Clutch issues- Help!!

C

cosmo

Junior Member
My 50 flathead V-8 3 speed no overdrive car last year started making a racket when I pushed in the clutch. I had replaced pressure plate, clutch, and throwout bearing a few years back and had not drove the car alot of miles. It got to the point that I had to shut off the engine to get it in gear. A few weeks ago, I pulled the ****** and replaced the pressure plate, clutch and throwout bearing again. The pressure plate forks had uneven wear on each of the 3 forks for some reason and the throwout bearing seemed to be bad. Yesterday, I drove the car all around town to test and everything seemed good. Today I take it on a road trip, about 50 miles one way. Starts out really good. When I get back to my town,(now 100 miles) the same thing starts happening. Racket-squeeling when I push the clutch in, won't go into gear unless I stop and shut the engine off. Everything was hot at the time (temp gauge was at 205 at the time when things went wrong) Even when everything cooled off, it still won't go into gear. Adjustment of the clutch petal appears to be in spec's. What the heck am I doing wrong!!?? Thanks for any help, Dave
 
Are you sure that the peddle had free play so the throwout bearing wasnt riding on the pressure plate forks?
 
Had mechanic friend look at pilot bearing before replacing ****** and he said it was good, no need to replace. pedal has around 1"-1 1/4" play before contacting throwout bearing. Dave
 
I hear that some of the new throw out bearings are faulty (china) . Is your clutch release arm OK ? cracked or bent?
 
Throwout bearing was marked USA this time. I guess I'm not sure about the arm, nothing looked wrong with it.
 
Not familiar with 50 but if it has the same PP as earlier 35-48 Fords, it is possible the hub for the throwout bearing was damaged. If it was not replaced with the new throwout install, you may have carried over a problem area to the new PP. Make sure the fingers for the new PP touch the face of the throwout bearing and not the front of the hub itself. There seems to be a bunch of PP with fingers that are too long and they do not contact the throwout in the proper location.
 
Where is the clutch and pressure plate made, had one from China that worked a short time then went bad, pressure plate fingers were out of wack!
 
Tonight after work now that everything has cooled off, the ****** did go into gear, but moving it onto my lift it was making a horrible racket the whole time no matter where I pushed the clutch pedal at. I had replaced all 3 things when I put it in. The clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing. Dave
 
Pulled everything apart last night. The pilot bushing looks like it might be out of round but have not measured it yet. Everything else is new and does not appear to have anything wrong with it. Still not sure what the racket was when I drove it onto the lift unless the input shaft was dragging alittle bit still even though it would go into gear. Thanks to all for the responses. I will keep you all updated. Dave
 
Just a thought are your front motor mounts broken allowing the engine to move forward when depressing the clutch?
 
through away the pilot bearing and use a bushing-had a similar problem with a 51 Merc--it squeeled and was hard to shift
 
alan said:
through away the pilot bearing and use a bushing-had a similar problem with a 51 Merc--it squeeled and was hard to shift
Click to expand...

I prefer a gold colored bushing(brass?) over the pilot bearing, a tractor company or napa auto parts may have one to match up....good luck
 
My 39 was making some grinding sounds when I would engage the clutch. I got the car The only thing left was the flywheel. got a new flywheel at speedway car runs great. the old flywheel can off in two pieces. jack
 
My 39 was making some grinding sounds when I would engage the clutch. I got the car that way. I replaced clutch plate bearing. Did not change anything. The only thing left was the flywheel. got a new flywheel at speedway car runs great. the old flywheel can off in two pieces. jack
 
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