Clutch Issues - No Burnouts

[matthon]

I spoke to a number of people, some who were even intelligent, and here is what I came up with.

I have a 4 speed with a 383. The car will not do a burnout at all unless the pavement is wet. If I rev it up and pop the clutch the pedal will stick to the floor and the clutch will burn. I do not have any other issues with the clutch, the pedal, or the Hurst shifter.
The clip on the Z bar was not seating into the nylon bearing so the Z bar moved a little to the passenger side, I slid it back over and the pedal is back to being smooth. Its been a few months since I did that and it has not been an issue since.
There is a set of return springs on the fork, but nothing major and they shouldn't be anyway.

If it has a diaphragm clutch, then it will not work with the overspring and I need to take it out, then I can do burnouts 24/7.

If it has a Borg & Beck (3 prongs) then it needs the overspring or the pedal will go to the floor more often than not, and burnouts are out.

I checked, and its hard to see but it appears it is a Borg & Beck. I stuck my hand between the clutch and the tranny and I do not feel a diaphragm clutch.

So is that the end of it?
No burnouts ever?

I never really cared, but the other night a fellow Mopar guy was in disbelief that a big block 4 speed could not do a burnout, and honestly I'm not trying to do high speeds with the car so a burnout every once in a while wouldn't be so bad.

Am I off here somewhere?

 

[6dart9]

Not to sure but do you have the over center spring on the pedal? If so then wouldn't it rule out the borg beck style with the spring theory?

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

make sure you don't have the fork rod adjusted out too far [and not too either]

i run a diaphram center force with the over center spring w/no issue

i've smoked many hays 3 finger strip clutches though..

 

[matthon]

The over center spring is on the pedal, and apparently if it is a B&B it needs it- but no burnouts.

I've adjusted the fork rod many times. Its in the sweet spot now as any farther one way the clutch slips when starting off in first, the other way it is tougher to get into gear, (and there is not too far to go anyway).

I'm stumped! If it ain't broke, don't fix it, yet this one issue seams strange.

It appears the torque when I rev it up is causing the linkage to bind, or something, and the pedal to stick down.
So if I can burnout on wet pavement are the rear tires gripping the dry road that hard?

That would be a good thing if it would launch, but the pedal sticks.

For what its worth the car has traction bars, (I have heard Mopars do not ned them but they are one piece spring perch/shock mount/traction bar so I cannot remove them).

This car should be capable of a burnout, help!

 

[Burntorange70]

The pedal on my car was sticking down on me. Turned out the Z bar mount in the inner fender had come loos and the linkage was binding up. Just some thing to check.

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

how is the bell housing alignment with the z bar?
you could have the motor located too far one way, the mounts allow some movement.

on the clutch...I think the clutch is a pos myself, but check for oil on it or a glazed [never surfaced] flywheel.

 

[dgc333]

Something is binding when the engine torques in it's mount.

Have you checked your motor mounts to see if they haven't failed and the engine is moving too much?

Also lube all the pivots and moving parts.

There are kits for the nylon bushings in the z-bar, could be they are worn.

Are all the parts specific to the car or are you using parts with an unknown pedigree.

I had the same problem and in my case it was the fact I was using a 72+ bellhousing and a 72 and down z-bar pivot bracket on the bellhousing. This had the z-bar sitting crooked causing the bind under power.

 

[cudaspaz]

Get a torque strap to keep the motor from moving under load, all four speeds should have one.

Get your numbers off your bellhousing and call Brewers performance to make sure you have the right Z-bar and bellhousing bracket for the Z-bar.

Make sure your clutch disk/flywheel is not contaminated from a leaking rear main seal or input shaft radial seal at trans.
Contamination will make your clutch slip.

Yes you could be hooking really well, but your clutch seems to be the weakest link here.

Check your throwout bearing too and listen for a whooshing noise while driving with clutch disengaged and in gear, usually 25-35 mph will reveal this noise if the adjustable rod is keeping the throwout bearing too tight against the pressure plate.
You should have a little lop in your pedal, maybe 1/2".

I'm leaning toward contamination first unless your Z-bar and linkage is way off.

I have a grease fitting on my Z-bar and on my steering coupler so I can shoot grease in there and keep it lubed without having to take everything apart- very simple, easy investment.

Dude, I feel your pain because I am in the exact predicament with my car, even have the line lock installed and still no burnout on dry pavement.
It will run like a raped ape on dry pavement, and bust the tires loose on wet pavement but doing burnouts is out of the question, clutch just slips.

I know my problem is definitely contamination as my input shaft is worn and fluid is leaking past the radial seal.
Brewers has a helper sleeve for this.

Also I have high compression and my rear main is seeping.

I have just learned to live with no burnouts and crappy launches.

Not dragging it so not really a big issue, but c'mon every muscle car should broil the tires at will right?

Good luck dude, and keep us posted on your findings.

Oh, and my clutch is a diaphragm style McLeod unit and I am using the over the center spring.

 

[matthon]

I took the Z bar off some time ago and replaced the bushings, the seals, the clip that goes on the Z bar and holds the bushing in place, and one of the pivots.
Its an original BB car, I checked that the Z bar is the correct one and the bracket through Brewers, and ironically they were the only ones that listed the correct Z bar. I never checked the bellhousing numbers.
Since I 're-built' the Z bar and aligned it the pedal is nice.

My motor mounts look older, but not broken or torn up. I can put a torque strap on it- driver's side if I remember correctly.
Right now the air cleaner is tight on the inside of the scoop but I do not see any evidence of it rubbing.
This car also has the driver side motor mount at the very front of the engine, and the passenger one centered, so is the motor really able to move enough to bind the linkage? And require a torque strap?

No whooshing noise, and with no radio I hear everything that there is to hear.

It looks like the oil pan is leaking, not the seal, not sure about the tranny but the clutch looks dry. I'll check it again this weekend.

Contamination? But my clutch is not slipping. Or maybe I am confused here.

Cudaspaz, why would your clutch slip on dry pavement? Is it the oil/gear oil that is getting on it?
If you removed your over center spring, what would that do?

Question on the wet vs dry:
If I pop the clutch, and the motor torques to one side and binds up the linkage, it will keep the pedal down, and the clutch will burn, or "slip."
If I do the same thing on wet pavement, the motor won't move because there is no resistance from the rear/tires?

Sorry for all the questions, and I greatly appreciate everyone's input.

I am just hoping to better understand what is going on here, because its not making sense at this point.

Thank you FABO!

 

[dgc333]

I forgot to mention there was another issue I had with my car with the linkage binding under hard acceleration. This didn't happen all the time but it was often enough to be a PITA.

The clutch fork has a spring clip on the back side that holds it to the bracket inside the bellhousing. On my car the clip was broken off. I had figured that when you had the fork clipped to the throwout bearing and the rod attached on the other side it would hold it in place so I put the car together that way. When one of the fingers broke on my pressure plate and was going to have to replace the clutch I decided to get a new fork. Well low and behold the occasional binding disappeared and and I have about 15k miles on the new clutch and without an issue or a bind.

BTW, My car will smoke the hides at will.