Urgent help: my flywheel feels loose. Do I replace it?

[dustingebhardt]

I'm knee deep into a clutch and slave cylinder replacement. My contact surface of the flywheel feels loose. With gentle pressure I can push it in towards the motor by about 2-4 mm. I can wobble the disc edges so that they make contact with the toothed flywheel plate, which is about 5mm. I know that it isn't supposed to move radially more than a few millimeters, which is doesn't, so I assume that the springs are still good. Should I replace the flywheel?

 

[Vince Waldon]

Obviously this is a judgement call... which is always easy to second-guess over the interwebs... but I personally am a big fan of "while I have it all apart I might as well...".

Assuming you've got the engine or tranny on the floor, of course.

 

[dmarsingill]

There is a way to check it. You will have to look for it. It is supposed to move some.....as to how much...I don't know.

Donald

 

[Ol'Rattler]

You only replace a clutch about every 200K miles if you know how to drive a manual. So ya, replace it. The whole idea is to make it to the next 200K mile change interval.

Whenever you refurb something, you need to replace everything involved with that system if there is any question on how long some parts might last. Having some parts that may not go to the next change interval is poor economy.

With a clutch, the only thing I might look for wear on is the surface the T/O bearing slides on on the front of the transmission. Most everything is just replaced.

Dual Mass Flywheels are such a pile of poo and if you don't pay attention, they can grenade and ruin your day.

I find it just amazing that a manufacturer can put a component on your car that can fail and destroy your transmission and that is exactly what a DMF does when it grenades and punches a hole in your tranny housing.

 

[Ol'Rattler]

Obviously this is a judgement call... which is always easy to second-guess over the interwebs... but I personally am a big fan of "while I have it all apart I might as well...".

Assuming you've got the engine or tranny on the floor, of course.

Yup......

Having to drop the transaxle later for something stupid failing is such a pain.

 

[goodysgotacuda]

Isn't that flywheel around $300? I think the OP is primarily asking what is the testing procedure for one before shelling out that kind of coin to replace a "potentially good" part.

Don't get me wrong, if I questioned it, I'd probably put it under the "while I'm already here" category as well and sink that cost.

 

[dustingebhardt]

It will be replaced. Sometimes it helps to step back and take the emotional response out of the equation. Yes, it is more money. Yes, the wifey is nagging me to get her spot in the garage back. Yes, it is more downtime without my vehicle and in a econobox rental car. But it some guy asked me the same question, I'd answer him the same way that you've all answered me. "While I'm in there . . . . "