4 Speed Question

Guys I have a problem. I have a 327 hooked to a Muncie 4 speed with a Hurst Shifter. The problem is that when the engine is off everything shift nice and easy but when I crank the engine the shifter sticks and is really hard to shift and I have to bang them in. Also noticed that when I crank the engine that the clutch wants to stick engaged and when the engine is off its easy to let out. The other thing I have noticed is that shifting down coming down from speed shift better than just sitting at idle. The bushings do need to be replaced in the shifter I think but what else could be causing this and why just when the engine is on?

thanks
mike

 

several things come to mind, pilot bushing in crank might have excessive clearance providing a run-out situation as well as a combination of worn sliders/syncros. But some of these symptoms can also be the result of a sloppy linkage...

 

Make sure everything is tight. I once had a car that behaved as yours does, and the problem ended up being loose bell housing bolts.

 

In no particular order it sounds like your pilot bushing is too tight, or maybe the bellhousing is registered off center. Is / are there any burrs or nicks on the input shaft where it rides in the pilot bearing? Is the throw out bearing going far enough to disengage the clutch fully (what kind of T/O bearing is it, original type used with mechanical linkage, or something hydraulic)?

When you say it sticks engaged with the engine running, do you mean it's harder to push in whne it's running (I ask because I have had people call 'engaged' both with the pedal on the floor and with it out)?

 

The clutch sticks with the pedal pushed. Not fully just kind of creaky. I will rebuild the shifter today to get it good. I didn't ***emble the clutch and stuff so I would have to tear it down to check the pilot bushing and stuff which I may have to do.......

 

Could the input shaft / front bearing retainer be loose?

 

Ne**ussian has it all about right I would say. The other question I would ask is, Has the flywheel been surfaced? A rough, rusty or warped flywheel can cause a clutch to drag. Also a rear mainseal leak or oily clutch will drag too, but it will also chatter like a monkey when you take off. Good Luck

 

Check to make sure the clutch disc slides freely on the input shaft, (all the way to the bearing support) sounds like the disc is not floating properly and dragging on the flywheel.

 

Mis-adjusted clutch linkage.

Or . . . incorrect clutch linkage ratio's.

Or . . . SBC's in pickups, and probably p***enger cars as well had three different heights of throwout bearings.
Your's may be short.

 

does it grind when you try to put it in reverse? If so the clutch may not be adjusted properly and it may not be disengaging (with the pedal down) all the way. Should have about a half inch of travel on the pedal before it starts disengaging the clutch.

 

Gotta ask - did you tram the bell housing to the crank to make sure the trans is going in the bell housing hole concentric with the crankshaft?

 

Thanks for all the great info guys. We got it fixed using this post as our troubleshooting list.......

thanks alot

 

So, what was it?

Glad to be of help, if I was any.

 

You ain't gonna leave us hangin', are ya ????

How'd ya fix it?

 

The Muncie in my Nomad has started showing the same exact symptoms, so I'd be interested in knowing what it was, too.

 

Sorry guys its a secret..............just kidding. We changed to a synthetic fluid and adjusted the clutch. Its not perfect but fixed 99% of the problem. I think I need to surface the flywheel soon though. Also the clutch pedal mechanism is probably needing a rebuild sometime........