yellowss7 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) Well, last October i noticed a slight sound that went away when i lightly put my foot on the clutch. I assumed the throwout bearing as on its way out. I loaded up the car into the trailer and took it right to the shop. It sat there since then awaiting some attention. After several recent visits to kick a little ass, I went over yesterday and was pleased to see my car up in the air and sans engine and gearbox. I had left a box of parts to complete the job and thought it would be done this week. Then I saw this not so funny look on my mechanic's face. UH OH!!! it seems that the throwout bearing had seized and toasted not only the clutch, which I expected, but also affected the flywheel and input shaft seal on the gearbox. UH OH$$$$ After a few calls and emails I finally heard back from SBD in the UK and Sadev in NC today and a new flywheel and ARP bolts are on there way. And I decided to send the gearbox down to Sadev in North Carolina for a refresh since it was already out. So i feel a little better today that i will get my car back on track in time for the start of the trackday season, albeit with a much lighter wallet. Edited February 13, 2020 by yellowss7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Tom, I’d be more inclined to feel sorry for you IF you didn’t have a backup Cat standing by.:jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Okaaaaay.......can someone please explain to me how a throwout bearing can toast a flywheel and the gearbox input shaft seal? On a big hp V8 yes I get it but on a Caterham? Thats a new one for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 I asked the same thing Michael. Apparently it created a lot of heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 I'm hot too but I don't warp flywheels. Been known to destroy some seals in my time though... Is the flywheel alooooooooominum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driven Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Okaaaaay.......can someone please explain to me how a throwout bearing can toast a flywheel and the gearbox input shaft seal? On a big hp V8 yes I get it but on a Caterham? Thats a new one for me. It shouldn't. a Throw out bearing (TOB) doesn't make any physical contact with the clutch, or the flywheel, or the input shaft. There's usually a guide that the TOB slides on in the gearbox, but that guide isn't often attached to the input shaft. The TOB will only make contact with the fingers of the pressure plate. A frozen/seized TOB could ruin the fingers of the pressure plate, which in turn could break a clutch... but it's unlikely. The heat from the TOB would have to be intense to kill an input shaft seal, so much so that it would almost have to be user error (riding the clutch all the time). Flywheel won't be damaged by a TOB, unless improperly installed. A TOB shouldn't be anywhere near the flywheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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