Pilot Bearing Disintergrated, Transmission Destroyed

ERIKALLEN

MEMBER
HONDA CIVIC

I have a 93 Honda civic w/ abs & manual transmission @ 270,000 miles. I recently replaced the clutch w/ a stage 2, 6 puck, performance clutch and a light-weight flywheel. After doing so, I noticed a whirring sound during hard acceleration in first gear, only, as if; a bearing wasn't releasing or was taking too much torque. The problem escalated; the transmission was kicking out of 3rd gear, unless I was accelerating. Soon, it spread to 2nd and 4th. I pulled the transmission back apart, and was distraught at what I found; the pilot bearing had disintegrated into two pieces, allowing the main shaft in the transmission to slam around, which, broke the transmission casing, the clutch plate, and scored the pressure plate. I followed the repair manuals instructions to a T. Also, this isn't my first clutch job, and I've never encountered such a problem. The clutch manufacture said my installation had to have been wrong for the piliot bearing to have desnergrate like that. Did my Transmission fail, applying great pressure to the piolit bearing?Why did the piolit bearing fail so badly? I am having to replace the clutch and transmission this time, and I don't want to do it wrong.

1 Reply

MATHIASO

MECHANIC
1,209 POSTS

This is what the clutch manufacture tries to tell you:

First you must remove the pilot bearing that causes the damages:
-First insert the hooked end of a slide hammer behind the bearing and pull it out.
Or use a puller specially design to remove for the removal of pilot bearing.
That tool can also be use to remove the pilot bushing.
-Second, to install new bearing or bushing, clean the bore to make sure that no material is present that would prevent the bushing from seating properly in the bore. Soak the new bushing in oil for at least fifteen minutes prior to installation.
Pilot bushings are impregnated with special oil during manufacturing. Never coat a pilot bushing with grease or heavy oil; this will actually increase the friction between the input shaft and the bushing.
Think your transmission did not fail because you apply great pressure to the pilot bearing.
Hope this can help.