My Clutch Bearing Fell Out

[elderberryjam]

Yes really. And the dealer I took it to can't tell me why. This is a 2007, and has around 27,000 miles on it. The oil light started ding'ing empty on my way home from work. It was dry. I stopped at an auto parts store, and put two quarts in it to drive home, and not even halfway home, the oil light started indicating it was empty again. So I pulled over and looked. It was bone dry, so I tried putting another quart in, and it ran right out the bottom. It was a windy day, and the engine caught on fire to boot.

The repair shop at the dealer can't figure out how this happened. Has anyone else heard of this before??? How does a clutch bearing fall out of the engine?

[slartyblarfast]

I don't think it was the clutch bearing. More likely it is the front crankshaft seal has been pushed out. This happens when the thrust bearing on the crankshaft gets wiped out. Not common but it does happen on the manual transmission motors. There is a notice on the technicians website that addresses this problem but I can't remember the number right now.

[elderberryjam]

This is an automatic; and it was a dealer that told me it was the clutch bearing.

[lakersfan1]

Originally Posted by elderberryjam

This is an automatic; and it was a dealer that told me it was the clutch bearing.

The clutch bearing on an automatic? Uh huh. Sure. You sure it wasn't the flux capaictor?

[bobs turbo pt]

not the clutch bearing thats for sure not on an automatic

[slartyblarfast]

No such thing on an automatic. I stand by the crank seal though. It does happen on automatics but is rare.... Hang on.... I think I know whats going on. It is the crankshaft thrust bearing that has wiped out. That's what they are calling the clutch bearing. Clutch bearing = crankshaft thrust bearing.

[Hooligan]

ebj, When the words "clutch bearing" come up, we normally think that you have a stick shift as that would use a clutch plate. Inside the auto tranny you do have a type of clutch, but it is rarely called a clutch. Hope that makes sense.

[elderberryjam]

Originally Posted by bobs turbo pt

not the clutch bearing thats for sure not on an automatic

I think Hooligans has got it right. I have always preferred standards to automatic, and this was my response also. Automatics don't have clutches. Several people - and I emphasize the several, including my ex-husband who once worked in an auto parts store - have told me that automatics DO have clutches, in a manner of speech. However, the people fixing my car are trained auto mechanics from Chrysler, and this is the term they used to describe what was wrong with my automatic PT Cruiser. And they are stumped - can't figure out how it just "fell out." Their terms, not mine.

So, I take it nobody on here has ever heard of this happening either. Just thought I'd ask. I am not happy, and if they don't give me a time frame soon of when it will be fixed, I am contacting a lawyer. I want to know if my car is a fluke situation, or if this has happened to other people.

[frostygt]

Originally Posted by slartyblarfast

No such thing on an automatic. I stand by the crank seal though. It does happen on automatics but is rare.... Hang on.... I think I know whats going on. It is the crankshaft thrust bearing that has wiped out. That's what they are calling the clutch bearing. Clutch bearing = crankshaft thrust bearing.

i would agree with this here they most likly got there terms messed up. the crank shaft thrust bearing is most likly what has fallen out causing the crank shave to "walk" in place pushing out either the front and or the rean main oil seals causing the oil loss.
i have seen this before on the 2.4L engine and that car was also a auto trans equiped car.
if this is the case with your car and then unfortunatly you may need to get a new short block, worse case that is.

[soonercruiser]

I owned 2 Cruisers, and been reading most all the post over at least 4 PT sites. Never heard of this one!