Clutch Hot spots?

hi all. I'm in the process of changing the clutch in my MJ, and have a question.

the flywheel looks like the previous installer had grease on his/her hands, and created hot spots on the flywheel. they are NOT large, or very deep. I'm wondering if i should sand the flywheel down (LIGHTLY) with some 1000 grit emory cloth to try and get them out? Or install the new disk, and pressure plate and call it a day?

I'm gettig a new disk, pressure plate, and slave, so all will be new. the FSM states NOT to turn the flywheel down(tolerances get all screwy), so that's out.

I'm not looking forward to buying a new flywheel, and waiting a week to get it.


Any thoughts?

Those heat spots indicate that a previous driver slipped the clutch -- a lot -- causing overheating. If not removed they can (and probably will) cause the new clutch to chatter when trying to engage it. Try sanding it down with emery clotch, but my guess is that 1000 grit is going to be too fine to do much.

What's happened is that the heat has tempered portions of the surface, making those spots harder than the surrounding metal. It'll probably be impossible to get rid of them. The right way to do the job would be to replace the flywheel, but if money is tight (when is it not?) ... you do what you gotta do and hope for the best.

Just replace the flywheel. I just did a clutch replacement in mine, fortunately I didn't need to replace the flywheel. But the PIA associated with removing the trans and clutch, I would relpace the parts you are concerned with. Hope I helped. Brian

Eagle said:

Those heat spots indicate that a previous driver slipped the clutch -- a lot -- causing overheating. If not removed they can (and probably will) cause the new clutch to chatter when trying to engage it. Try sanding it down with emery clotch, but my guess is that 1000 grit is going to be too fine to do much.

What's happened is that the heat has tempered portions of the surface, making those spots harder than the surrounding metal. It'll probably be impossible to get rid of them. The right way to do the job would be to replace the flywheel, but if money is tight (when is it not?) ... you do what you gotta do and hope for the best.

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He was driving it with a slipping clutch for about 200 miles. What an ass. The flywheel is smooth, and the spots are NOT above the disk. the flywheel looks better than my brake rotors....:shush:

At least he stopped driving it before the rivets started to grind.

I've picked up the entire clutch kit(new..not reman) and I'm thinking about throwing it in. It has a 2 year warranty anyway, and the MJ's AX4 isn't TOO much of a bear to get out.

You have to understand, it's a $100 MJ, and I've only put a new intake gasket on it, and the clutch. It's no beauty queen, but it was cheap, and runs/drives/inspected.

It was not chattering before, and I'm HOPING it will not chatter with just a replacement. I'd replace the flywheel, but I'm not paying the cost of the vehicle, JUST for a flywheel.(98 bucks was the cheapest I've found...WITHOUT the Ring gear. fun wow)

Worst case, what am I looking at? just a chattering clutch?

Chattering clutch and maybe wearing out the springs in the disc.

Id bite the bullet and replace the flywheel. I figure the money you saved on purchase price means spend money making things right. If I didnt do it right it would keep me up at night.

You can resurface the flywheel, you just need to shim the slave cylinder by the same amount or run a bigger master cylinder.

old_man said:

You can resurface the flywheel, you just need to shim the slave cylinder by the same amount or run a bigger master cylinder.

Click to expand...

Meh..Too much work.

I'm going to see if I can get a new flywheel, and if not, I'll scuff it, and run it.

Hopefully, you will not see a "Damn clutch went out again" Post for a year or so.

And in all actuallity, this is about the EASIEST clutch I've done.

Resurface the flywheel. It's only like $10. You should resurface the flywheel anytime you replace the clutch anyway, though I have cleaned up some with sandpaper when the owner was too cheap to spend the $10.

Put a shim under the flywheel where it bolts to the crank. Napa sells the shims, just put the same thickness that was removed. Often it's not even worth that, since them may just remove a thou or two to clean it up.

Do you put new brakes on without resurfacing the rotors/drums? Same deal here.

You can get a new flywheel, but your wasting your money unless yours in warped, badly gouged, etc.