So I am out yesterday toolin' around in the Speedster just for fun in great Calif weather (Just kinda rubbin' it in for the poor guys back East still getting snow.) All is well. Life is good.
Pull up to a stop light and slip it into neutrel. Light turns green, depress the clutch, normal pressure, and move it to first and get the big grind. Try all other gears, same noise. Have an A engine, 39 trans with Cling adapter, lightened A flywheel, stock disc, the tractor style V8 pressure plate from Bratton's with about 3500 miles on it.
Push it to the curb, look underneath, linkage is fine. Think about trying to drive home with no clutch, only a couple of miles, but not a good plan for city driving. Call the Hagerty tow service, nice people, they dispatch a tow truck, which of course is no longer a tow truck but a flat bed. Get it home and the boss around here makes some soothing comments about how wise it is to carry a cell phone when driving the thing but are otherwise not helpful.
Pull the inspection plate this morning. TO bearing and yoke move like they are supposed to, return spring in place. However, one of the release arms is in the fully depressed position so it does not come in contact the TO bearing. The other two are in the normal (up) position and engage normally.
My theory at this point is that something around the release arm pivot point broke, so that the springs actuated by that arm are not released.
It obviously has to come out. Any thoughts on a replacement PP? Anyone else have a similiar problem? I can't think of any particular abuse I have given it except hillclimbs. Are these plates inherently weak? This was a sudden failure with no warning I could detect, although I suspect whatever failed has been weakened over time and finally just went all at once. Thoughts welcome. Thanks to all for a great forum.
Pull up to a stop light and slip it into neutrel. Light turns green, depress the clutch, normal pressure, and move it to first and get the big grind. Try all other gears, same noise. Have an A engine, 39 trans with Cling adapter, lightened A flywheel, stock disc, the tractor style V8 pressure plate from Bratton's with about 3500 miles on it.
Push it to the curb, look underneath, linkage is fine. Think about trying to drive home with no clutch, only a couple of miles, but not a good plan for city driving. Call the Hagerty tow service, nice people, they dispatch a tow truck, which of course is no longer a tow truck but a flat bed. Get it home and the boss around here makes some soothing comments about how wise it is to carry a cell phone when driving the thing but are otherwise not helpful.
Pull the inspection plate this morning. TO bearing and yoke move like they are supposed to, return spring in place. However, one of the release arms is in the fully depressed position so it does not come in contact the TO bearing. The other two are in the normal (up) position and engage normally.
My theory at this point is that something around the release arm pivot point broke, so that the springs actuated by that arm are not released.
It obviously has to come out. Any thoughts on a replacement PP? Anyone else have a similiar problem? I can't think of any particular abuse I have given it except hillclimbs. Are these plates inherently weak? This was a sudden failure with no warning I could detect, although I suspect whatever failed has been weakened over time and finally just went all at once. Thoughts welcome. Thanks to all for a great forum.
