Description of the clutch design (Opel Vectra C)

The transmission housing is made from cast aluminum alloy and is bolted to the left (in the direction of the vehicle's movement) side of the engine. The transmission includes a clutch, manual transmission, and differential (main gear) and drive shafts (see Chapter 8). In general, the principle of operation of the transmission can be described as follows. The torque developed by the engine is transmitted through the friction disk of the clutch to the splined journal of the primary shaft of the manual transmission rotating in closed bearings. From the primary shaft, rotation is transmitted to the output (secondary) shaft, and from it to the crown gear (driven gear) main transmission and a differential assembly rigidly connected to it. From the differential, torque is transmitted through the drive shafts to the front wheels of the car and sets them in motion. The differential allows the drive wheels to rotate at different angular speeds, which helps avoid excessive wear of the treads when turning.

General information

1. All models equipped with a manual transmission use a single-plate dry clutch with a diaphragm spring. The hub of the friction (driven) disk is equipped with longitudinal splines that engage with the splines of the transmission primary shaft journal. The friction and pressure plates of the clutch are held in contact with each other by the force developed by the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate. The design of the clutch and its drive is shown in the accompanying illustration.





2. The clutch is released hydraulically. The release drive consists of a clutch pedal, a main hydraulic cylinder with a reservoir, connecting lines and a slave cylinder combined with a release bearing, mounted directly on the input shaft of the gearbox (see illustration 1.1).

Note: The reservoir is common to the clutch and service brake system drives.

3. When the corresponding pedal is depressed, the hydraulic pressure in the system tract rises, which is then applied to the release bearing mounted in the slave cylinder. The bearing, under the influence of the hydraulic force, is pressed against the petals of the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate in the clutch basket. By bending, the spring interrupts the contact of the pressure and driven disks, releasing the latter.