Hot Rods SBC/T5 Problems, any suggestions

I could be completely wrong but I’m thinking there’s something still not right and it might be advisable to perform some measuring before fully reassembling to hopefully avoid further disappointments!

My logic runs along these lines.

Originally the clutch didn’t release but there was pressure on the clutch and the arm ran out of travel.

The tob was incorrectly installed but that made the clutch arm to tob intersection further away from the clutch fingers than it should have been.

Moving that intersection closer to the clutch fingers will, all things being equal, change the angle of the clutch arm and will result in that previously insufficient travel coming in that much sooner.

Seems logical to me but happy to be proved wrong!

I think I’d be assembling the clutch on the flywheel and establishing the block face to clutch fingers measurement and then, with the clutch and tob installed in the bellhousing, simulating the position of the clutch fingers, seeing where the resting place for the tob is and where that in turn puts the clutch arm in terms of angle and available travel.

I do have zero experience in mixing up clutch parts in a regular installation, but I'm pretty good at figuring out hydraulic tob's!

Chris

 

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...13i30.4AcNO8SjCtQ#kpvalbx=1&spf=1548871876157

 

I think you are on the right road. The one in my car uses the forged truck fork from an older C20 or C30. The bearing will slide in and out of the fork a little until you have it installed. Give the retainer a smear of EP grease and a thin wipe on the ID of the bearing, just a real thin coat. I have a tube of Lubriplate I use, white grease. Pep Boys carries it.

How heavy is a T5? If you have it apart again, don't be surprised. An empty M20 weighs 68 lbs.

 

It’s not to heavy, able to lift it myself while laying in the street and maneuver it ok, thanks happydaze I will measure everything and take it one step at a time


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Now that you've got the TO bearing figured out, I've got an idea about your problem with no disengagement, and it requires measuring with things out.

Your center hole in the bellhousing, the big one that centers the transmission, could be off-center. I had a stock Ford 460 bellhousing that I once used behind a 429 with a 4 speed, all Ford parts, and it wouldn't shift above 4k rpm. Shifted fine at lower RPM, but not above 4k. Lost a race to a Camaro because of it...

Anyway, found out my center hole was off-center about .080"! Not enough to affect low speed shifts, but plenty to jam up the input shaft and keep it from shifting at higher RPM. You may have a similar problem, and it's worth checking while you have stuff out.

Mike

 

Thanks Mike, never would have thought to check it, I figured since I had to take everything out that I should get super anal and measure and record everything just in case theres a problem, I can check the numbers

 

The way the disc is in the pp in last pic is reversed, the springs face the trans..,.that appears to be a flat finger diaphragm PP normally that would use a long TO bearing, you have the short variety,the only thing that could have bent that flange is someone prying on / forcing something and / or jamming the fork to far in on the bearing...usually , a flat finger PP uses a TOBearing with z rounds edge , not square edge like you have ....

 

Can only seem to find a short bearing for 88-91 you know a part number for longer ones ? Thanks

Christopher


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Post a pic of the spring side of the pressure plate so we know for sure. [emoji6]

 

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Not what I was talking about, but as long as we're on the subject, is it just me, or are the spines fucked up on that disc? [emoji44] We need to see a pic of the spring side of the pressure plate so we know for sure what type of TOB you need. [emoji6]

 

^^^ Look at the rub marks on the disc above

To me, the TOB was hyper-extending the PP, and the fingers were skidding on the disc.

I had to do a double take too...then I saw it was his finger with a rag in the hole LOL
.

 

Damn! You got some good eyes! [emoji41]

 

What I'd do is put the clutch back on, and the bell, and the TOB and fork...but not the trans.

Then hold the fork so the TOB is touching the PP fingers. Then look at the relationship of the fork through the fork-window in the bell. The fork needs to look like it can travel without hitting the back of that window, and the angle of the fork should not "look odd".


in other words, if the fork looks in the best position now, then a longer TOB would put the fork way too far forward, (then why try to find a longer one?)
.

 

Ok I’ll take pics when I get home, at the dentist now unfortunately, but in my defense I just placed it on top of the pp to show the size in relation, don’t think even I got the clutch flipped backwards just how I put it down to take a pic haha


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I don't think it was in backwards either. You would have had a bitch of a time getting it all bolted together if it was. Just was curious if the spring fingers are the bent style or the flat style. [emoji41]

 

There is a ring from where it was hitting, but I didn’t feel any groves


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Look at eckler's #57-246593-1 , Chevy,- long. - round face...

 

Turn PP over so we can see the fingers. You said something about drilling the. Pilot bearing ????

 

Looks like you need the long, round faced TOB because of the flat fingers

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That is both sides, the first pic is of the side that faces the tranny, the second is the side that faces the motor, if you need other pics let me know

 

This the one guys?

 

That's her!!! [emoji106]

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And yes, I drilled the pilot shaft hole on the crank to accommodate the ford input shaft bushing bc the chevy brass one was to small and by the time I opened it up there would not have been much left so I went w the ford bearing instead

 

Nice, I'll order it now, also ordered the adjustable pivot ball, but seeing how it was user error, you think I should bother?

 

Yep ! Over extending. So is the disc bent and wouldn't release or input binding in crank or
PP WARPED/ broken and dragging

 

Well the disc seems straight when I spin it, and I'll bring the pp to work and put a straight edge on it and see if its warped but with my old calibrated eyeball it's ok haha, I will get under there and check the shape of the bearing this week, its dark and snowing now, plus full of Novocaine bc they pulled a tooth, so gonna pop some pain killers and have a beer haha, but I will keep everyone posted, thanks a million again, and if anyone is on the island beers on me!

 

Don't order anything until we see the finger side of the PP , raised fingers use short / round edge , flat finger use long / round edge or square edge
B& B use short square edge ...you absolutely sure the pilot hole is in- line ?? That'll bind an input in a heartbeat...
I K is its a pain in the ass , but you could bolt the trans in without the clutch to makE sure it spins free ??!!

 

It won't hurt to have it on hand. But, in my eyes, with the longer bearing, the geometry should be correct. Just my 2 cents worth.

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