Clutch problem
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Living in the Hartland
Clutch problem
My clutch is acting up on me. I lubbed up the bellhousing pivot ball which helped a ton, must have forgot to do it. Well it is pretty smooth until the engine gets hot then it grinds something awefull. This morning smooth again but only drove it to work 1 mile. They only thing I can figure is that the pp fingers get hot and cause greater friction. I did not lube them in fear of it getting on the clutch disk. Should I lube them and if so how and with what? I used white grease (lithium) for everything else. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
BTW New Centerforce dual friction clutch. The car did this with the old clutch too.
[Modified by Fevre, 8:22 AM 7/1/2002]
BTW New Centerforce dual friction clutch. The car did this with the old clutch too.
[Modified by Fevre, 8:22 AM 7/1/2002]
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (BB wowbagger)
I don't think it is the clutch assembly but the actuating linkage. I can see no reason for it to be smooth when cold but grind when hot. When I say grind I don't mean the gears but when you push the clutch it gets real hard and feels like it is grinding/sticky somewhere.
But I'll try the brake fluid. :lol:
But I'll try the brake fluid. :lol:
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (BB wowbagger)
Could be. Just weird that it did/does the exact same thing with the new clutch as with the old clutch. I did not install the old clutch but have had the new one on two diff engines with the same results. Maybe I will just drive it a mile each time. :jester Think I might shoot some lube onto the fingers just to see if it helps. No harm if I get some lube on the disk since I can't keep driving it like this or I will break something in the linkage with the amount of force I am applying. Time to speed up project 383 rebuild.
[Modified by Fevre, 9:02 AM 7/1/2002]
[Modified by Fevre, 9:02 AM 7/1/2002]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Sewell NJ
Re: Clutch problem (Fevre)
How much free play do you have. You should have about 1/4 inch. If you have more than that the clutch probably isn't releasing properly when hot. Also, have you put in any new carpeting or insulation recently. If you have it's possible that the pedal may not be going down enough. Just a few things to think about. :seeya
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (vettfixr)
Clutch release fine but I feel a catch about half way down. Since I lubed the clutch ball it glides past the catch point pretty smooth until it gets hot. I did notice the clutch fork retaining clips (not sure on the term) are loose and allow some play in the fork/ball. I do have it adjusted pretty tight right now. I might bubba a spring to pull the fork back against the ball and loosen the clutch up some. When I had it looser it did the same thing but did not try it since I lubed the fork/ball area. I tightened it up until the rattle went away. As far as the catch, could that be caused by only depressing the clutch half way causing a groove to wear in the fork? I have only owned the car for 4 of it's 30 years.
8th Gear
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 8
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From: Warren RI
Re: Clutch problem (Fevre)
Hi,
At my last job we had an 80s GMC truck that did the same thing. When the clutch finally let go I told the tranny shop what had been happening. It turned out that the sleeve on the input shaft of the tranny. It wore out and the throw out bearing would fowl and grind when pushing in the clutch. They found one at the local bone yard and the thing was good as new. It was very annoying to drive and near the end you had to be ready to really push on the clutch pedal 'cause you'd keep going right thru your "un"intended target :-)
At my last job we had an 80s GMC truck that did the same thing. When the clutch finally let go I told the tranny shop what had been happening. It turned out that the sleeve on the input shaft of the tranny. It wore out and the throw out bearing would fowl and grind when pushing in the clutch. They found one at the local bone yard and the thing was good as new. It was very annoying to drive and near the end you had to be ready to really push on the clutch pedal 'cause you'd keep going right thru your "un"intended target :-)
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Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (SteveB-L48)
I did notice there was some up and down play to the throw out bearing. This makes me want to upgrade to the t-5 I want even sooner. I am still at a loss as to why it is fine when cold and grindy/sticky when hot.
Thanks for the info
Thanks for the info
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (SteveB-L48)
I did notice there was some up and down play to the throw out bearing. This makes me want to upgrade to the t-5 I want even sooner. I am still at a loss as to why it is fine when cold and grindy/sticky when hot.:confused:
Thanks for the info
Thanks for the info
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (kenincanada)
Already possed that knowledge but where would that cause the problem and how in two different clutches? But I am not sure if the heat can cause the coeffecient of friction to increase where the throw out bearing meets the pp fingers? I think the bearing rotates if I remember correctly but as it pushes in it slides across the fingers, that is where I think the problem is.
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (73 LS-4)
After it is warm/hot is happens throught out the motion but seems to increase about half way down. It pushes in hard and feels like it is grinding. Upon release there is some catching so it is hard to get a nice smooth take off. When it is cold it is pretty smooth with only a minor catch halfway down.
[Modified by Fevre, 10:59 AM 7/1/2002]
[Modified by Fevre, 10:59 AM 7/1/2002]
Thread Starter
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (Fevre)
Just came home for lunch and same thing: Got in clutch pretty smooth but by the time I get home it was hard and grinding. :mad Need to get someone to step on it while I look over the linkage to try to hear where it is grinding. Guess it's time to find another girlfriend, knew they where good for something. :lol:
[Modified by Fevre, 11:23 AM 7/1/2002]
[Modified by Fevre, 11:23 AM 7/1/2002]
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Virginia USA
Re: Clutch problem (Fevre)
When you replaced your clutch did you rebuild the "Z"bar?? My old clutch wasn't smooth after driving it for a while and I found the ball stud on the engine block would expand and bind when the engine got hot. When I put my ZZ4 in I rebuilt the entire clutch linkage including a new "Z" bar block ball stud. I have a new Ram Clutch installed and it work great (execpt for the fact that that damn roller pilot shaft bearing is going bad causing my clutch to chatter.. but that a different story) Just another thing to check.
John
John
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (theandies)
Myabe I'll let it get hot and undo the linkage to see if that z bar rotates freely. I always wait for it to cool down before fooling with it since it is so damn hot under the hood and car. Thanks for the tip.
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Clutch problem (fontking1a)
I have come to the conclussions that 30 years of hard living has caused my linkage to develope notches and catches. I am probably going to switch to a hydraulic sytem of some kind. I did some more lobbing this morning but my 1 mile drive to work just isn't far enough to test it out fully. Car barely gets warm.
Thanks for all the input.
[Modified by Fevre, 9:39 AM 7/2/2002]
Thanks for all the input.
[Modified by Fevre, 9:39 AM 7/2/2002]
