Nissan PULSAR N13 Series / ASTRA LD Series. Manual - part 30

121

 

CLUTCH

 

SPECIFICATIONS

 

Type................................................... Single dry plate

 

Operation...................................................Mechanical

 

Pressure plate type....................................Diaphragm

 

Release bearing type.......................Prelubricated ball

 

Driven plate:

 

Outside diameter ....................................215 mm

 

Rivet depth limit ....................................0.3 mm

 

Runout limit   .........................................0.5 mm

 

Maximum spline backlash    ...................0.7 mm

 

Pressure plate:

 

Diaphragm spring height

 

(installed) ...................................... 30.5-32.5 mm

 

Spring finger variation limit.....................0.5 mm

 

Clutch pedal:

 

Height ..............................................175-185 mm

 

Free play .......................................  12.5-17.5 mm

 

Release lever free play............................ 2.5-3.5 mm

 

Flywheel machining limit ...............................0.3 mm

 

TORQUE WRENCH SETTINGS

 

Pressure plate bolts.......................................... 29 Nm

 

Pedal pivot pin nut ......................................... 22 Nm

 

Cable locknut .................................................... 4 Nm

 

Lower clutch housing to engine bolts.............. 21 Nm

 

Centre and upper clutch housing

 

to engine bolts.................................................. 49 Nm

 

1.    CLUTCH TROUBLE SHOOTING

 

CLUTCH SLIPPING

 

(!)   Worn driven plate facing: Check and renew 

the clutch driven plate.

 

(2)  Insufficient clutch pedal free play: Check and 

adjust the clutch pedal free play. Ensure that the 
release lever free play is correct. 

(3)  Weak or broken pressure plate diaphragm 

spring: Check and renew the pressure plate assembly. 

(4)  Worn or scored flywheel: Machine or renew 

the flywheel. 

Worn or scored pressure plate face: Renew the 

pressure plate assembly.

 

 

Renew the clutch driven plate if the friction material is 

worn down to, or is within 0.3 mm of the rivets. 

NOTE: In most cases clutch slippage is first 
evident by a marked increase in engine revs, 
for no apparent reason, when pulling up a 
steep hill. The clutch condition can be 
positively diagnosed as follows: With the 
handbrake firmly applied, and the rear 
wheels chocked, select top gear and release 
the clutch with the engine running at ap- 
proximately 2 000 rpm. Clutch slippage is 
evident if the engine does not stall. Make the 
test as quickly as possible to prevent any 
further clutch damage.

 

CLUTCH SHUDDER

 

(1)  Oil on the driven plate facings: Renew the 

clutch driven plate. Investigate and rectify the source 
of the oil leak. 

(2)  Scored pressure plate or flywheel face: Re- 

new the pressure plate assembly or machine the 
flywheel. 

(3)  Loose or damaged driven plate hub: Check 

and renew the clutch driven plate. 

(4)  Loose driven plate facings: Renew the clutch 

driven plate. 

(5)  Cracked pressure plate face: Renew the pres- 

sure plate assembly. 

122

 

Clutch

 

 

 

Check the engine mountings for damage and deterio- 

ration. 

NOTE: Clutch shudder is usually most 
evident when reversing up an incline. As 
loose or damaged engine mountings are a 
cause for clutch shudder, thoroughly check 
the engine mounting rubbers and mounting 
hardware for damage or looseness before 
removing the clutch for inspection.

 

CLUTCH GRAB

 

(1)  Oil soaked driven plate facings: Renew the 

clutch driven plate. Investigate and rectify the source 
of the oil leak. 

(2)  Cracked pressure plate face: Renew the pres- 

sure plate assembly. 

(3)  Loose or broken engine mountings: Check 

and renew the engine mountings as necessary. 

(4)  Binding release mechanism: Check the oper- 

ation of the release mechanism. 

NOTE: Visually check the operation of the 
cable actuated release mechanism. Check 
the inner cable for fraying and jamming in 
the outer cable.

 

INSUFFICIENT CLUTCH RELEASE

 

(1)  Stretched, frayed or broken clutch cable: 

Check and renew the clutch cable. 

(2)  Worn or damaged release mechanism: Check 

and renew components as necessary. 

(3)  Insufficient pedal height: Check and adjust 

the pedal height. 

(4)  Warped   clutch   driven   plate:   Renew   the 

clutch driven plate. 

(5)  Excessive   clutch   release   lever   free   play: 

Check  and  adjust the  release lever free  play to 
Specifications. 

NOTE: Visually check that the clutch cable 
operates the release lever before removing 
the clutch for inspection.

 

RELEASE BEARING NOISE

 

(1)  Dry or worn release bearing:  Check and 

renew the release bearing. 

(2)  Damaged pressure plate diaphragm spring; 

Check and renew the pressure plate assembly. 

NOTE: Lightly depress the clutch pedal with 
the engine running to check for release 
bearing noise. If the release bearing is faulty 
and has to be renewed, always check the 
other clutch components.

 

 

Check the diaphragm spring fingers for scoring and 

damage. 

2.    DESCRIPTION

 

The clutch consists of a single, dry, driven plate 

assembly, splined to slide on the transaxle input shaft. 
A diaphragm spring type pressure plate assembly is 
bolted to the engine flywheel.

 

The driven plate is sandwiched between the 

pressure plate and the flywheel and transmits the 
drive from the engine to the transaxle.

 

Cushion rubbers are interposed between the hub 

of the driven plate assembly and the plate friction 
surfaces in order to cushion the drive.

 

The release mechanism is actuated by the clutch 

pedal through a cable to the release lever and bearing.

 

Operation of the clutch pedal moves the release 

lever which pushes the release bearing into contact 
with the diaphragm spring fingers, forcing the dia- 
phragm centre towards the flywheel. When the outer 
edge of the diaphragm deflects, the clutch is caused to 
disengage.

 

Clutch pedal free play is adjusted at the release 

lever end of the clutch cable.

 

Clutch pedal height is adjusted at the pedal stop 

on the pedal mounting bracket located under the 
dashboard.

 

Clutch

 

123

 

 

3.    CLUTCH UNIT AND RELEASE 

MECHANISM

 

Special Equipment Required:

 

To Install — Clutch aligning tool

 

TO REMOVE

 

(1)  Remove the transaxle from the vehicle as 

described in the Manual Transaxle section. 

(2)  Mark the pressure plate cover in relation to 

the flywheel to ensure installation to the original 
location. 

(3)  Progressively loosen and remove the pressure 

plate assembly retaining bolts working in a diagonal 
sequence across the assembly. 

(4)  Remove the pressure plate and driven plate 

assemblies   from  the  flywheel.   Note  the   installed 
direction of the driven plate to aid assembly. 

 

(5)  Disengage  the clips  retaining  the  release 

bearing carrier to the release fork and slide the release 
bearing assembly out of the clutch housing. Note the 
installed position of the retaining clips to aid assem- 
bly. 

(6)  Align the release fork retaining pins with the 

slots in the clutch housing and remove the pins using 
a pin punch. 

(7)  Remove the release lever and  shaft and 

withdraw the release fork and return spring from the 
clutch housing. 

TO CHECK AND INSPECT

 

(1)  Check the driven plate facings. Renew the 

driven plate if the facings are worn down to within 
0.3 mm of the rivet heads or are gummy and oil 
soaked. 

(2)  Check the driven plate hub cushion rubbers 

for deterioration and damage. Renew the driven plate 
if the hub is damaged. 

(3)  Mount the driven plate on the transaxle 

input shaft and measure the spline backlash at the 
outer edge of the driven plate. Renew the driven plate 
if the spline backlash is beyond Specifications. 

(4) 

Check the pressure plate assembly for wear 

on the diaphragm spring fingers, cracked diaphragm 
spring and a cracked or distorted cover. Check that 
the pressure plate face is not badly scored.

 

(5)  Check the flywheel face for heat cracks, burn 

marks and scoring. Renew the flywheel if it is badly 
scored.

 

NOTE: Slight glazing or burn marks on the 
pressure plate or flywheel faces can be 
corrected using emery paper. Minor scoring 
on the flywheel face may be corrected by 
machining the flywheel.

 

(6)  Rotate the release bearing by hand and check 

for noise or roughness. Renew the bearing and carrier 
as an assembly if faults are found. 

(7)  Check the release lever and shaft for wear 

and damage. Renew as necessary. 

(8)  Check the release shaft bushes and seal for 

wear or damage. Renew as necessary. 

(9)  Check the release fork for wear and the 

return spring for fatigue. Renew as necessary. 

TO INSTAL

 

(1)  Sparingly apply lithium base molybdenum 

disulphide grease to the transaxle input shaft splines, 
release bearing carrier bore and rear contact surfaces, 
release shaft bushes and release fork contact surfaces. 
Slide the driven plate onto the transaxle input shaft 
and remove the excess grease from the splines. 

(2)  Install the release shaft to the clutch housing, 

return spring and release fork. Install the retaining pins 

Dismantled view of the flywheel, driven plate and

clutch pressure plate. 

Dismantled view of the clutch release components

.

124

 

Clutch

 

 

 

Illustration showing the clutch aligning tool. The tool 
can be readily fabricated from a length of round section 
wood or metal. Dimension A = diameter of the ma- 
chined section of the crankshaft. Dimension B - inside 
diameter of the driven plate hub. 

to the release fork ensuring that the return spring is 
correctly anchored.

 

(3)  Install the release bearing to the clutch hous- 

ing and install the clips retaining the release bearing 
carrier to the release fork. 

(4)  Install the driven plate to the flywheel in the 

direction noted on removal. Install the aligning tool to 
hold the driven plate in position. 

NOTE: Some driven plates are marked 
Flywheel side to indicate the correct in- 
stalled direction.

 

(5)  Install the pressure plate to the flywheel in the 

position marked on removal. 

(6)  Ensure that the driven plate  is correctly 

centered and install the pressure plate retaining 
bolts. 
Tighten the bolts progressively in a diagonal sequence 
to the specified torque. 

(7)  Install the transaxle to the vehicle as de- 

scribed in the Manual Transaxle section. 

(8)  Adjust the clutch pedal height and free play 

as described under the Adjustments heading later in 
this section. 

4.    CLUTCH PEDAL

 

TO REMOVE AND INSTAL

 

(1)  Working in the engine compartment, loosen 

the adjusting nut and disconnect the inner clutch 
cable from the clutch release lever at the clutch 
housing. 

(2)  Working inside the vehicle, release the inner 

clutch cable from the top of the clutch pedal. 

(3)  Remove the nut from the end of the clutch 

pedal pivot pin. 

(4)  Note the  installed position of the clutch 

pedal return spring and remove the pivot pin from the 
clutch pedal. 

(5)  Remove the clutch pedal from the vehicle 

and remove the bush from the clutch pedal. 

(6)  Examine the clutch pedal and the bush for 

bend, cracks, wear and damage. Examine the return 

 

Installed view of the clutch pedal

. 

spring for cracks and fatigue. Renew parts as neces- 
sary.

 

Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure 

with attention to the following points:

 

(1)  Lubricate the hook on the top of the clutch 

pedal and the pivot pin and bush with lithium base 
molybdenum disulphide grease. 

(2)  Install the return spring to the position noted 

on removal. 

(3)  If necessary, adjust the pedal height and free 

play as described under the Adjustments heading later 
in this section. 

5.    CLUTCH CABLE

 

TO REMOVE AND INSTAL

 

(1)  Working in the engine compartment, loosen 

the adjusting nut and disconnect the inner clutch 
cable from the clutch release lever at the clutch 
housing. 

(2)  Release the outer clutch cable retaining nut 

and slide the outer cable out of the slot in the 
mounting bracket. 

View of the clutch cable assembly.