The screaming with the clutch partially engaged sounds like worn spiggot bearing/ bush. Check if your adapter plate is aligned properly. Don't take the release bearing support sleeve off as it is not your problem anyway & the release bearing will last 5 seconds without it. Only early 1600 boxes could do that as they had a different fork/bearing/ pressure plate set-up. Put on a new sleeve & check how & why the clutch plate was able to reach it in the first place. How bad was your clutch plate, even with missing pucks the splined hub should not be able to reach the sleeve. It could be that your adapter plate or flywheel allows your pressure plate to be too deep within the bell-housing, also check if you have the correct bell-housing for the adapter kit, ie the depth of a 2ltr housing is deeper than a 1800 housing. (eg. If you have an adapter kit that was made to suit a 2ltr housing & you are using an 1800 one I can see that as being at fault)
my mate had the same thing happen,it was the kennedy pressure plate comes with 2 options,a thrust ring,that is held onto the fingers with a circlip(which is for the early set up with no sleeve),with the sleeve the thrust race runs directly on the fingers,,the sleeve did the same thing ,had a melt down on the ring,,,hopefully this helps,,,
Good point Scott. The one with the ring attached is for the early 1600 bell housing without the support sleeve. The release bearing in the picture is for the ringless diaphragm. If thats the case look into the size of the centre circle of the diaphragm fingers & if they are the same diameter as the bearing thrust surface (which they should be), then flick the ring but don't flick the sleeve.
Thanks for the advice I will try the spigot bearing first and I think I have a 2 litre bell housing with a 1800 bell housing or so I was told. I don't know enough about VW boxes to notice what the differences would be.
An update so far The guide is too wide to fit inside the pressure plate centre hole. The guide is 33.9 mm and the centre hole of the pressure plate is 31.4 mm so it obviously shouldn't be able to fit as neither size can be adjusted. The guide is hitting the pressure plate by 6.3 mm. Without the guide the pressure plate will miss the throw out bearing by about 8-9 mm so plenty of clearance.
Should I shorten the guide by 8 mm or lathe out the centre of the new pressure plate by enough to suit the guide diameter?
I know the answer should probably be the 8 mm but I would like some feedback before I do it. The guide is 40.8 mm from base to top.
5th time R&R the engine so any help or advice may stop me going insane.
Another quick question. What is the measurement from the base of the pressure plate mount to the flywheel clutch plate surface as this could reduce the pressure applied by the pressure plate if the gap is too big. My gap is 21mm. I can't find it on the net anywhere.
