clutch

[LHDLC]

Hi
Clutch dilemma
I just bought a clutch plate and cover form QED for my TC engine 4 bolt crank.
Unfortunately the cover has a bigger diameter than my flywheel
I don’t know if it’s the clutch cover/plate or the flywheel, which is wrong
My flywheel has a diameter of 11.25 inches edge to edge including the ring gear
I thought the clutch plate on a TC should be 8” but the one QED supplied is 8.5” and the cover is about ¼” wider than the flywheel face
Any advice would be appreciated
David

 

[MLI]

I believe the difference will be in the bolt circle diameter for the clutch cover, and the weight of the flywheel.

The LC flywheel will have the bolt holes closer to the ring gear, see
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-twincam-f39/twin-cam-flywheel-t25185.html
(although the pics in that post are from the later 6-bolt flywheels, the bolt hole issue will be the same for the 4-bolt flywheels as well)

Photo of a mk1 LC flywheel, see
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-parts-f33/bolt-iron-flywheel-lightened-t27102.html

 

[LHDLC]

Hi
Thanks for the info, I can see that the bolt holes are further out in the photo but in my case the clutch pressure plate actually hangs over the edge of the flywheel by about 10mm and the bolt holes would be half on and half off the fly wheel
David

 

[MLI]

Could it be that your flywheel is from a standard mk1?
It looks like the face might be a bit smaller in diameter, see
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-1500-GT-Cortina-Mk1-pre-crossflow-engine-120E-pre-x-flow-/301454119103

 

[LHDLC]

That’s what I thought, but all the info I can find and all the advice given seems to say that the standard, the 1500 GT and the lotus flywheels were all the same??

 

[Rick]

All the flywheels are the same diameter, they have to be because the starter motor position is fixed throughout the Kent engine range so there cannot be any change to the position of the ring gear. the differance is the weight of the flywheel, and the spaceing of the locating dowels, does the clutch pressure plate have the pad for the release bearing press against?

 

[LHDLC]

Hi Rick
Thanks for the info, I thought he flywheels were all the same size
I have checked the pressure plate and the friction plate from QED and it would appear that they have supplied one that is 8.5-inch diameter when I think it should be 8”
So I have the wrong flywheel, the wrong friction plate and the wrong pressure plate

Yes the pressure plate that I have has the pad for the release bearing to push against

 

[MLI]

All the flywheels are the same diameter, they have to be because the starter motor position is fixed throughout the Kent engine range so there cannot be any change to the position of the ring gear. the differance is the weight of the flywheel, and the spaceing of the locating dowels, does the clutch pressure plate have the pad for the release bearing press against?

Sorry, but I beg to differ here.
If you compare the pics below, you will see the following:
The face on the standard mk1 flywheel is slightly smaller than the mk1 LC flywheel, while the inner diameter of the ring gear is slightly smaller as well (the OD being the same).

Which means the Helix 8.5" clutch from QED probably won't fit a standard mk1 flywheel (which I believe is David's problem).

standard mk1 flywheel (bigger distance from end of flywheel to end of ring gear, smaller face, you see more of the ring gear here)

mk1 LC flywheel (smaller distance from end of flywheel to end of ring gear, bigger face)

 

[David Baldock]

Surely the flywheel & ring gear was always 'Lotus supply' ?

 

[MLI]

Hi Rick
Thanks for the info, I thought he flywheels were all the same size
I have checked the pressure plate and the friction plate from QED and it would appear that they have supplied one that is 8.5-inch diameter when I think it should be 8”
So I have the wrong flywheel, the wrong friction plate and the wrong pressure plate

Yes the pressure plate that I have has the pad for the release bearing to push against

I believe you have the wrong (possibly standard mk1 size) flywheel.
The easiest solution is to buy a new mk1 LC flywheel and ring gear from QED.

Or you could fit an uprated 7,5" mk2 Cortina style clutch cover and plate to your existing flywheel, but that also means you would have to fit a spacer/extension to the release bearing carrier + mk2 Cortina release bearing (mr 105 Speed, Neil McCarthy do these spacers).
The 7,5" mk2 Cortina clutch cover is lower + doesn't have the pad in the middle, which is why you would need the release bearing carrier spacer, to extend it).

Yes, the original mk1 LC clutch was 8", but I think the old 8" clutch cover would (just about?) take a 8,5" clutch plate? In later years most vendors/manufacturers offer the 8,5" clutch instead, probably because it will be a bit stronger (+ the "one size fits all" / rationalisation issue?).

 

[LHDLC]

Thanks for every bodies help

I have been to QED today and they were really great
QED originally supplied a friction and pressure plate 8.5”, this turns out to be perfectly correct

The flywheel I have is a 1500 GT

The flywheel for the TC is almost the same but not quite.

The diameter edge to edge of the ring gear is the same for all Mk1 Cortinas.

The face side that connects with the pressure plate is about 1” wider on a TC than a standard MK1 and the bolt holes are right on the edge

A few months ago I had two flywheels and wrongly assumed that they were the same, I sold one, which must have been the correct one for my TC

Just bought the correct one which I ‘m collecting tomorrow

Problem solved

 

[Steve 155C]

David - have you had the bottom end apart to see if its a TC one or a 1500GT one?

 

[LHDLC]

Hi Steve

Yes its definitely a TC engine, its brand new inside and out built by Joe at Throbnozzle
Thanks
David