Burning down the clutch (1 Viewer)

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Jan 3, 2003
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So I am cruising around in the 70 40 feelin very safe and happy with all my steel around me. I get to a stop sign on a very steep incline. I stop(though not to well, haven't converted to discs yet)and I go to pull out, let out the clutch and the thing doesn't move. Not an Inch. Bugger all. So in goes the clutch again, and let it out slower and less gas, starts to move VERY slowly and is followed by the most horrid stench that I can only describe as a tire plant on fire next to the sewage treatment center in the cab of my rig. Now I got bugger all for travel in my clutch, honestly I have about 1/2 inch at the very end that engages. It has been like that for a long time and the clutch has been replaced but it was by the mechanic that I have always used and if any remember he was the guy who told me that the timing mark had worn off.
Not that relable of a source. But to my problem. Is this a common occurance or am I just a poor shifter and is the burning smell bad or really bad cause going into mud season here soon and I don't want to destroy my rig if I don't have to. You know what I'm sayin'. Is there something else wrong or could it be possible that all I get is a 1/2 inch to engage in.


Eternal-forever
(i got that talking heads song in my head now"burning down the house". dang i like that song)
 
sounds like you are riding it way to much or it was'nt adjusted right,what engine do you have i've got a chev small block and I've had nothing but problems trying to get It to work right but I think Ive got the right parts coming.If it is stock and you'r not riding it then the adjustment may be off.hope this helps
 
Yeah it's stock, and man there is nothing to ride. I know nothing about clutches but if you've ever smelt what I smell in there, it is time to learn something. What type of adjusting is there to do?

eternal-forever
 
you should half about a 1/2 inch of free play at the pedal on the drivers side of the rig at the clutch folk you should have 1/8 to 1/4 inch free play at the clutch you may want to make sure the clutch master cylinder is full and if not fill with brake fluid and pump it and find the leak what does the pedal feel like is it spongy or hardor nothing
 
Eternal,

Do I understand you right, that the problem is not that you can't disengage, but that your clutch does not En-gage? It sounds like you burned up the clutch disk surface, perhaps because you weren't completely disengaging before that.
 
Ok, a few things. One, do you have any oil leaks? If so this could be a major factor. What it sounds like is the clutch is slipping either because your not letting it dissenage (holding the pedal part way out (highly doubful!) or the clutch is slipping for a mechanical reason. A main reason is either its not adjusted to fully dis-engage (in other words the clutch slave wont let the clutch grab the pressure plate cause its adjusted wayyy to tight), meaning the slave cylinder is always pressing the clutch fork part way, or the clutch is slipping for some other reason, such as oil, which will ruin the clutch and cause it to spin thus smoking and producing the smell. Pull the flywheel cover, and take a good look. Worst case senerio is you will have to pull the tranny to get a good look at the clutch.
 
Crawl under there and take off the tin clutch/flywheel cover. Have a friend work the clutch without the truck running and watch the throw out bearing, you should be able to see if the fork and bearing are getting good travel (which will tell you whether it's a hydraulic Master/Slave/Line problem). With the pedal all the way out reach up and see if you can easily rotate the bearing-if yes then the clutch (pressure plate) is fully engaging and it's probably the disc that's shot (indicated also by shreds of clutch material all over inside there). If you can't rotate the bearing then It's probably out of adjustment, in that case follow the linkage over and look at it and you'll see how to adjust it, then just play with it to get it right.

Also check the general condition of the area i.e. all the pressure plate bolts to make sure they havn't loosened up, oil soaked disc from rear main seal etc...

Oh, and very descriptive on the smell :D
Good luck
 
When I push the pedal to the floor as I let it out to engage the clutch the last 1/2 inch before the pedal is completely out the clutch engages. There is no feel when the clutch is starting to engage it is basically nothing then BANG. In 1st it is extremely hard to get a smooth start but over the years I have gotten better at it. I recently traded my friend for 2 weeks his truck for my cruiser cause I was going on a road trip and had no alternatives. Besides myself and my wife(though she rarely does) and my mechanic(who might not be much longer) are the only ones who have driven it in the past. But the clutch is feeling worst than ever and I think maybe buddy there worked it over.

Eternal
 
I will try to get a look at the clutch tomorrow but unless it warmes up somewhat around here it will have to wait. Thanks for the procedures I will try to follow them to the T. Actually kinda stoked to get into the guts of a vehicle. Maybe I'll just bundle up tomorrow and be a man about it and tough it out.
Thanks


Eternal-Forever
 
Sounds like a worn out clutch/pressure plate. Most likely it has no more clutch surface, so it cannot "slip" out smoothly, but its disengaged, then all the sudden its locked up.
 
It is basically on or off, engaged or disengaged no in between but it has been like that ever since I got it. The clutch was pooched when I bought it but I only drove it a couple times the first year. And my second year I went about ten months DD and the clutch finally gave out. When I got it replaced I thought it was gonna be great cause I had the clutch on my mustang done and it was awesome after, but the cruiser was exactly the same as before. My mech said that that was the best he could set it and I would just have to get used to it. Well I was already used to it but no one else could drive it. If I do need a clutch where would be a good place to order from. (West coast canada but not afraid of mail order)

Eternal-for ever
 
i have the exact same problem on my 1974 Fj40 F engine 3spd! :mad: and yeah the smell is like that also. Thats why i hate stopping at incline road. It just engage or disengage and no between like eternal said. Replaced the clutch and pressure plate already. althou improved a liiittle bit but not satisfying.

Anyone who might have some idea/solution to this?
 
No workin on the rig today. -17 here. That is just no temp for workin outdoors. I will check out the clutch as soon as we get a warmer day around here like 0 and re post


Eternal-friggin cold
 

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