Dodge Diesel clutch help needed....
09-08-2014, 06:07 PM
#1
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Thread Starter
Dodge Diesel clutch help needed....
'08 Ram 2500, 6.7 Cummins.
It's a friends truck that I have worked on. He had the clutch replaced under a year ago at a Tire chain. They replaced the DM flywheel w/a solid one and a specific clutch. It was a "Powertorque" brand. w/in 9 months, the clutch was toast, and the truck was brought to me.
I took it apart, found the SM FW conversion and the owner and I decided to go back to "stock" (the DM FW hadn't previously given him a problem). I installed a Luk master clutch kit, that included a DM FW, clutch disk and pressure plate, TOB, and pilot bearing. When done, the clutch felt fantastic and performed flawlessly. The owner was thrilled.
^That was about a month ago, and the clutch is already slipping. Owner says that he was driving on a local two lane road (mostly flat) and the clutch started slipping. Apparently he didn't notice it b/c it "slipped so bad that is smoked it and filled the cab with smoke".
WTF.
I just went and tried it myself and here are the symptoms;
1. If you push the pedal to the floor, clutch won't release all the way...cant' get it into gear.
2. If you push the clutch about 3" down....goes right into gear perfect.
3.Clutch grab occurs WAAAAY at the very tippy top of the pedal travel. Makes me wonder if the hydraulic system is allowing for full engagement?
4. Clutch will slip w/power. 3rd gear and up is most noticeable, but when the boost comes on, the clutch starts slipping.
Questions:
1. Is this common to have issues w/a stock or stock replacement clutch?
2. If so, what are the fixes/brands?
3. If not common what could cause it? I can't believe that the clutch or the installation was inadequate. For example, when installing the pressure plate bolts, I turned them 1/4 turn at a time.
IDK what to tell the owner! He says his Dad had a Dodge 6 speed that went through clutches like crazy and he sold that truck, bought another that went 300k miles on the original clutch. He feels that "some just have problems and others don't". I can't believe that. There has to be an explanation.
It's a friends truck that I have worked on. He had the clutch replaced under a year ago at a Tire chain. They replaced the DM flywheel w/a solid one and a specific clutch. It was a "Powertorque" brand. w/in 9 months, the clutch was toast, and the truck was brought to me.
I took it apart, found the SM FW conversion and the owner and I decided to go back to "stock" (the DM FW hadn't previously given him a problem). I installed a Luk master clutch kit, that included a DM FW, clutch disk and pressure plate, TOB, and pilot bearing. When done, the clutch felt fantastic and performed flawlessly. The owner was thrilled.
^That was about a month ago, and the clutch is already slipping. Owner says that he was driving on a local two lane road (mostly flat) and the clutch started slipping. Apparently he didn't notice it b/c it "slipped so bad that is smoked it and filled the cab with smoke".
WTF.
I just went and tried it myself and here are the symptoms;
1. If you push the pedal to the floor, clutch won't release all the way...cant' get it into gear.
2. If you push the clutch about 3" down....goes right into gear perfect.
3.Clutch grab occurs WAAAAY at the very tippy top of the pedal travel. Makes me wonder if the hydraulic system is allowing for full engagement?
4. Clutch will slip w/power. 3rd gear and up is most noticeable, but when the boost comes on, the clutch starts slipping.
Questions:
1. Is this common to have issues w/a stock or stock replacement clutch?
2. If so, what are the fixes/brands?
3. If not common what could cause it? I can't believe that the clutch or the installation was inadequate. For example, when installing the pressure plate bolts, I turned them 1/4 turn at a time.
IDK what to tell the owner! He says his Dad had a Dodge 6 speed that went through clutches like crazy and he sold that truck, bought another that went 300k miles on the original clutch. He feels that "some just have problems and others don't". I can't believe that. There has to be an explanation.
09-12-2014, 02:21 AM
#2
Race Director
09-12-2014, 11:05 AM
#3
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Thread Starter
Thanks! I didn't want to sign up for a forum just for one question. 