5-speed manual

ultralite flywheel

stage 1 clutch and pressure plate

replaced 8k miles ago

followed proper break in procedure

replaced master and slave cylinders

replaced clutch lines with steel braid


as it sits the car will go into each gear with the car off fine 1-2-3-4-5-R-N

turn the engine on, push clutch pedal, will not go into any gear (grinding badly)

will start in first gear and drive slowly, cannot float into second just pops into N (i also cant float gears for sht)

Checked for leaks and tightened all fittings

clutch pedal never lost pressure feels the exact same

checked pedal adjustment, and bolts, bled system

every component seems to be in working order when i look under the car i can see the slave cylinder moving and the fork moving

im guessing the clutch is just facked but i thought id make a post

This also happened seemingly out of nowhere, i was doing 12mph in second and went to neutral to come to a stop. Went to put it in gear and it wouldnt go into any gears. Had to get pushed to the side of the road

 

From what you describe, it sounds as if the pilot bearing is seized around the input shaft on the trans. When you replaced the clutch, did you replace the pilot bearing and seal as well? You will also want a light coat of grease on the input shaft and on the needles of the pilot bearing as well when replacing them.

When you installed the clutch dics and pressure plate, did you torque the pressure plate bolts to spec and in the proper sequence?

 

yes i replaced the pilot bearing and seal, and torqued everything to spec in the proper sequence

 

I dont think it was the pilot bearing failing because the clutch ant trans never made any bad noises like a bearing was going bad, the clutch just stopped working for seemingly no reason

 

Which brand of clutch is it, and are you sure it's not a fake? Exedy stage 1s have a bad rep already and then there are fakes exedy's. I was also going to say pilot bearing.

Does the slave cylinder move when you press the clutch? You'll need a buddy to help you check that. If it moves OK, the problem would seem to be inside the bell housing and you'll need to pull the trans to find and repair.

 

Sounds like clutch isn’t fully disengaging to me, I would make sure slave has a slight weep or maybe try bleed that out. After that it’s pulling gearbox out to inspect!

 

Checked all hydaulic components and shift fork is moving properly

got it trailerd home and im going to crack it open

will post pictures of all components when removed

also my flywheel is a 6 bolt pattern, is blue locktite sufficient? I fear the bolts may have backed out

the clutch kit was a action clutch stage 1 kit from throtl

 

Tbh I very rarely use loctite so wouldn’t worry about that. I would expect rattling or vibrations if your flywheel was loose.

I would be looking at clutch components, bent fork, friction material let go or pressure plate gone weak

 

Throwout bearing was stuck to the trans shaft, the grease turned to concrete

Throwout bearing itself is fine it was just stuck and would not slide along the shaft

Used brake clean and 2000 grit sandpaper to clean throwout bearing and transmission mating surface

throwout bearing and clutch fork both now operate as inteded

pilot bearing was also in pieces 😂😂

+20 points to the man who said pilot bearing

not sure which failed first but what i do know for sure the cause was the wrong grease being used upon installation

 

Glad to hear you were able to determine the cause. A stuck throwout bearing will act the same as a pilot bearing seized around the input shaft. I have never seen a throwout bearing fail in the manner you describe, but crazier things have happened. What kind of grease did you use initially?

 

I used “high temp” bearing grease that you would use for wheel bearings i figured it would be fine.

i now know after further research that it should have been high temp “anti gall” / “anti seize” bearing grease 😂

is there a recommended depth for installation of the pilot bearing? Or just push it to the bottom and put the seal in? Thats what i did last time. im also wondering if i could have the bearing damaged upon installation

 

When I install a new pilot bearing, I install it far only enough that the seal will sit flush with the end of the eccentric shaft when it is installed. I try and get it as close as possible without sinking the pilot bearing in too far.

I've used a high temp bearing grease in the past without issue. I'm not sure why it caused issues with your car. And I do likely what you did as well, and I clean the input shaft and apply a light amount of grease on the input shaft and the collar where the throwout bearing moves as well. I also grease the pivot ball where the clutch fork pivots. For the last few years, I've been using a grease made by Sachs specifically for clutch component lubrication. I use it on the input shaft and pivot ball but do not use it in the pilot bearing. So far so good. I can post a picture of it if you'd like.

 

I was told by an old head drag racer that your not supposed to grease the shaft the throw out bearing rides on.

that dosent make much sense to me because theres grooves machined into the throwout bearing to trap grease

he said if anything use a little graphite powder

im so confused now

 

Im just going to follow what has worked for you, please post the grease you used that would be very helpful!

are you not supposed to oil or grease the pilot bearing or does the pilot bearing and seal go in dry?

 

The bearing manufacturer or Mazda's manual should have definitive answers. Yes it needs grease.
I was going to link you to https://foxed.ca/rx7manual/2003mazdarx8/ but it seems to be down :o

I'm not sure why someone would recommend not greasing a metal to metal surface. Maybe in drag racing you don't expect parts to survive tens of thousands of miles.

 

When I install the pilot bearing, I very lightly grease the outside of the bearing and very lightly grease the eccentric shaft where the pilot bearing rests. This allows the pilot bearing to be tapped into the eccentric shaft easier. Once it's in, I also lightly grease the outside of the pilot bearing seal so that when I press it in, it goes in smoothly. Before installation of the pilot bearing, I apply a light coat of Redline high temp wheel bearing grease to the needle bearings. This will help with longevity of the needles and to ease installation.

Here is a link to where I get the grease:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/clu...hoC89kQAvD_BwE


I learned about this stuff on the Porsche forums when I was reading up on doing a clutch job on my 944. Seems it was highly recommend. Has been great thus far. I used it on the last RX-8 I replaced the clutch in. Its been great.