Bent Clutch Plate Thing? (Video)

[OakBehringer]

The part that the clutch discs sit in... is warped/bent?

That doesn't look right, does it? Before I pulled it out and put it back on it looked even worse. I'm thinking one of the washers was wedged weird.

Also, two of my friction discs have odd wear to them (unfortunately I don't know what order they were in when I took them out). Attached pic. I can't imagine how this happened though, considering where those "teeth" sit in the basket.

I'm trying to figure out why I'm getting metal shavings in my oil filter. Think this could be it? Already checked the cam chain guides, they're not worn down to metal. Starting to feel quite confused.

Thanks,
Adam

 

[retiredgentleman]

That looks bad. Hard to believe the clutch centre could be mis-alined like that. Have you taken the clutch fully apart? If not, I think you need to remove all the clutch parts and inspect them carefully for damage. Take note of the order that you remove parts. Compare what you have to the 2 diagrams.

PO's are known to re-assemble clutches incorrectly. I found that a washer was missing on mine when I did an inspection.

 

[OakBehringer]

Yeah, I'm thinking the PO assembled the clutch in a way that one of the washers was binded/crooked/on the edge of something else. It was more warped/bent looking when I spun it after removing the plates. After I removed the whole boss (is that what it's called?) from the basket and put it back in, it looked like that. I'm thinking that the pressure from the plates when it was way off cased it to bend.

So lame. Time for a new clutch, I guess. Looks like they changed the part # in '74. Damn.

I still can't figure out how the teeth on the friction discs could have worn like that.... anyone?

 

[Gordon]

To be sure, your gonna want to make sure that the shaft is not bent. Do that the same way, spin it and watch for any bend. Only way I figure it could have gotten bent is from an accident going down on that side. Does the cover look like it could have been replaced? Hard to tell, I guess.

 

[OakBehringer]

No damage. A little hard to tell if it's replaced, but I don't think so as the extreme patina on it matches the rest of the motor.

Looked at the shaft, spinning it, didn't see any wobble. Same for the basket, on the shaft (although I realize it could have bent after the basket). I'm pretty sure it's the boss, not the shaft.

 

[Gordon]

Ok then, check that clutch hub for flatness where it sit's on the washer's. If thats good then probably just a new set of those hub washer's and nut would be in order. On a side note, I have read about this before, and the washer's had slipped and gotten tightened down. Caused allot of drag on the disc's, making it hard to find neutral.

 

[OakBehringer]

I didn't have trouble finding neutral, but I did feel considerable drag with the top end off, spinning the crank, before I took the clutch off. I was worried that my crank bearings were toast, this is actually relieving.

 

[erklep]

i just went through this same issue with one of my motors. it was a hellish nightmare! i had a ride the next day and went to fire it up the night before to be sure everything was a-go and needless to say, it wasnt. pulled everything apart and found that my thrust bearing was in the wrong spot from the PO and that it was crushed in between the washers and caught the edge of the shaft where the threads meet the smooth part. cause hard clutch pull, nasty wobble and kicker wouldnt engage because the thrust bearing wasnt sliding back far enough to allow the discs to grab. this was all on a 71 motor. luckily i was able to swap the whole assembly from my 79 motor and get running. i did notice the pressure plates differed from one motor to the other

 

[OakBehringer]

cause hard clutch pull

Awesome! I didn't think about it, but my clutch lever was very had to pull. Forgot about that over the winter.

this was all on a 71 motor. luckily i was able to swap the whole assembly from my 79 motor and get running. i did notice the pressure plates differed from one motor to the other

whoa.. whoa... whoa... So, if I swap in everything, including the basket, from a later motor, it will work? What about the washers 'n stuff behind/in front of the basket?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[erklep]

not saying this is your cause but my thrust bearing was the cause and it was obvious. and yes, all i did was swap everything over, basket, bearings and washers, fibers and plate and everything operates smoothly. in fact, im eyeing up a complete clutch setup on now to throw in the motor that i stole the parts out of

 

[OakBehringer]

not saying this is your cause but my thrust bearing was the cause

Thanks for the tip- you're right. I took my thrust washer out and it was definitely bent. I don't know how I missed that the first time.

Take a look at this video, thrust washer removed. Looks a lot smoother. There's a tiny bit of unevenness on the clutch plate side of the boss (the side that matters), but I it might be alright.

What does everyone think?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[erklep]

glad i could be of some help. wish i had looked at my bearing earlier. i was goin nuckin futs in the garage for hours!

the play that you see now is normal. i had that on mine too and i compared it with my other motor and it was the same. order yourself up a new bearing($17) and youll be good to go.

 

[Gordon]

I say, old man, I think you've got it!!!!!

 

[OakBehringer]

Awesome! Beats the hell out of buying a whole new clutch.

STILL A MYSTERY how the teeth on the friction discs got scraped like that, and it's bugging me.

 

[erklep]

Awesome! Beats the hell out of buying a whole new clutch.

STILL A MYSTERY how the teeth on the friction discs got scraped like that, and it's bugging me.

mine are also scraped up like yours. only on the disc that was facing the right side cover. ive also got some gouges in a half moon shape on the inside of the cover so in my instance, it was safe to say the disc was hitting the cover. take a look at yours. is it just one disc or all?

 

[OakBehringer]

It's just those two. I'm not sure where they were in the stack, though, they quickly got jumbled on my table. Could have been the top.. which would explain one of them. All I know is that I really hope that's the source of the metal shavings I was finding in my oil filter.

 

[Gordon]

Oak, I did read that you said the cam chain guides do not look worn out, but if the chain is out of adjustment, even just a little, you will get aluminium shavings in the screens. And the engine has to be out of the frame to change them. It could have been your clutch just rubbing every once in a while, and you do not have to r&r the engine right now. Unless you plan on going back and forth accross country, they can wait untill next winter, during the winter tear down.

 

[OakBehringer]

Oak, I did read that you said the cam chain guides do not look worn out, but if the chain is out of adjustment, even just a little, you will get aluminium shavings in the screens. And the engine has to be out of the frame to change them. It could have been your clutch just rubbing every once in a while, and you do not have to r&r the engine right now. Unless you plan on going back and forth accross country, they can wait untill next winter, during the winter tear down.

Shavings from the chain slapping against the tunnel?

 

[Gordon]

Yes, that is what happens. If you also have little black piece's, that is the guide. On mine, when I tore it down the first time, I did not have anything in the oil, and the guide looked good. However, during the next season, I started finding the metal shaving's and black bit's in the oil. The front guide had come loose from it's holder and the chain was shaving it away. I waited until that winter, and pulled her down. Thats when I found the guide problem. It failed because of it's age, I do believe.

 

[OakBehringer]

Guide was not down the metal, not even close, but it could be from the tunnel. I'll check when I can get away from my desk.

Weird thing is that I found shavings in my post-pump oil filter (side filter) after I fixed my sump filter (had the standard hole in it). Not sure how they could have gotten there, unless there's something in my oil pump that's being shredded.