Projects Cutting my Hotrod Teeth (57 Chevy Budget build/revival)

I adjusted the clutch linkage and took it for a drive, and I can tell that’s not the issue. Performed the exact same way before and after adjustment, just with the bite point at a different spot on the pedal travel. The clutch feel with the pedal feels 100% fine and like any other stick I’ve driven. I’m certain the problem happens when the clutch is already fully released and has fully contacted the flywheel. This unfortunately isn’t just a partially-engaged clutch issue. I wish it was.

 

Oh, and I’m pretty sure that smoke I’m seeing correlates with the slipping clutch. I think it’s actually clutch material and potentially oil burning since it happens with quick clutch release.

 

Flywheel resurfaced when new clutch installed?

 

Yessir

 

I’m in love with the Centerforce Dual Friction clutches and pressure plates. I’ve always had a problem with regular auto parts store brand clutches during spirited driving. I also go with the biggest in diameter disk and pressure plate I can get away with.

 

So without taking the transmission out, I can’t get a real good look at the clutch. I will say however that I checked by hand under the car and with the pedal pushed in all the way, I can spin the clutch disc by hand. With the pedal all the way out, I can’t move it by hand at all.

I also sprayed about a can’s worth of brakeleen between the clutch and flywheel as I made my way around one full rotation of the engine. Eventually it ran mostly clear, so I stopped. Whatever did come off doesn’t look like oil at all, it looks like your standard clutch/brake shoe type dust. Dries with a matte texture, no oil sheen to it.

I looked up the clutch I bought for the car 9 years ago and it looks like it’s a decent clutch. Lots of positive reviews on summit with it being used in cars MUCH more powerful and driven far more aggressively than mine…

I guess I will try playing with the z bar rod length a bit more, and if I still can’t get it to behave, I’ll have to pull the trans out. Not happy about that at all, especially with it reaching the low 90s outside this week.

 

Unfortunately there’s no fixing it with just linkage adjustments. The clutch is just slipping no matter what. I can even turn over the motor in 3rd gear without the car moving…

I guess next step is to take the transmission out and plan on replacing the clutch. If I take it apart and the clutch that’s in it is fine, I’m out of ideas and it’ll probably be time to take it to someone to someone else to work on it.

Is there anything else it could be, causing the clutch disc to just not make good contact with the flywheel? For those of you who don’t remember, I put this flywheel and complete clutch kit on the car probably 7-8 years ago and then it just sat for a few years until recently. Everything is basically unused, just a few years old.

 

It’s a diaphragm style clutch. Will that make any difference when I take it out/put it in?

 

And, am I okay to just replace the clutch disc itself or does it need to be a full matched setup?

 

Alright, parts ordered. While I’m in there I’m replacing as many gaskets as I can get to…

 

There's an actual clutch break in Procedure. It's called "bedding" the clutch

 

The *******’s out!

 

Oof… something to read up on while waiting for parts to arrive…

 

how much depth still in the rivets?

 

Plenty since it has less than 100 miles on it! The concern is that it’s oil contaminated or something.

 

What does the pressure plate surface and flywheel look like?

 

Pretty good I think? The flywheel looks like it may be a little glazed, but to be honest I’ve never seen a glazed clutch/flywheel in person so hard to say for certain. I was going to probably hit it with some 400 grit by hand before re***embling everything just to scuff it up a bit. It was resurfaced by a machine shop several years ago but again, has just been sitting until recently.

 

How the disc?

 

Flywheel looks glazed, pressure plate looks good. Maybe step up to a better and stronger clutch.

 

I had a Fairlane with a 289 three speed and I replaced the clutch disc because it was slipping. After I replaced the disc it wouldn’t fully release when the pedal was fully pressed no matter how it was adjusted, I pulled it back apart and replaced the pressure plate and it was better but I ended up pulling the transmission again and replacing the through out bearing. This was in 1983 when I was still young and ambition wasn’t even thought of.

 

was there visibly oil contamination on the disc?

 

It looks like you have a bent finger diaphragm pressure plate and a tall throw out bearing. I think the bent finger's use a short throw out bearing. That might be the problem.

 

Shouldn’t be an issue here unless they sent me the wrong bearing in the kit. I’ll be comparing what came out with what’s going in for sure!

 

Not that I could tell. Didn’t feel oily at all either. I tried some heat to drive out any oil in it and it didn’t seem to expel any either

 

Some pics of the disc itself on the flywheel side. From a google search, it looks like it might be glazed, which makes sense that the flywheel is. I say that just because it looks pretty shiny, and there are some rotational lines through it.

It looks like the problem I was having might have been due to not properly breaking in the clutch, instead of oil contamination. Either way I’ll replace the gaskets while it’s apart.

 

Also replace that leaking rear seal or you will never stop the leak.