Well after those few "spirited" runs with that Mustang, afterward, my clutch felt totally different. The pedal pressure was the same, but now, the clutch will disengage/engage right at the top of pedal travel. I can push in the clutch pedal about 1.5", and it will disengage. The clutch was slipping also, under full power some, not like fully slipping, but that shuddering feeling. It still grabs ok, and even doenst slip at all at times either, but the clutch is just engaging right at the top. I took off the metal flexplate cover on the trans, and it looks dry, the rear main is def not leaking, but i got some light into that rubber dust cover at the slave cyl, and i could see greasy, oily crap on the center pilot shaft that the TO bearing rides on, so i'm assuming that stuff worked its way onto the clutch disk facing. So now i get to have fun pulling the tranny. Few Q's:

You do have to take apart the tranny to replace the main input shaft seal right?
That seal is one unit with the bearing also? If it is, then thats good, cause its rattling with the clutch in N, pedal out. Gets rid of that noise.
You guys think that the disk is ok? Usually when clutch engagement is right at the top, that means the disk is fubar?
I'm going to call the clutch builder who did my clutch, to see what he has to say, just wanted to have some opinions here..
Wierd thing was, the bellhousing was totally dry when I had built the motor up a month ago...

Man, if i only had the cash for the Quaife LSD right now while it gets taken apart :(

I know you can adjust your clutch engagement point by the pedal adjustment under your dash.

http://www.roadraceengineering.com/clutchandflywheeltech.htm

Funny thing, is that Thura and I were talking about the same thing last night.

Yeah, its is a bit adjustable, but it used to engage about halfway in the clutch pedal. Was like that since i put it on....now its at the top, and slipping :(

It's probably not due to lubrication. You used a stock pressure plate, right?

Yeah, Clutch Dynamics in Lansing, MI, used a stock Modular clutch for my clutch. He drilled out the rivits, resurfaced pressure plate, resurfaced flywheel, and used a 6 puck ceramic disk, all then bolted toghether. It work GREAT for the 1800 miles i got on it now, even grabbed hard at the 7 track runs i had on it. Just happened all at once while racing that damn Mustang. I didnt see any oil on the clutch itself, but i could see a bit of oily, greasy crud on the shaft that the TOB rides on, so i'm thinking a small bit of tranny fluid made its way onto the disk facings. The clutch builder had put the pressure plate on a load tester, and said it came out with a bit more load than a stock pressure plate should really have, like 5% or so more. So I guess i'll just have to tear it apart to see what the deal is. I did find a black greesy film on the bottom of the bellhousing, but there isnt any drips of oil or anything, no visible oil or film on the pressure plate/flywheel. The TOB still rides smoothely,and is still attached to the release fork. I talked for a bit with the clutch builder,and he says usually when the release point goes up, it means the disk facings have really worn down. But as far as getting a higher pressure plate, i can prop get one that is about 15% greater than stock, from Clutchmasters,but the builder says even that is that much more load, but may be just enough to help. We will just have to see after i get it apart and see whats up. The clutch still grabs, and didnt even slip this past weekend..its just does it on occasion, and now the pedal release is at the top.

You think it's your input shaft seal that's leaking and causing chatter? Have you check your tranny's fluid level? My Fidanza flywheel w/ Clutchmaster's Stage 1 clutch chatters when in neutral/clutch out, like yours, you think it's the input shaft bearing?

>You think it's your input shaft seal that's leaking and
>causing chatter? Have you check your tranny's fluid level?
>My Fidanza flywheel w/ Clutchmaster's Stage 1 clutch chatters
>when in neutral/clutch out, like yours, you think it's the
>input shaft bearing?


Without taking the trans off the car, its really hard to tell if the input shaft seal is leaking, as the only visable point is the rubber dust boot over the pivot fork. My clutch chatters too with the clutch pedal not depressed, and in N, but when i push in the clutch, the noise goes away. This usually means the input shaft bearing is whats making the noise. Kinda sounds like forged piston slap in a way..Now if the noise only happens when you push in the clutch, then thats most likely the throw out bearing. I've had some lengthly discussion with my clutch builder about my situation, and he finds it very odd that the engagement point went from half pedal travel, to right at the top. He gave me some good info, so i'll have to play around with the car again some more to start rulling out things. Not a whole lot i can do without pulling the tranny though...He seems to think something is hanging up on the pressure plate, thus causeing the high release. He mentioned that if the bolts are coming loose that hold the clutch together, that its a possibility that can be the prob. Either way, something isnt right. This clutch should be holding MUCH more power than I'm at. It was for 1800 miles strong. It actually still hold strong, just on occasion, it slightly slipps, and now the pedal release is at the top. Something happened to make this occur.

I really hope that isn't the case. My clutch sounds like it's beating itself to death when the clutch is let out and I'm in neutral. I always believed it was the throw out bearing (though it was replaced when the new clutch was put on). Hit me up on AIM (thxturtle) or email me (thxturtle@earthlink.net). I wanna know what your clutch builder told you. Thanks.

well its official, there is def oil coming out the input shaft seal on the tranny. I could get a small Maglite in the fork lever boot, and i could see the trail of oily residue underneath the input shaft. The whole shaft wehre the TOB rides on, is coverd in oily film also. I saw that film on the TOB face, and also where the TOB touches the clutch fingers...Thats def one problem, but still not 100% sure thats whats causing my high clutch pedal. But i'm sure it has something to do with it...

That's no bueno. That's a bitch seal to replace, too.

Yeah, i'm sure it is :( It just wouldnt be any fun if it were easy hehe.. Now, its my turn to tear apart the tranny! You do have to take it apart to replace that seal right? The dodge dealer says the seal adn the input shaft bearing is one assembly? I heard that you need a press to put this in? Never taken the tranny apart yet, so this is new territory. Although i thought i remember seeing that the input shaft bearing is the one that is the PITA to line up when putting the halves back together? If thats the case, then how is it all one piece? I guess i just need to know how to go about fixing this. I want to do this myself, but if i need a press, then that sucks..

Yes, you have to open it because you have to press the bearing/sleeve out from the back (inside) of the front case.

yes, the bearing/sleeve is all one pice that has to be hammered/pressed in.

No, the plastic caged bearing you're thinking of rides on the output shaft.

Ahh ok, that helps tons. So technically, you dont "have" to have a press to put that seal in? You could go about using a hammer, and carefully tapping it in? Or is that the worst way to do it? If i need to have it pressed in, what type of shop will do that for me? Thanks a bunch for the info Dino :thumbsup

good luck with that swap, i switched from an auto to a 5 speed a while back only to have to pull the tranny back out to fix that seal. i put a fidanza flywheel and stage 3 spec clutch in form howell which took damn near 2 months to get, anyhow i would be driveing along and slowly roll in to it only to have it start to slip i thought that this was due to the breakin of the clutch but while i was doing the clutch restrictor mod i decided to look in the bellhousing only to see the light coloring of grey your talkin about so i pulled the tranny and sure enough thats what was leaking you can really tell when you take the throughout bearing out and look at the bottom where its positioned downward.

We didn't hammer on the bearing itself.. we used a large (huge, really) socket that fit over the entire bearing/sleeve assembly, and hammered it in that way. A section of 2" ID pipe might work too.

The output bearing is the bitch to line up.

The input shaft bearing is one piece, it has a bearing, seal and the shaft part. It is a bitch to get out and a bitch to get in.

I used a big socket and a sledgehammer to get it out. And a 12" length of broom handle and a normal hammer and lightly tapped it in for about 2 hours. It isn’t a very strong bearing if you hit it too hard it will damage the part. Easiest way to do it would be to take the bell housing and the input shaft bearing to a tranny shop and make them do it.

Brian

>
>I used a big socket and a sledgehammer to get it out. And a
>12" length of broom handle and a normal hammer and lightly
>tapped it in for about 2 hours.

Oh yeah! This sounds like fun! :o

Thanks for the input guys