Clutch release bearing failure

Hi recently picked up a low milage XJ600 (same as FJ600) the gears we're really stiff to engage so took the clutch cover off to have a look, as soon as i took the pressure plate off i noticed loads of gunge inside and saw the release bearing (the one thats a flat plate with small cylinder type bearings) had completely disintegrated 8O all thats left is a thin part of the outer guard. I've now drained the oil and removed the sump pan, i've found 7 of the cylinders but it appears there's another 13 missing, there's odd bits of metal slithers and some pasty stuff, a bit like runny grinding paste which i'd say is probably metal/oil mix. Looking up inside the motor it looks pretty clean but i'm now worried some parts may have been picked up and sent round the engine into the crank, camchain and gearbox etc. the engine ran fine with no nasty noises, just a lack of top end power which i'm hoping is carbs as it's only done 18000 miles since 1986.

Has anyone else had this happen, i believe it's the same clutch setup for all XJ's. Did it wreck the engine completely of was it ok after a good clean out ? Have i bought i scrapper

Not sure i want to take the engine apart completely as the cost might outweigh it's worth.

At the moment it'll cost less than £30 to get the new bearing and gaskets, don't want to go to the trouble if motor's likely to blow as a result.

 

Did you take the clutch all the way apart to look for rollers? I can't imagine any getting past the oil pickup screen, so they should all be in there, somewhere. Either in the clutch cavity somewhere or in the sump.

 

the lack of top end power is probably just the carbs slightly out of tune. it could be some bad crank/rod bearings but i would think it would knock bad at low rpms. since you have the sump off, see if there is any play in the rod bearings.

 

At 18K miles it's probably long overdue for a valve clearance check/adjustment too.

 

I've found outer cage and inner cage parts although very thin and 11 of the rollers now, some are crushed/squashed, the clutch is completely removed, lots of black/brown crap in the pressure plate and on the plates but not really anything behind the basket. lots of metal slithers/bits in the strainer mesh and in the sump, as said above like a grinding paste.

I think most if not all of the other 9 rollers have been chopped up, hopefully all in the strainer, sump and oil filter. Was worried as you can see the gears and numbers 2&3 rods up through the bottom end that maybe oil splash could have sent some metal up there.

I think i'll order the parts i need then put some cheap oil in for a few miles then dump it out and whip the sump off again for a clean.

 

get some serious magnets, like in a computer hard drive, and stick them in the oil pan on something steel, xj's have a steel plate in there,
any steel passing by will stick and won't come off