New throw out bearing is touching the pressure plate fingers?

ASDFer · Oct 8, 2014

Hello, first post here, and I have an interesting problem. I've been wanting to set my truck on fire since this weekend, but I've held back because I actually do like it when it's acting normally.

Long story short, I was having clutch issues. 180xxx miles on the original clutch. It was still gripping just fine, but it wasn't letting me shift into first when I came to a stop in neutral. It started out as a sporadic problem then got worse and worse until it just refused to go into gear.

I bought all new parts, and will provide links to them so you can see exactly what I'm working with.

Clutch: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Clutch-Set/1997-Mazda-B2300-2WD/_/N-j9malZ6o243?itemIdentifier=244976_658553_18110_

Slave Cylinder/ TOB assembly: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Clutch-Slave-Cylinder/1997-Mazda-B2300-2WD/_/N-j9malZ6o2ja?itemIdentifier=132446_204487_19980_#tab-reviews

The first TOB that I bought, but couldn't get the old one separated from the slave cylinder: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Brute-Power-Clutch-Release-Bearing/1997-Mazda-B2300-2WD/_/N-j9malZ6o24r?itemIdentifier=209652_0_0_

I'm not sure what the deal is, but I pulled everything and got all the new parts installed without a hiccup. However, after I started the truck and released the clutch, it started making a god awful noise. I pushed the clutch back in and it stopped, but the truck refused to go into any gear, and ground like crazy trying to go into reverse.

So, I pulled everything again. Swapped the slave cylinder/ TOB assembly with a new unit, reinstalled everything again, went even easier this time. I started the truck up again.......
SAME FREAKING PROBLEM!

I had my father-in-law come over to take a look at it, and he saw that the TOB is hitting the fingers of the pressure plate when the clutch pedal is released. He disconnected the lines going to the new slave cylinder, and was able to press the bearing back slightly away from the fingers of the PP. I started it up again and it sounded completely normal.

Is this a known issue? Did I buy the wrong parts? I have no idea why the TOB would be hitting the pressure plate fingers otherwise. The clutch and PP I bought are the conventional type, not the self adjusting.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

RonD · Oct 8, 2014

Stock pressure plate is self-adjusting because there is no external(or internal) adjustment.

Non-self adjusting will not disengage fully unless all air is out of the master and slave, which is very hard to do on the Rangers, the new clutch disc is at it's thickest now so needs the all the throw distance the master and slave can provide to disengage from flywheel/pressure plate.
As the clutch disc wears the pedal will disengage clutch without having to go all the way to the floor, but while new it will need to be all the way to the floor + 1/2", lol

Did you replace the Pilot bearing?

Bad throw out bearing usually only makes a noise while clutch pedal is down, and yes on these Fords the throw out bearing will be touching pressure plate(forks) with about 7-9lbs(according to Ford spec) of pressure when clutch is engaged(pedal up all the way), so bearing spins 24/7, which sounds odd to me but that's what the specs are, so maybe you don't have enough pressure and throwout bearing is "skipping"(the noise you hear) on the pressure plate forks.

ASDFer · Oct 8, 2014

Yes, I did replace the pilot bearing, twice actually. The first time I pulled the tranny I saw it was going bad, so I pulled it and installed the new one, but I may have installed that one backwards. I had the plastic ring facing the crank shaft. After I pulled the tranny the second time, I saw that the pilot bearing was boogered up again, so I got a replacement and swapped it again, this time with the plastic ring facing the clutch.

I don't think that I boogered it up again, because the first time reinstalling the clutch it was very difficult and I ended up using the bolts to pull the tranny home (I know, a big no no). The next time around I got the transmission back in place relatively smoothly, I had to wrestle it for a few minutes but it went fully into place without me having to force the issue.

What could be causing the noise then? The TOB is brand new, as was the previous one, and if it's designed to touch the fingers then it shouldn't be squealing the way that it is. We were able to make the noise stop by draining the fluid from the slave and pushing the bearing back and away from the fingers...

ASDFer · Oct 8, 2014

Do you think I should just spend the extra $30 and swap my current clutch kit for the self adjusting one?

ASDFer · Oct 8, 2014

Before I replace anything, I will attempt to pull the master and bench bleed it. I watched a very informative video on the process here: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109088

Thanks for the info!

RonD · Oct 8, 2014

This is also a good video for the master bleed, in truck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd1KDCAhTLc

Because pushing the throw bearing back caused the noise to go away then that is the source of the noise, but as to why it is making that noise is not known to me.
I do know that similar year Ranger and Mustang throw out bearings do stay in contact with the pressure plate all the time.

If you push in on the pedal just a little I assume the noise goes away, if so then maybe the slave pressure plate combo is the wrong length for your year, so there is too little pressure on the pressure plate with foot off the pedal.

ASDFer · Oct 8, 2014

RonD said:
This is also a good video for the master bleed, in truck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd1KDCAhTLc

Because pushing the throw bearing back caused the noise to go away then that is the source of the noise, but as to why it is making that noise is not known to me.
I do know that similar year Ranger and Mustang throw out bearings do stay in contact with the pressure plate all the time.

If you push in on the pedal just a little I assume the noise goes away, if so then maybe the slave pressure plate combo is the wrong length for your year, so there is too little pressure on the pressure plate with foot off the pedal.

Thanks for your quick help with this, it will be a day or two before I get to attempt it, but I will inform you guys of the results of the bleeding. Hopefully it works!

ASDFer · Oct 18, 2014

Solved!

Thanks for your quick insight, it took me a little while to get back to working on the truck, but I did bench bleed the system and it resolved the issues I was having.

LISTEN TO THESE GUYS WHEN THEY TELL YOU THAT PROPERLY BLEEDING THE CLUTCH IS ESSENTIAL, EVEN IF IT IS A HUGE PAIN.

The noise has gone away after driving the truck around for a little bit, I believe that it was leftover cleaning agent that I used on the flywheel. I had a rattling heat shield that is now fixed, and the truck runs and drives and goes into gear like it should.

I found out the hard way that when removing the master cylinder, hit the clutch pedal lightly to get the check valve on the end of the hard line to close properly. I let nearly all the fluid out and a ton of air into the system before I realized this. It's difficult but not impossible to remove and replace the master cylinder with the clutch push rod still in place. Watch those videos that are posted earlier in my thread and they show you everything you need to know to bench bleed these clutches.

Thanks for the help guys, I'm back to loving my truck! :yahoo:

BRUTUS_T_HOG · Oct 18, 2014

Glad to see you fixed it. For your future reference it is normal for the throw out bearing to always be in contact with the pressure plate fingers. This design is spring loaded to keep the bearing in contact.

K7gixxer21 · May 18, 2015

I know this is an old thread but I'm going to bring it back from the dead.

I have the same first gear issue that you had. I have the trans off now as well as the clutch and the fingers on the pressure plate are tented out towards the trans but the disc looks to have plenty of meat left on it. Could the pressure plate be my issue?

AllanD · May 19, 2015

For anyone who comes onto this thread later...

The release bearing is SUPPOSED to touch the pressure plate fingers...

As Ford states it "the bearing is a constant contact, constant run bearing"

and an note: the later "Adjustable pressure plate" is about having a more consistant oedal feed over the useful life of the clutch.

New throw out bearing is touching the pressure plate fingers?

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