out on the torsion spring area

Cause
  • Over torque applied to the clutch disc.

Section #3 Slipping

Burn marks on the flywheel

Cause
  • Excessive greasing of the spline hub when installed.
Repair
  • Clean the flywheel and replace the clutch disc.
Caution
  • Apply the correct amount of grease on the clutch disc splines and the input shaft

Section #3 Slipping & Chattering

Clutch facing completely worn

Cause
  • Use over product lifetime.
  • Prolonged clutch slippage due to a malfunction or extremely severe use. Disc not changed during a previous flywheel / cover replacement.

Clutch lining damaged

Cause
  • Excessive slippage due to aggressive driving or overloading.
  • The clutch operating system is badly adjusted or defective.
Repair
  • Replace the clutch kit.
  • Replace or machine evenly the flywheel.

Burn marks on the pressure plate

Cause
  • Oil or grease contamination on the clutch linings or on the pressure plate.
Repair
  • Locate and repair all sources of contamination.
  • Replace the clutch kit.
Caution
  • Apply the correct quantity of grease on the clutch disc splines and the input shaft. Do not use contaminated pair of gloves.

Circular grooves appearing on the pressure plate

Cause
  • Linings worn out, heads of the facing rivets are in contact with the pressure place.

Clutch lining contaminated with oil or grease

Cause
  • Excessive greasing of the spline hub when installed.
  • Oil leakage from engine or gear box.
Repair
  • Replace the clutch disc.
  • Locate and repair all sources of contamination.
Caution
  • Apply the correct amount of grease on the clutch disc splines and the input shaft.

Deformation of the clutch disc

Cause
  • Deformed during delivery or handling.
  • Deformed during installation. (weight of the gear box, dropped)
  • Deformation due to overheating during slippage.
Caution
  • Handle with care.
  • Do not place the clutch disc under a weight.

Section #4 Difficulty changing gears

Difficulty changing gears

Cause
  • The cover assembly has been dropped.
Repair
  • Install new clutch.
  • Always inspect the drive straps for damage before installation.

The drive straps of the clutch cover are damaged

Cause
  • Dropped during installation / overload.
  • Using improper product.
  • Improper gear selection. (ex: from 5th to 1st)
Repair
  • Replace the clutch disc.
  • Careful handling.
  • Operate to normal conditions.

Difficulty changing gears

Cause
  • The transmission was forced into position damaging the splines of the disc hub.
Repair
  • Install new clutch and carefully control the position and alignment of the transmission during installation.
  • Use a transmission jack and possibly install temporary guide pins to assist in aligning the transmission to the engine.

Section #5 Others

Too much grease

Cause
  • Excess of lubrication grease on the nose of the release bearing.
Repair
  • Clean the release bearing.
  • Apply the correct quantity of lubricant.

Over torque

Cause
  • Excessive engine brake operation.
  • Incorrect disc for the application.
  • Aggressive starting operation.
  • The clutch operating system is badly adjusted or defective (clutch pedal)
Repair
  • Replace the clutch disc.

Difficulty shifting

Cause
  • Incorrect release bearing travel.
  • The clutch operating system is badly adjusted or defective.
  • The level of pre-load on the release bearing is incorrect.
Repair
  • Adjust the clutch operating system (pedal height, self adjusting system, clutch linkage..) check the pre-load on the release bearing.

Clutch pedal binding

Cause
  • The fork is out of shape.
  • The release bearing guide tube is worn or the release arm / fork is bent / worn.
Repair
  • Replace by a genuine release fork.
  • Install new clutch and guide tube.
  • Inspect all release bearing system components and repair or replace as needed.

The contact point of the fork is worn out, the fork is off-centered

Cause
  • The fork is out of shape.
Repair
  • Replace by a genuine release fork.