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Paul Molfino (aka Anglia_Red) [ View ] [ Email ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ] Santa Cruz, California

Three months ago I finshed a rebuild of a 34 Ford Roadster that i bought back east last year. While the car looked great when I flew back to looked and check it plus test drive it, I found it had a heck of a lot of problems when I got it home and started to make small changes to it. Required almost a complete rebuild. It has a 383 with alum heads, cam and more. I also changed the intake and carbs to Edelbrock 2 fours which I love. Moter seemed fine as did the 6-speed Covette transmission so we did not touch that part. Did have to change the hydraulic part of the clutch. Drove it to the NSRA in Bakersfield last month (500 Miles roundtrip) and it started feeling odd in that I had to push it futher and futher down to the floor to engage and sometimes it was even a little hard then to change gears. Friday night I went out to get it ready for a show on Saturday and the pedal went to the floor (came back due to return spring). As a test I could put it in any gear and push the car so to me it sounds like clutch is out or engaged. Any thoughts? If I do need to replace it what is the best cluch to get? The 383 has around 475 hp. and a heck of a lot of torque. Thank god my Angla is always ready to run lol I pulled it out of the trailer where I store it, made the show and walked away with the award for a "Real Hotrod"! You have to love it!!!!

Comments

Posted by dakotah  -  05/20/2008 04:39 PM First off,can you start the engine,depress the clutch and get the trans in gear?If not, the cluch is not disengaging and may due to a hydraulic problem or a pressure plate problem.Brokensprings possibly. As far as the hyd. are concerned check the fluid level and consider the fluid may be bypassing the seals in the master or leaking out the slave cylinder.Fluid level would be low if this is the case.Also check the back of the master for signs of fluid leaks. If the hydraulics look good then a removal of the clutch is in order. Slowly losing the clutch pedal is most often a hdy. problem whereby hyd pressure is being lost due to fluid lose or a bad master cyl. Pressure plate malfunctions are usually sudden and result in no engagement or a jam-up(hard pedal) where it won't release.These are not always easy over the net problems to solve but hopefully this info will help.If not, perhaps a bit more info from you as you go along will help. dakotah [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Port Richey, Florida   Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  05/20/2008 04:41 PM check the slave cylinder . it may be hung with the clutch disengaged . dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003   Posted by Anglia_Red  -  05/20/2008 05:40 PM What would cause a slave cylinder to hang up? and do you think if it did it once it would happen again? With the moter running I can push the clutch in and put it in first or second but it does not really engage. Its a new hydraulic slave cylinder and can see no signs of leaks. when you push the pedal in there is no pressure just the feeling from the return spring going out and then it returning. Anglia_Red [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Santa Cruz, California   Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  05/20/2008 05:43 PM just have someone watch the cylinder and make sure you get full movement of the clutch arm. dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003   Posted by Anglia_Red  -  05/20/2008 06:40 PM as to watching the movement everything is enclosed on the transmission so this will have to wait till next week when my buddy who has a lift gets back from vacation. I was so mad that I even thought about changing the covette 6 speed (love the the two over drives) to a 700R (maybe the wife would drive it then) but computed the costs and added in how much I love the 6 speed so that is what it is going to stay!! Keep the coments comming and we will check for all when we get it in the air. Still need recommendations as to the best brand pressure plate and clutch if I need to replace it. better to spend a little more on a good one now and not have to replace it again. Anglia_Red [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Santa Cruz, California   Posted by FastCo44  -  05/21/2008 11:32 AM I am guessing that the engine is using a center throw slave cylinder. That type has to have the height set before mating the engine and transmission. Some use shims and others use threaded studs with nuts for adjustment. If your is the type that uses studs with adjusting nuts then, it is possible that the adjusment nuts have backed off. It doesn't take much as these slvae cylinders only have about a 1/4" to 3/8" of travel. FastCo44 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Sunnyvale, California   Posted by aosborn  -  05/22/2008 01:14 AM Could be as simple as air in the system. Have you bled it recently? When it is hard to engage a gear, try pumping the pedal a few times and see if it will go into gear then, just like pumping your brake pedal when there is air in the system. Don't overlook a clutch master cylinder with an internal leak. There should be a bleeder screw coming out of the bell housing near the clutch fork. aosborn [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Olympia, Washington   Posted by Anglia_Red  -  05/22/2008 02:37 AM I could only wish it was that easy! Pumping does not help due to the fact that if I took the pedal return spring off the pedal would fall to the floor. The shifter will go into gear with or without the pedal in but does not engage the transmission. This happens with or without the engine is running. Anglia_Red [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Santa Cruz, California   Posted by aosborn  -  05/22/2008 07:18 PM Have you attempted to loosen the line from the clutch master cylinder to the slave cylinder. If the clutch is applying, but won't release, it could be a master cylinder problem not letting fluid return to the master cylinder from the slave. At least it is quick and easy to check. If fluid were to squirt out when you did that, and the clutch engaged, I would say you have found the problem. That problem could also be caused by a pedal adjustment being too tight, not enough free play so the return ports don't get opened. aosborn [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Olympia, Washington   Posted by okey4001  -  05/22/2008 08:28 PM Paul I built a 401 AMC up an put it in a CJ5 Jeep with a 4 speed granny low. Anyway we put a hays street/strip clutch, it lasted about 3 weeks. It wouldn't slip in first or second, because it would spin the tires, but third and fourth it would slip a little. To make a long story short, I went back with a CenterForce seramic clutch. Loved it, no slip in any gear, smooth and lite clutch pedal. I wouldn't put anything else in, if they made one I would put it in a lawnmower. They are SUPER. Hope you find your problem. Bob Bob [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Copan, Oklahoma Charter Member since April 2007   Posted by reneg8d  -  05/22/2008 10:10 PM Lemme get this straight... You can row in thru the gears with or without the pedal depressed and the thing won't move???? If I have that right, its time to pull the shift tower off and look at the lever... sounds like the end snapped off and its not actually selecting a gear.. ASE Master Auto Tech [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Thoreau, New Mexico Charter Member since July 2005   Posted by Anglia_Red  -  05/23/2008 01:01 AM sorry this is such a long story and i do want to say thanks for everyones input as it will give me more to look at next week when i get it on on the lift. But, yes i can row (as you say lol) thru the gears with BUT the clutch pedal is not right as there is no pressure on it when i depress it! As I said the only pressure is from the return spring. So to put it in a one liner all I can say is, " no pressure on the clutch pedal and shifts into all gears with clutch pedal in or out of gear, and can hand roll the car with the shift in any gear and clutch pedal out". Maybe the Anglia is mad at me and wants me to get rid of the 34 lol. Thanks again guys and have a great weekend!!! Anglia_Red [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Santa Cruz, California   Posted by aosborn  -  05/23/2008 01:33 AM It would seem the preassure plate is stuck in the disengaged position. Let us know what you find, and have a great weekend yourself aosborn [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Olympia, Washington   Posted by poppop103  -  05/23/2008 04:07 AM Look at the clutch disk seems to me you ran the clutch hot and burned the linning off the face of the clutch disk look in belhousing for something that looks like a birds nest(stringing) sounds like there is no clutch disk left to engage the engine to the imput shaft of the trans just a thought Ive seen it happen more than once poppop103 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Summit Hill, Pennsylvannia   Posted by reneg8d  -  05/23/2008 05:52 PM No pedal pressure and the car rolls in gear... sounds like the pressure plate took a dump.. ASE Master Auto Tech [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Thoreau, New Mexico Charter Member since July 2005   Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  05/23/2008 06:01 PM it is disengaged for some reason. wore out clutch metal to metal will still engage some . imho dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003   Posted by Red's Place Custom & Restoration  -  05/23/2008 08:43 PM piston stuck in master cyclinder not returning just the spring pulling it back up. Rod may look like it is moving the piston but it more than likely isn't. Good Luck Red's Place Custom & Restoration [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Charlotte, North Carolina   Posted by jherman  -  05/24/2008 03:55 PM If it is a clutch, Mcleod or Ram IMO the best jherman [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Missouri   Posted by Bill33  -  05/25/2008 09:18 PM I had a similar thing with the centre force dual friction clutch in my '33 Ford with a 500hp modified 383 stroker. When I pulled the clutch out, the lining on one face of the clutch plate had let go and was laying in the bellhousing. Thats the second centre force clutch that's given up on me.....although I do drive it hard. Next time I'll be looking for something heavier duty. Try pulling it out and have a look at it. I use a GM slave on mine and it has failed a couple times too, it was too close to the exhaust in the beginning. Haven't had any trouble since I changed the exhaust and installed a heat shield. Bill33 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Victoria, Canada   Posted by jherman  -  05/26/2008 01:21 AM The dual friction clutches I had to do that in a short time of street driving, that trick weights they put on the pressure plate I think wears the disk out faster jherman [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Missouri   Posted by 37tin  -  05/26/2008 01:32 AM I'm with Red on this one,,That's what happened to mine, piston stuck! no leaks, everything looks fine!! 37tin [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] langley, Canada   Posted by Anglia_Red  -  06/23/2008 11:51 PM It's FIXED!!! Well, I know it took me a while to get back to all of you that offered me help on my clutch problem so here goes. Once I got a rack to get it up on I took the clutch master cylinder and the slave unit off, what I found was the piston was stuck in the out position (its a push type slave). Taking the master cylinder off the slave the slave then released. The valve in the master cylinder was bad! At this point I was able to get the part number off the 6 speed transmission and call GM Performance. The looked it up and found that they had the correct part in stock and it came as a bolt in kit, that included the clutch master cylinder and the slave unit, pre-bleed and with fluid so none had to be added. Cost was 175 ( I thought the price was great for a change). The master cylinder that was on the 34 was a different type so we had to weld on a new mounting plate! Went in smooth. To continue the story as it was now up on a rack I thought I will check the rear brakes and found not only a shoe was bad but one of the wheel bearings. Replaced both on both sides to make sure they would not leave me broken down on the road. Hay what do they say in for a dime in for the dollar, so I also replaced the Tac which seem to have a mine of its own and only worked right when it wanted to.... Once I got it off the rack I took it out for a long test run and its great! Clutch is stiff but feels good so I ask no more it lol Thanks again for everyone's help, your all great! Anglia_Red [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Santa Cruz, California   Posted by 37tin  -  06/24/2008 02:42 AM Good stuff!!!! problem solved,, I've also had that happen with a brake master, I installed new front lines, my pedal pusher was putting it to the floor, the piston went to a place it hadn't been before and decided not to return 37tin [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] langley, Canada

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