Clutch help needed (1 Viewer)

[Thom]

I've had my Cruiser for about 1 1/2 years, a 69 FJ40 with a 71 F engine. The PO said that it had been rebuilt by a high school auto mechanics class and it seems to run well with good compresion, so I believed him. It's always leaked oil, however, seemingly from the main seal. The flywheel cover, tranny, and front driveshaft are the areas that have oil on them.

It had the 3-on-the-tree when I got it, but soon converted it to a floor shift. Then the clutch started slipping ( it was supposed to have been replaced when the engine was rebuilt) and I wanted a 4-speed, so we swapped in a 4-speed and replaced it with a new 4-speed clutch. The slave cylinder was replaced at the same time.

Now, the clutch is slpipping again, after probably less than 2,000 miles (my speedo is broken). A Honda mechanic and FJ40 owner helped on the new tranny install and replaced the rear main seal at that time. We also installed a new oil pan gasket, but I'm still leaking oil.

Could the clutch have become saturated with oil that quickly, enough to cause it to slip? Or should we look for something else? I don't really want to replace the clutch every year, so what can I do to stop the oil leak? (The Cruiser is garage kept and I keep cardboard under it, but I'm not changing the cardboard all the time, the oils not pouring out, just dripping) Could the crankshaft have worn enough so that the oil seal won't stop the flow?

GSMTR is less than 4 months away, so any help would be appreciated.

 

[IDave]

Make sure the rear of the valve cover gasket isn't leaking.

 

[Pin_Head]

so we swapped in a 4-speed and replaced it with a new 4-speed clutch.  

Now, the clutch is slpipping again, .

Using a 4sp clutch only works if you use the 4sp flywheel, so this may be the cause of the slipping.

Oil is unlikely to get on the clutch, especially in 2,000 miles. In my limited experience, I have found that the cam plug leaks more often than the rear main seal. The seal tends to ling oil off the flywheel, while the cam plug leaks from the passenger side rear main bearing bolt.

 

[Thom]

Thanks for the advice so far, I'll check the bolts. The valve cover isn't leaking, already checked that.

I installed the flywheel from the same vehicle that the tranny came from and had it resurfaced by a machine shop before installing it. So the flywheel is correct for the clutch.

I tried adjusting the slave cylinder some to give it a little more free-play tonight. Time to drive it some more and see what happens. I'll live with the small oil leak until I'm forced to drop the tranny, then evaluate it and deal with it.