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Background:
1996 Saab 900SE 2.0L Turbo, 5 speed, self-adjusting cable.
I bought this car not running. Hauled it home and charged up the battery. Got it to start, but this horrific screeching started. Fears of a bad clutch were confirmed when I pulled off the flywheel cover and ball bearings rained down on me. Throwout bearing was destroyed. Figured that as long as I was going to pull off the transmission, I'd replace the entire clutch and replace oil seals (main and differential). To be fair, this was going to be my first clutch replacement on any car.
Confession: Had a devil of a time getting the transmission off. With two jacks fairly strategically placed under the transmission, I went under the car feet-first from the right-hand front wheel (passenger side). With the engine right over me, I put one foot on either side of the bellhousing and gave a mighty heave. Several heaves later, it succeeded in budging off of the flywheel. Some more heaves later, it was coming off. One more heave and it was free! And then, it crashed to the floor having slid off of one of the floor jacks. Nothing appeared to be damaged or dinged, so on I went.
The bellhousing was pressure washed and wiped down, and then new differential seals were installed followed by a new main oil seal. The throw out bearing was destroyed and badly scorched up the TO bearing sleeve. Enter a good friend.
He had an identical Saab that he was having to part out due to a collision that bent the frame. Rather than go for a salvage title in his state, he was parting it out. The clutch (pressure plate, friction disc and TO bearing) had less than 10,000 miles on it. He went ahead and sold me the TO bearing sleeve too. Back home I go, picking up the newly machined flywheel.
I used 2000 grit sandpaper to clean up the new-to-me TO bearing sleeve having removed the old one and went about the task of reassembly. The release arm was pulled, cleaned up and reattached with a new release fork and a light smearing of high temp synthetic brake grease on the ends of the release arm pivot shaft. Another light smearing of the same grease was put on the TO sleeve, and the TO bearing was slid over the sleeve. At this point, I notice just the slightest bit of "play" between the sleeve and the throw out bearing. With the fork controlling the action, the play seems to be gone, but I did notice it's not a well-machined snug fit between the sleeve and bearing. I'm assuming this is normal, so on I go.
New main oil seal, new differential seals, and the clutch was put on with an alignment tool (I had the springs of the friction disc inspected as well as the pressure plate fingers...all was OKed by machine shop). Everything was reassembled, and new transmission oil was put in.
Had to wait on a new PCV nipple to come in. It got here today, and I've just fired her up. Now, I need help with the diagnosis because something's not right.
Attempt #1:
Before starting, I changed into all 5 gears and reverse. No problem. Moved it into neutral, pushed in the clutch pedal and started her up. No problem!! Yeah! Car's in neutral, so I begin to ease off of the clutch pedal. About 1/2 way up on pedal, I start to hear this low, fluttering scraping sound. From my previous experience with this car, it sounds like the throw out bearing just making contact with the spinning pressure plate. The car begins to shudder as though there is load on the engine. Continuing to let off of the clutch pedal, the low metallic flutter changes to a screeching sound (not as bad as when I first bought her). With foot off the clutch pedal, the engine is really shuddering, the screeching is pretty loud and the engine is putting some effort to carry a load.
Clutch pedal was depressed all the way in, and everything returns to normal. I can shift gears too. So, I turn off the car and puzzle for a bit.
Attempt #2:
Started the car with clutch pedal in and the car in gear. It starts, but there is a low rumbling sound, and again the engine feels like it's running under a load. Take it out of gear, and the rumbling sound and shuttering engine goes away. I begin to let off of the clutch pedal and the same low fluttering scraping sound begins again. So, I push clutch pedal all the way in, and all is good. I tried to shift gears, but it's harder to get into each gear. So, I shut her down and puzzle some more.
Attempt #3 and final one at that:
Same exercise as #1 by staring in Neutral and clutch pedal in. Same results, only now I can not get her into any gear. If I try to force it into gear (I only tried reverse), it sounds like gears grinding (like when you don't have clutch pedal in all the way). Same screeching sound with clutch pedal all the way out (foot off), but the load on the engine makes it stumble and stall. With the car off now, I can easily change into all gears.
Help me to diagnose this problem. I am not sure where to start and can't see how it could be the clutch cable. Could this be something ridiculous like the TO bearing sleeve being bent? Or not installed properly? I am definitely not thrilled at the prospect of having to pull the transmission off again. Thank you in advance.
posted by 71.59.5...
, Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:31:31
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