Clutch experts needed

[SHO--ripper]

Here's my dillema. I installed a NEW aita stage 3 clutch on my 91 SHO. I resurfaced the flywheel, and installed a low mileage tranny/axles on the car. The car spins the wheels when it's off the ground, but it won't move when it's on the ground. I torqued the flywheel to 58ft. lbs, and did the two stage job on the pp (22 then 24). TOB was installed with a pin, i locktighted the new quill sleeve and all the PP/Flywheel bolts. This car wants boost, but doesn't want to move.
I don't really want to pull the tranny again if i don't have to, but i'm going to do whatever it takes to get this car on the road again.
I've done the clutch many times on this car with the same results. I think i'm going to install a new clutch cable on it, but i don't think that's the problem. I disconnected the clutch cable when it was in gear and it didn't stall. All imput is welcome, except "are you sure you know how to install a clutch?"

 

[sdpatt]

Do you feel the normal tensioning and releasing of the pressure plate springs as you depress the clutch pedal? Is it possible that the throwout bearing is jammed on the quill or that the shift fork has cone loose?

Check the clutch cable and make sure that it is releasing fully when the pedal is up. Prop the clutch pedal up with a 7" long block of wood or tool. You should be able to grab the release lever on the top of the transaxle casing and move it freely a small amount in the clockwise direction. This will put slack in the cable, but when the prop is removesd from beneath the pedal, the ratchet mechanism and spring within the pedal will remove the slack and properly tension the cable. Just make sure that the cable end is still engaged in the release lever before removing the prop.

 

[SHO--ripper]

scott i'm 100% positive that the TOB/release lever are operating correctly.
I've been thinking it's the clutch cable/ratchet mechanism, but SHOuldn't the car stall when it's in 1st, and the clutch cable is removed from the release lever? I'll try the cable method you described tommorow. If that doesn't work i may try swapping the clutch cable/ratchet mechanism from my parts car.
Does this problem sound like the flywheel could have been cut too many times?

 

[sdpatt]

The problem sounds like there is insufficient pressure applied to the friction disk by the pressure plate to transfer any more than a tiny amount of engine torque to the transaxle. The only real possibilities are:

• The clutch cable is not being released fully to engage the clutch. If the cable can be removed from the release lever and the problem still exists, this isnt happening.
• The pressure plate is malfunctioning, possibly due to improper construction.
• The throwout (release) bearing is not sliding freely on the quill shaft.
• The pressure plate has come unbolted from the flywheel.

I don't think the amount of material removed from the flywheel by resurfacing would affecet the clamping pressure because the pressure plate is bolted to the surface of the flywheel.

 

[SHO--ripper]

Is there any way an axle not being all the way in could cause this?
I removed the clutch cable and it's not causing this. The TOB is moving freely, and the PP isn't rattling around sho it's bolted down. I'm going to replace the axle probably tommorow.
I think i've replaced the clutch 8 times on this car. Granted the last 7 times i used clutches that were used (but in excellent condition) but i just put one of those clutches on my brothers SHO and it works fine. I think i've swapped literally everything out in the driveline on this SHO. I've tried different axles, 2 different trannies, 3 clutches (the one in there is new), 2 flywheels, different imput shafts, and i checked the clutch cable and it's not stretched. Is there anything that i am overlooking that could make this car not move? Mabye the rod shifter isn't letting it go all the way in gear when it's on the ground for some reason? I'm thinking of paying someone to fix it, but i've done more clutches on SHO's than all the local mechanics combined.

 

[sdpatt]

Unless the splines on the transaxle end of at least one of the CV shafts are completely stripped, the chance of an axle casing this condition is very small. Are you sure that the axles are completely seated in the transaxle? There should have been a snap ring that "popped" when the shaft was inserted into the trans to indicate it was fully engaged.

 

[SHO--ripper]

Is there any way that not using new snap rings would cause them not to seat?
I'm going to try a different axle. I hope it's not seating in the tranny.

 

[shojuan]

The circlips are just there to hold the axles in place until the car gets bolted back together. When bolted up the axles will be in the right place, circlip or not. In other words, they are there as a helper while the car moves down the assembly line. Don't let this stop you trying anything out, but just don't expect too much on the circlip hunch.

 

[masho95]

Although not recommended by most people you CAN reuse the circlip. In fact when I pull out the driver side axle for a tranny pull, I've reused the circlip every single time. To check that the driver side axle is seated just give it a tug towards you as you face the tranny. If it's seated it won't just pull out. If you can't pull it out by hand then it's seated. As far as the passenger side axle goes, that one is held in place via the center mount bearing.

And you swapped out the whole transmission with a different one? If you did I'd highly doubt that the splines in the tranny are completely gone, especially on both trannies.

If you don't get this figured out by the 23rd, I'll be off from work on vacation that week starting the 23rd if you want me to come down and take a look at it with you sometime during the day that week. LMK.

 

[SHO--ripper]

I'm going to college on the 26th.
Could you guys think of anything that could cause this that's not tranny/clutch related?

 

[masho95]

I'm going to college on the 26th.
Could you guys think of anything that could cause this that's not tranny/clutch related?

Well I'll be around the 23rd-25th if you're interested.

With the tires in the air... Do the tires spin in gear just a little? Or if you put it in gear and give it gas do they really start spinning as if you were driving?

 

[SHO--ripper]

Eric the wheels spin with full force. Actually the passenger side is the one that mainly spins.

 

[masho95]

But with the car on the ground, the car won't move at all? Very weird.
Double check that you can't pull the driver side axle out by hand, to make sure it's fully seated.
Any weird grinding noises with the car on the ground and trying it in gear?

 

[SHO--ripper]

Eric no grindage what SHOever. I'm going to try the axle. It's my last hope.
I'm not sure if this helps any, but if it's in first when on the ground, with the clutch cable removed from the TOB lever, it doesn't stall. When it's in neutral and i try to put it in gear, it won't go in 1st

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Eric the wheels spin with full force. Actually the passenger side is the one that mainly spins.

With no load, this should not be the case. Both should be spinning. If one of the halfshafts isn't transmitting power to the wheel, there is little resistance on that side and the differential will transfer all/ most of it's power there. Replacing the halfshafts is a lot easier than replacing another clutch.

Go replace the halfshafts and see if the thing drives already.

 

[SHO--ripper]

So they SHOuld both be spinning at the same speed? If that's the case i'm getting excited