Clutch??

[Chomp]

Hi all  - recently i was on a punch hunt with my sj410 and I kept over heating and blowing a hose. >:( Even when the engine has just warmed up I get alot of pressure in the hoses, even though 2 months ago i had a new head gasket done. Any ideas??

Also on the punch hunt whern the engine was getting hot i suddenly found that i couldn't get any drive to the wheels, just like when a clutch has worn out, but when i left her to cool down and drove home there appeared to be nothin wrong with the clutch. Could this be that the clutch is worn and in need of replacement??  If so how difficult is it? i am a complete novice(apart from brake pads and general service) and was wondering if its something I should attempt myself? Would I need any special tools/
Normally i would get a mechanic to sort it, but cash flow is very sparse at the moment, so if i can do it myself that would be great, if not the sj will be confined to the garage  for a couple of months >:(

Any help, or advise will be greatly apreciated.

Cheers

Chomp

[fudge]

I suffer that...... firstly I thought I'd screwed the clutch and so changed it (good days work first time) but then I did it again and I've now adjusted it up and its fine again.... I have a plate that I bought fom Darren @ KAP but haven't fitted it yet.... the clutches seem really weak.... I'm using an after market kit right now on Colway MT's my only conclusion is that the extra grip takes it toll on the plate and over heats it, maybe reduce the strength if the springs, Darren's comp clutch plate has no springs....

[Evilgoat]

Pressure in the system is regualted by the Rad cap. Check that it isnt full of gunk and crap. Also if the water is boiling in the engine that suggests the reverse, that you have no presure in the system.

Check your rad cap and the expantion hose. Also look to see what condition that the hoses are in. You may also have an airlock someplace.

[Chomp]

hi  - thanks for the quick response - I think i'm going to replace the hoses cause on the same punch hunt one of the hoses kept splitting, which i put down to the build up of pressure.

So if i have no pressure in the system does that sujest that it is posibily air locked? or something else? It would make sense to me being a plumber!!

thanks again

Chomp

[Evilgoat]

Water under pressure has a higher boiling point, steam is a poor coolant. the idea is that by keeping the water under pressure you can use it to cool at a higher temperature than the old pumpless thermosyphon systems that have long gone.

if the water is boiling then it'll be lost as steam through the expantion hose and/or the leak, you'll normally smell it, coolant has a distinctive musty smell. An airlock gives the water room to expand and as you well know, can stop water circulationg where it should. Water flash-boiling because of a large air-lock can course a massive pressure increase and will blow off rad-caps, hoses etc.

If you are replacing hoses, doo the lot and use new jubilee clips, I have a renualt outside testament to the fact these things can actually fail. Reverse flush the rad, engine and heater matrix, do it someplace you can hose down though as it'll probobly be a bit mucky. If you dont already know, reverse flush means a hose in the item concerned and run water through backwards, so water in bottom hose on the rad, out the top. Engine fron bottom hose point and heate matrix, well you know the routine by now :)
Also Antifreeze works as a coolant so make sure you sort that out once she's all topped up.

[Paul.K/LuckyTrucker]

Hi there, I think your over heating problem has been answeard.

I think your clutch problem maybe the thrust bearing. Mud collects in the bell housing and stops it sliding up and down the input shaft. Now don't laugh but in the past I have sorted my clutch by preasure washing through the timing hole in the bell housing with the engine running. It all runs like a washing machine, there will be a whole lot of crap coming out. I ended up changing the clutch some time later but it kept me going for a while.
Best of luck with it.

[zacspeed]

What's a "Punch hunt"?  8)  

Sorry, but I have to ask!

[V8MoneyPit]

What's a "Punch hunt"?  8)  

Sorry, but I have to ask!

You have a punch card attached to your car and you have to locate a series of punches that will have varying degrees of difficulty to reach. The difficult ones carry higher points.

[fudge]

Hi there, I think your over heating problem has been answeard.

I think your clutch problem maybe the thrust bearing. Mud collects in the bell housing and stops it sliding up and down the input shaft. Now don't laugh but in the past I have sorted my clutch by preasure washing through the timing hole in the bell housing with the engine running. It all runs like a washing machine, there will be a whole lot of crap coming out. I ended up changing the clutch some time later but it kept me going for a while.
Best of luck with it.

I did that then silicone'd up the hole underneath..... and replaced the Timing bung!

You'll probably need to tighten the clutch cable too!

[Chomp]

Hi - thanks for all the help. I will find the time this weekend to have a look at the sj and hopefully get it sorted. Is it me or do the lists of things to do just keep getting longer and longer??