he clutch release bearing on our BMW Bavaria started grinding about a month ago, so it was time to take the transmission out and replace the bearing.
I bought the bearing a while ago, before I started taking everything apart. I held off getting a new disk and pressure plate so I could check the thickness of the friction material on the clutch disk. It was 8.5mm, while the minimum thickness (for the outboard release lever) is 7.8mm. I ordered a new clutch disk (21 21 1 223 125) anyway and pressure plate (21 21 1 202 052).
I have been under the Alfa the past couple of days, swearing.
The new brake booster was leaking air near the pedal so I had to take it out again and put in another one. Since the clutch master cylinder and brake master cylinder are both mounted on the “pedal box,” I have to bleed the brakes again. Whoopee.
Alfetta Sprint Veloce
Now I have it up on six jack stands to replace the flex discs in the driveshaft, the clutch (whose release bearing is grinding), a worn rear engine mount, upper radiator hose, rear brake discs, coolant change and an oil change while I’m at it.
After dropping this exhaust system from headers, I pulled the driveshaft out and removed the rear engine mount. The rear engine mount is held in a cast “bell housing” by friction. To remove it, I used a propane torch to heat up the surrounding metal while I pounded it out with a BFH and BF screwdriver.
Unfortunately, the BFH, PB Blaster and the propane torch didn’t work on the the rear brake discs. This Alfetta has a De Dion rear suspension, a transaxle and in-board mounted brake discs. My next attempt at removing the hex bolts holding the brake discs will be a 6 point hex wrench with a 2 ft length of 1″ pipe for additional leverage. From what I’ve read, people also cut the heads of the bolts, which reduces the stress on the threads, making them easy to remove. I have something to look forward to.
