Clutch issues. Can't put gear in while engine running

-
I think you have ratio issues. When you get it back together, do NOT push the pedal to the floor. Set your freeplay to about one inch(exact amount not critical). Then put the tranny in neutral. Turn the key to start, and push the pedal down just far enough until the clutch switch allows the starter to crank the engine.If this is more than about 60% of theoretical pedal travel,stop. Temporarily defeat the switch. Start the car.Push the pedal half way down and try second gear. If no go, try 80% and retry. If no go, try 90%. Release the pedal after each try, and select a different gear. If still a no go at 90%,stop. You will need to check the plate departure.
If at any time the new clutch behaves just like the old one, STOP!
 
Last edited:
OOps double post.

Ok but say the the gear pops in with just 50% pedal travel. That would indicate, that the ratio is too fast. You must not drive it this way,unless you either 1)limit the pedal travel to not go further than necessary, or 2) increase the freeplay to put the pedal lower before it starts it's routine, and then block the pedal down, to get the freeplay right. If you leave it this way, and accidentally forget to not push it further than necessary, you will again drive the TO bearing into the springs. Or the fingers I suppose could overcenter, but on a B&B I don't think so. When the TO hits the springs, it will drive the plate into the flywheel and that friction will try to move the car. Sound familiar?
NO, the right thing to do is re-engineer the ratios.
So, long story short, be careful at start-up time.
 
Last edited:
AJ/FormS said:
I got lazy and twisted my Z-bar lever like that, to get to go around my TTIs. That was about year 2002?. It has worked fine since then and has over 100,000 miles on it.
Click to expand...
the disc appears to say made in . . . . you know where !!!!! from the looks of the disc/spring contact,the pressure plate was most likely the main issue and caused the problem. gotta love it !!!!!!
 
Slick;You're not getting it are you? Re-read posts 1 and 4.
The TO bearing made contact. The OP says so, and the bearing shows it. Yeah a part of the spring is sticking out,and the TOb hit that,and it also hit the other coils. But the TOb should never have gone that far, in the first place.
Unless the disc is way too thick and the PP was not reset for it's thickness; this is totally a ratio issue.
If the disk was too thick, the OP would have had trouble fitting the linkrod between the Z-bar and the fork. He doesn't mention that.
 
Last edited:
I had issues with mine when I adjusted it just by the free play. I now adjust the throw-out bearing to pressure plate finger gap. The pedal free play will be there. I would say a 1/4" gap is good.
 
Sorry guys I haven't even been home the last couple of days. As soon as I have the time to take the rest apart I'll let you know!
 
Update:
So I took out the clutch and it was installed the right way but of course the springs got hit.
The pilot bearing sits really lose. I can push it in and pull it out no problem. Is it supposed to be a tight fit?!
How do I know if my flywheel is ok?

I will go out and measure the thickness of the disc now

image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg
 
Pilot should be a press fit about .0015"-.002" I believe and reamed.

The disc has the appearance of the plate fingers running into it. Too much pedal possibly when first installed maybe. Take a look at the backside of the plate fingers.
 
Yes, the pilot is an interference fit; when right, it needs to be lightly driven in. Get a new one and try it but if that is loose too, then something is going to have to be done to machine an oversize pilot bushing, or take out the crank, have the pilot hole turned oversize, and a steel bushing pressed in of the right ID to receive the pilot. Or put in another crank.

There may be another trick way to to do this: just don't know it. I can't see how to use brass shim stock around the pilot as it will be too thin, unless you turn the OD of the bushing down to allow a thicker, stiffer shim material to be driven in along with the bushing.
 
What clutch do you guys recommend? Am I good with Brewers MC1023 with about 400HP?

I will also look into a pilot bearing. Any recommendations there?

Dave are you having any issues with the 0.33" disc as well?
 
AJ/FormS said:
Throw the pilot bushing away, get a bearing.
Click to expand...
That us the best idea. But like nm9 mentioned, the bushing may have spun in the crank and damaged it. A machine shop could make a new bushing or if the hole isn't too sloppy you could use bearing locker but it might be tough if you have to remove it someday.
 
slickchick said:
the disc appears to say made in . . . . you know where !!!!! from the looks of the disc/spring contact,the pressure plate was most likely the main issue and caused the problem. gotta love it !!!!!!
Click to expand...
Quick update - talked with a couple of the 4 speed guys (Brewer's, Passon) and they said McLoed had a bad run about two years ago of pressure plates, right about when this one was purchased. The fingers were put in incorrectly and it allows the clutch to go over center and bind up. Sounds about what is happening with this car. Now to call McLoed.
this is also a problem with the chinese built pressure plates
 
BTW, I have used pilot bearings in cranks. I always carried a spare in the pit truck in rallies as the grease can dry out in hard hot racing. This may not be much of a factor here so YMMV.

If a bushing gets dry and wears, the oil in the Oilite bronze bushing will come into play. So I kinda like bushing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top