Bugeye Release Bearing Question

[TexasSprite]

I've attached my BE 948 to a rebuilt ribcase gearbox and have a question about proper clearance of the release bearing from the pressure plate. With the push rod fully depressed into the slave cylinder, there is about 1/8" clearance. It also looks like when fully extended the rod should have enough travel to release the pressure plate. However, the slave cylinder has a spring inside which puts pressure against the pushrod, so that at rest, the release bearing is putting pressure against the pressure plate. My question is that once bled, will the fluid in the line prevent the spring loaded pushrod from moving forward. It seems like the spring ought to keep the cylinder closed instead of trying to open it.

Thanks for help with such a basic question. This part of my BE was totally non functional, so I don't have an example of how it should actually look.

 

[john_j]

My workshop manual shows the spring in the place you say - pushing the piston forwards, which as you say does seem the wrong way round!
Looking at the diagram, I suspect the purpose of the spring is too keep the piston pushed against the rubber. Without the spring it could be possible for the fluid to push the seal along the bore and the piston to get left behind.

I vaguely recall there are some 'rules' about using a rib 'box with a 948 engine - eg which release arm and clutch you should use, but I can't remember what the rules are, sorry! It way be that you need to use the smoothcase release arm for instance, but don't take that as gospel!

I can recall that with my car (that had ribcase and 948 and also arrived dis-assembled) the pushrod was too short and I had to make a longer one to get it to disengage, but as that was 15 years ago I can't remember the details.

It seems sensible that at rest the release bearing isn't touching the clutch, but the spring seems like that can't happen.

Does that help? No I don't think so either, buit no-one else has replied, so at least you know that the rest of us can see your post!

John

 

[John Kuzman]

A few months ago, someone else had trouble with clutch operation after mating a 948 to a ribcase gearbox. I believe that this is the thread:

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/u...true#Post311730

 

[jlaird]

Longer pushrod.

 

[bugimike]

Jack is correct, though I have encountered a home fix (which I would NOT recomend!) of bending the fork to obtain the right clearance! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif