Clutch issue
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 110
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From: Le Roy NY
Clutch issue
This is a wierd one. I recently finished an automatic to TKO-500 conversion on my 1980. Everything looked great, and I adjusted the clutch linkage to about the midpoint as a start. The car is in upstate NY and we had a rare break from the cold weather a few weeks ago. It got very humid and the entire vehicle in my unheated barn was dripping wet from condensation. The brake rotors have a nice orange coating now.
Soon after that I installed the starter and turned the motor over to see the drive train turn (car on blocks of course). It seems that the rear wheels turn whether the cluch is depressed or not (car in gear). I took a look at the clutch fork while my wife worked the pedal, and it seemed to move as it should. Is it possible that the new clutch disk is stuck (corroded) to the brand new flywheel or pressure plate? I cleaned both metal surfaces with alcohol prior to assembly to make sure no oil got on the friction disk. Has anybody heard of this before? I imagine it will break loose as soon as I get it on the ground and put some power behind it. Is there a good way to adjust the linkage on the first roll-out?
Soon after that I installed the starter and turned the motor over to see the drive train turn (car on blocks of course). It seems that the rear wheels turn whether the cluch is depressed or not (car in gear). I took a look at the clutch fork while my wife worked the pedal, and it seemed to move as it should. Is it possible that the new clutch disk is stuck (corroded) to the brand new flywheel or pressure plate? I cleaned both metal surfaces with alcohol prior to assembly to make sure no oil got on the friction disk. Has anybody heard of this before? I imagine it will break loose as soon as I get it on the ground and put some power behind it. Is there a good way to adjust the linkage on the first roll-out?
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Imo - Fire the motor up and put it in gear with the clutch depressed to the floor. Now hit the brake petal. If it kills your motor with the clutch depressed you have a problem
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 110
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From: Le Roy NY
With the car on jackstands I really can't fire-up yet. Among other things, the rear wheels are hanging with the half-shafts at a real bad drive angle. Turning it with the starter is slow enough not to cause harm (I hope). I'll lock the parking brake, push in the clutch with the car in gear, and see if I can spin the motor. Until I get it back on it's feet that's probably all I can do.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
Back in the old days when I had a 68 Chevelle we always adjusted the clutch to have about an inch of free play in the pedal before it started to move the linkage. I don't know if there is something different about Corvettes but I would think that adjusting it to mid point would give you way more free play in the pedal and you aren't able to depress the pedal far enough to disengage the clutch.
