Clutch replacement going down, but, is it worn out or just oiled up?

[High Desert]

I posted a question some time back about Clutch chatter. Every thing is in adjustment and my 84 fj60 with 94k miles chatters with the 33s on at every take off. with my close to stock tiny little tires on; no chatter unless i'm on a really steep take off. (duh, I know, I know, taller tires need different gearing..an't gonna happen).

Looking at the clutch and flywheel area after removing the cover, the whole mess is covered with oil. Of course it has been leaking for years, however, the only oily area under there is in the clutch/flywheel area. Drips to the ground are from the weep hole at the bottom of the inspection cover and just in front of the cover at the oil pan. There is no oil coming down the oil pan not even on the trailing edge.

Questions:
1. could the chatter be from the oil leak which I think is the main seal or the cam freeze plug since the clutch area is so wet, (don't think this would happen with a oil pan gasket leak, right?)

2. If the original clutch is oil soaked but still good should I replace it anyway? I've told my mechanic to for sure find and fix the leak. He is going to put the ultra violet die in, run it around some and see where it originates from, (good sounding plan anyway) by-the-way with resurfacing the flywheel I'm looking at $450-500 in labor..yikes!

3. PO gave me a CCOT after market clutch ($240.00 invoice w/ it) I have a Toyota main seal but the bearings are also CCOT after market parts.

Should I still go oem and e-bay the after market stuff?

So that's it..I know there have been similiar threads, believe me I've been reading for hours, however, these questions did not seem to be covered, .thanks in advance for taking my clutch into consideration....

Going in tomorrow 9/21/05 he won't start on the job till Thursday 9/22/05.

HD

 

[Cruisergreg]

An oily clutch disk can certainly cause chatter. But if it's original at 94K miles then to pull the tranny to replace the main seal and not the clutch woudl be, as the English say, "false econmy." Replacing the main seal involves removing everything that you'd have to do for a clutch job anyway - do the whole thing if you plan to be keeping the truck.

As for parts, some aftermarket stuff is really good and some is not. If you're short on cash then use the stuff you have, but if budget allows get all OEM. Get with C-Dan at American Toyota for rock bottom OEM prices.

 

[schaats]

I saw oil sock was caused by oil pan gasket sometimes.
When you doing work, check it also.
And regarding aftermarket clutch, check manufacturer first.
If it was made by Asco, go with it.
It's same manufacturer with Landcruiser's OEM clutch that same with OEM one and very good quality.
I'd bought clutch componant from SOR, MAF and saw their parts is from ASCO but have no experience with CCOT(Because they don't accept non-usa credit card ).

Oh, Min Seok

 

[WSUCruiser]

I've driven a few oil soaked clutches and never had them chatter, more just slip excessively. Kinda like a really worn disc feels.
A warped or pitted flywheel could cause chatter. By the way i had my flywheel turned for $30 at a local machine shop so i'm assuming the $500 you're talking about includes removing the thing??

Other areas to look into could be engine and trans mounts. If they're worn the whole thing can move on takeoff, like a clutch chatter. Open the hood and rev the engine. Mine barely moves. If your does there could be an issue there.

As for the parts, when i did my clutch recently i used factory toyota from a friend who wprks parts at lake city toy ($180). Good stuff, however if you have a Carquest store near by there are excellent too. They just bought worlpak (sp?), a company that supplies smaller shops, and their parts are awesome. Just like factory at better than Napa prices.

I had butchered my factory rear main seal ($40) the first time i put it in. Then i tried a Napa seal, which looked similar but cheap. It leaked in 2 mins. I got the Carquest seal and it had the same design as the Factory one, felt'n'all. I couldn't tell the difference, except that it was $11. It sealed too

Good luck - and next time do it yourself and buy $500 worth of tools and beer. It feels much better that way

Dave

 

[High Desert]

Thanks, and I wish I could do it my self..

But don't have the help, tools, tranny lifts etc. Maybe next time. Yes price inculeds flywheel work et all. These guys are sticking to the "8 HR job" lline. I like the post I saw where to guys did it in 4 hours. Maybe I need a pit crew like that..

yeah I'll replace everything. The after market clutch is a "SACHS" from CCOT. I never heard of them?

The engine mounts seem to be fine. NO movement or flex when revved up.

The mechanic says it is a oilpan leak..but he also seams to be eyeing the extra couple hours of replacing the gasket. I know I could probaably do that job but I'd be on my back with the rig on jacks. figure that oil down my nose would make my glasses slip and be hard on my near perfect complexion...( that's wuss speak for, I'd rather just have him do it)

Thanks for the input.

you can pay-pal donations if you like, (I also need to DAKKAR this rig so be generous, no floods here but it was cloudy one day last week..who knows what will happen?) (Just fooling around here, I've got a uncle in Slidell LA that got pretty well flooded out with Katrina, Luckly for him, His house was on a highspot in the neighbor hood, like only 2 ft below sea level, so he only got about 3 feet of h2o in the house).

I digress

HD