Diablo427

I did the same thing to get my pilot bushing out. Got a 5/8 bolt and just screwed it right into the center hole of the bushing. It came right out that way. I have a 5/8 tap somewhere, but didn't want to spend any more time looking for it.

I was going to get the National but knew that my custom hot rod shop friend would tell me to go Centerforce. So I did. Got it ordered from Jegs today for 37 bucks, free shipping. I will go to O'reilly and get that pilot bushing like you did.

I also broke down and ordered the big 48x42 DEI tunnel shield stuff with the DEI tape. The heat is just unbearable in this car. I know that this is the only time that I can do the inside of the tunnel, so the DEI seems to be about as good as it gets. It was $122 with the tape. I hope that it does what is says it will!!!!

I've been able to get a lot of the parts including the bell housing clean. It is amazing how much grime builds up over decades.

Still waiting on clutch fork and ball stud! As soon as it gets here, I hope to get this bad boy back together. Thanks guys for your help!

Westlotorn

The Federal-Mogul 614018 is a high quality clutch release bearing and it is self aligning which helps it work in old cars like these. The PB656HD is still made by Federal-Mogul, FM owns National. Always has.
Reading the thread for the first time tonight, congratulations on your progress. I look forward to hearing how well the heat shield works.
I also read you cleaned parts and fiberglass with Gasoline and gunk, gasoline works really well but has burned many people and structures over the years. One spark and you have a heck of a mess. It is way to flammable to safely use as a cleaner in a closed area.
I know some products can weaken fiberglass and Gunk concerned me but I'm no expert.
Maybe someone can enlighten us?
Keep up the good work you are almost driving again.

Diablo427

I was going to get that one, but decided that, since the clutch that came out was not worn and it was only the TOB that was a problem, I would get the CF. My high-end hot rod buddy just raves about Centerforce, so I went ahead and ordered the CF N1716. He told me to get the CF clutch, but it was way too expensive for me.


I found that the gasoline worked incredibly at cleaning the carbon and grease on the bell housing and flywheel. I did it outside with a rag and wire brush dipped in gas. No flames or big mess. When the DEI heat shield gets here, I’ll do some fine cleaning inside the tunnel with probably Simple Green before sticking it to the fiberglass. It looks pretty clean in there except for the top of the frame areas. I’ll deal with that too.


I guess that I should have the flywheel resurfaced. Where do you get that done and how much does it cost?

DansYellow66

The bad experience I had was probably a rare deal but I would check around - possibly ask local speed shops who they use. I would not just take it to a machine shop and drop it on them and assume they will do it right. I did that once and they ground it dry. It was so hot when I picked it up that I couldn't touch it with a bare hand for several hours - and it was more warped afterwards than before. They need to be surfaced under cooling fluid.

JohnZ

Any good automotive machine shop can do the flywheel - last one I had done was $35.00. It's done on an offset surface grinder, not on a lathe - it should look like the photo below when it's done.

SupremeDeluxe

I just got a new GM flywheel for $198 from Jim Pace. Still under service pn 3991469.

Regardless of which direction you go, indicate the new or finished flywheel on the car.

Diablo427

Thanks guys! Here is the flywheel right now. Would you say that it definitely needs resurfaced? No cheaping out and just sanding it? Does it look like it is okay to resurface?






SupremeDeluxe, what do you mean by indicate the flywheel on the car? Attach a dial indicator and make sure the it is has little or no runout in realtion to the center or crank? I have magnetic base indicator and a rotatable one that goes in the spindle of my Haas CNC. Don't know how I would attach that one to the crank. Please excuse the nastiness of this picture! I'm still cleaning and painting as it was last done in 1981.

DansYellow66

Pictures can be misleading but I think I'm seeing lots of thermal cracks on the surface. The flywheel I took out of my car did not look that bad and I trashed it. If what looks like cracks don't go away with a light sanding then I would say that flywheel is toast for all but the most pedestrian use. I would get a new flywheel.

And check it for flatness and runout with a test mounting on the engine. My new Hays 30 lb flywheel was out of spec out of the box. That led to my mis-adventures with getting it surfaced.

Diablo427

I took it across the parking lot to Wes, and he looked at it and said that it was most probably striations in the glaze that was on the surface. Heavily glazed. He took it to get surfaced today. So, I'll know if it is okay probably tomorrow. He is an expert and since he thinks it is okay, I'll just have to see. We'll test it for flatness when it gets back.

My Centerforce bearing showed up yesterday and the DEI heat tunnel shield 48 x 42" showed up today!!! I'm still waiting on Eckler's for the the clutch fork and ball pivot. It's been almost 4 weeks!!! Everything else that was ordered got here in about 3-4 days over a holiday weekend.

Meanwhile, I put 8.5mm MSD plug wires in last weekend. My wires were 33 years old so I'm sure that these will help. Passenger side was a beeotch!!! Took a couple of hours. Driver's side took about 20-30 minutes including breaks. Factory AC gets in the way on plugs and wires. I had to loosen the starter and pull the ignition shielding on that side. PITA to get the shielding back on the passenger side.

Have to paint some stuff and can't wait to fire it up again!!! It's been down since December of 2013!!!!! Cars and Coffee is about 5 blocks from my shop and it is this Saturday. It is starting to look like I won't have it ready for that. Oh well. Once it is going, it will be worth it.

DansYellow66

Wow - Dec 13th, that is a long running clutch project. It will be interesting to see if the clutch cleans up. The face is really discolored and thrashed so it's difficult to tell what the situation is from pictures.

Diablo427

I know Dan. It's been sitting in my shop since December as I was waiting on the lift across the street to be free. Every week it would be this Friday the lift will be freed up. Never happened as he is swamped with high in cars which I totally understand. Finally, I built the blocks and tore into it. I'll have it back together as soon as the flywheel situation is addressed and the parts from Eckler's get here.

It has been disheartening to see it sitting there all of these months. Now, I'm fired up as it should be doing great and on the road very soon. It's also nice to do all of the work on it yourself as it gives you a better appreciation for this fabulous car. Here is a picture of the engine and transmission going in back in 1981 when Dad and I did it. I was 16 and learned a ton from Dad!

DansYellow66

That's a great story and pictures. Memories like that will really make you bond with a car. Hope the flywheel cleans up and you're on the road soon. Good luck.

Diablo427

Here is the flywheel! It came back yesterday and they were able to resurface it and it looks really good. Said that they have done tons of Corvette flywheels and that this one was a virgin wheel. He took a good bit off to get it perfect and it is still thick enough to be good to use. Now, I just need the clutch fork, pivot ball, and pilot bushing to get here.

DansYellow66

That does look good. Apparently it was pretty badly glazed over and what looked like thermal cracks were in the glazing. That and your earlier pictures showing all that black stuff inside the bellhousing make me wonder if the clutch pedal was being ridden a lot or excessively slipped on take offs.

SupremeDeluxe

Looks good. You are catching up to me. Mine's back together with a new flywheel and the clutch assembly installed, awaiting the trans from the rebuilder. There was no resurfacing my flywheel. Compared to the new one, it was down almost 0.150" thickness. If you don't have the clutch kit already, I bought a Luk 04-021 by mistake (needed the 04-049 model, my car is a 427) and have it if you need it.

Oh yeah, and two other things I found out. 1) The reproduction clutch pushrod that is available from the Corvette parts houses doesn't match the OE pushrod--the flat (with the hole in it) on the fork end is smaller on the repro rod, causing bind in the slot on the fork. Solution was to find a NOS pushrod on Ebay, fits perfect. 2) My fork was good but I decided to buy a new one anyhow, and the new GM fork I received is a piece of junk. The rivet that secures the sheemetal retainer clip was driven through the holes at a sharp angle, which had the clip both in the wrong location and also loose. Total junk. Perhaps an isolated defect, but check yours before you install.

Diablo427

It's kind of odd that, after 33 years, the clutch plate itself, looks fine. In fact, if someone wanted to, they could actually probably reuse it. The pads are almost as thick as the new one. I was relieved to find out that this flywheel was just fine and like new now.

The whole issue was with the throw out bearing. It was in multiple pieces and the fork was ruined. Don't know how all that black carbon and grime was in the housing, considering the shape of the pressure plate. ???? I'll just be glad to have it back together soon. Work keeps getting in the way.

The car probably doesn't have 300 miles on it in the last 10 years or so. I brought it to my shop in January 2013 as it had been sitting, covered, in my Mom's garage since about 2005. Dad and I restored it and he drove it for about 10 years a few miles to work in the 1980s and early 90s. Then, he only drove it occasionally until he had to quit driving. I had two other Vettes. Unfortunately, he passed away in January of 2011 from Alzheimer's. Miss him everyday, but this car is so special since we spent so much time together working on it.

DansYellow66

Kind of a mystery why it was so gunked up inside. But at this point, the main thing is to get it back together and take it for a drive in memory of your Dad.

Diablo427

Hey Supreme Deluxe, Glad to hear that yours is getting closer. Vibration gone, I presume? I have the 04-021 clutch with a Centerforce throw out and getting the National pilot bushing. The clutch fork was ordered from Ecklers over a month ago. I hope that it isn't like the one you are describing!!!! After waiting over a month for it to ship, I would expect it to be the correct (matching to old one) part. I want to get this back together and the parts should be here tomorrow.

I know Dan, must be a bunch of old grime and carbon. Doesn't matter now. New stuff going in.

First step though, is installing the DEI heat shield. I wish that there was a template somewhere so that I could cut it to fit and then roll it on. It is 48x42 so I have a lot but I'll have to cut and lay it out. I also have a few items to paint.

I have not done anything with the U joints or the driveshaft. If I get new U joints, would I need to have the shaft re balanced? What U joints for the main driveshaft? Spicer 1310? 1330?

Tigershark3

DansYellow66

Here is a thread on U-joint recommendations. You shouldn't have to have the driveshaft re-balanced just from replacing the U-joints. However, it may be a good idea to do so anyway. I had mine re-tubed and they pointed out to me that it had an assembly flaw in welding one of the yoke ends on. I think it had lost one of the factory balance washers also.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...l-joint-s.html