New clutch not working - can you tell if the disc is backwards?

[whitey45]

Actually his name was Chuck! Not moreland though

 

[Godwin]

It's always easier the second time. Did a clutch replacement on my FJ60 once and after a couple of long days seemingly had no clutch engagement. Wracked my mind as to what was wrong and convinced myself the disc was installed backwards. Next day pulled everything apart only to find that I had correctly installed the disc. Put it back together only to discover that in the latter stages of the first installation I had bumped the t-case into neutral.

 

[JAFO2014]

At least you didn't destroy anything. I did a 'favor' for a family member once back in 1997. Still remember the pain from this one. They had blown their engine and had bought another used engine from the junk yard. I Installed the used engine for them. This was in a Jeep CJ years ago. Can't remember the engine, but it was some V6 as I remember. Anyway, engine went in fine. Then I went to bolt the transmission and it went on up great, but then seemed 'snug' the last 1/8" or so. I bolted her on up though. So, in a week or so they call me. Something weird is happening with their engine. The front pulley is moving in and out when they press the clutch. I was like, WTF? Anyway, long story short, the engine they brought me came from a car with an automatic trans. So, the end of the crankshaft at the flywheel end was not drilled as deep as an engine for a manual transmission. So even though the pilot bushing went in fine, the depth was off. Not realizing what I was doing, I had forced the trans to bolt on, though it was just a tiny bit. Over the next week the pressure from the shaft put pressure on the main bearing, wearing it on its front side. I had to pull the engine, put in a crank kit, took my grinder to the end of the transmission, taking off maybe 1/4" and all was good. Boy what a lot of work. But I always check stuff like that now.

 

[Stumpalama]

I did the exact same thing back in 2000. I replaced the clutch when I had the body off during my restoration. Months later, freshly painted tub back on, everything bolted back in to the truck, engine running tip top. I'm all excited to drive it out of the garage for the 1st time in almost a year and.... can't get it into gear with engine running. SERIOUSLY!?!? Fawk, I was crushed.
Seems I ran into the situation of conflicting manuals, where, depending on the year the snout is oriented towards or away from the flywheel.
It is so much harder to R&R a trans in a '79+ FJ40 with the tub on.

 

[Spike Strip]

 

[RAYJON]

Blond moment..... or in your case Redhead moment.... LOL..

 

[Dubsack fj40]

Wow do I ever need this. Thank you

 

[stuart67fj40]

If the clutch friction disc is installed backwards will it certainly stay pressed against the pressure plate when the pedal is engaged like it is pictured in this fellow's image below. Here is the thing, I just swapped my transmission and I am not sure if I may have installed it the wrong way (I have nearly convinced myself that I have) and have not yet installed the driveshafts or added gear oil. But, when I depress the clutch pedal the friction disk comes off of the flywheel and pressure plate and can spin.

Before I put everything back together (driveshafts, fluids, transmission floor hump, etc.) and run it and potentially jack up my new friction disk, is there any way to tell definitively if the friction disc is backwards? I am considering backing off the fork and throwout bearing so that it is loose and touches the bell housing and then pulling the clutch pressure plate off (Obviously it can't come all the way off because the shaft is through it) and try to look up in there to see if I messed up.

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I'm actually hoping someone can help me confirm whether the disc is oriented correctly or incorrectly before I commit to a full R&R of the engine/transmission.

Here are a few photos which I hope will help identify a potential problem. This shows the clutch engaged (pedal at rest):


Here is a shot of the TO bearing and pressure plate fingers, also engaged (pedal at rest):


Now, here is a photo of the disc with the clutch disengaged (pedal depressed):




You can see the gap between the disc and the flywheel, but no gap between the disc and the pressure plate. I have no idea if this is normal or not.

And here is a shot of the TO bearing/pressure plate with the pedal depressed:


Ideas?

 

[Mace]

when I depress the clutch pedal the friction disk comes off of the flywheel and pressure plate and can spin.

If the clutch plate can spin, it's not installed backwards.. No if's and or butts..