Clutch question

[johnny5]

Looking for ideas -

At times when I push the clutch in all the way to the floor when shifting it crunches for the last 1 - 1 1/2". By crunching I mean the pedal feels "crunchy" on my foot; like binding - not normal. It does not do this all the time but seems to be happening more often.

If I only push the clutch in 3/4 of the way when shifting, it never does it. Only on the last bit of the stroke.

Am I looking at a throw out bearing problem or something in the self adjuster mechanism?

I've tried a new cable, but it still does it.

I appreciate any input.

John

 

[sperold]

Your car has a throw out bearing (TOB) that is constantly in contact with the "fingers" on the pressure plate. Eventually, the tips of the fingers wear down (and break off), and there are lots of theories why... but that doesn't matter to you at this point. You have wear on the fingers and the front face of the TOB.
The reason you feel it more at the extreme end of your foot pedal stroke is because that is where you are exerting the most force on the pressure plate to release your disc. If your TOB has some issues (like growly bearing), that is where it shows up as a funny feel or whatever.
Try nursing it along for as long as you can, but you are eventually going to need a new clutch kit. Start looking for a deal.
It might last a long time, so don't panic.
One of those theories that I mentioned earlier maintains that a loose clutch adjustor allows the TOB to connect and disconnect from the fingers, meaning the TOB bearing has to "catch up" whenever the connection is made, as it has dropped to zero rpm while is was disconnected. Or, the other theory is the TOB just wears out because it has gone a gazillion revolutions, and eventually nibbles on the pressure plate fingers.
Either way, it had nothing to do with you.

 

[Art5]

Looking for ideas -

At times when I push the clutch in all the way to the floor when shifting it crunches for the last 1 - 1 1/2". By crunching I mean the pedal feels "crunchy" on my foot; like binding - not normal. It does not do this all the time but seems to be happening more often.

If I only push the clutch in 3/4 of the way when shifting, it never does it. Only on the last bit of the stroke.

Am I looking at a throw out bearing problem or something in the self adjuster mechanism?

I've tried a new cable, but it still does it.

I appreciate any input.

John

check if your cable is not rubbing on some metal somewhere(firewall) or something is wrong with mechanism.

 

[Art5]

by the way talking about clutch kit!
I just bought custom clutch kit that is 4 puck kelvar and ceramic with 6 springs, pressure plate and TOB shipped under 350. I don't want to tell everyone to go with these people yet, because i didn't get my car out of the shop yet to test, but this company was recomended to me by truck drivers who constantly had problems with their clutches before.

 

[AREA 91]

by the way talking about clutch kit!
I just bought custom clutch kit that is 4 puck kelvar and ceramic with 6 springs, pressure plate and TOB shipped under 350. I don't want to tell everyone to go with these people yet, because i didn't get my car out of the shop yet to test, but this company was recomended to me by truck drivers who constantly had problems with their clutches before.

I hope you have some serious mods done to your sho, otherwise that's not a good clutch for a daily driver.

 

[AREA 91]

Looking for ideas -

At times when I push the clutch in all the way to the floor when shifting it crunches for the last 1 - 1 1/2". By crunching I mean the pedal feels "crunchy" on my foot; like binding - not normal. It does not do this all the time but seems to be happening more often.

If I only push the clutch in 3/4 of the way when shifting, it never does it. Only on the last bit of the stroke.

Am I looking at a throw out bearing problem or something in the self adjuster mechanism?

I've tried a new cable, but it still does it.

I appreciate any input.

John

It's either the TOB or TOB fork bushings.

I HIGHLY RECOMEND a Ceramic TOB and Teflon fork bushings for the next clutch job.

 

[Art5]

Ok, i picked my car up today from the shop where i had a new clutch installed and here is what i saw: spring was out of the disk and pressure plate looked kinda messed up inside and some metal pieces where stuck inside.I have a picture but can't post it at the moment, maybe later today i will. Oh, and the clutch is CM stage one(garbage). The clutch that i have right now is not bad, the only thing it engages kinda high, but smooth for performance clutch.

 

[Art5]

It's either the TOB or TOB fork bushings.

I HIGHLY RECOMEND a Ceramic TOB and Teflon fork bushings for the next clutch job.

by the way i sent you message before about PA shop. I was looking for someone close to me to do my clutch for me.

 

[kikkinasphalt]

I hope you have some serious mods done to your sho, otherwise that's not a good clutch for a daily driver.

im gunna daily a 4 puck

Clutchnet disc and a CM1 PP and CTOB

 

[BamSHO]

I had a 6 puck clutch disc in my first SHO (92). I sucked as a daily driver. Ended up getting alot of driveline chatter starting out and worse going into reverse. It ended up blowing a spring out in the disc. But was a great clutch for drag racing or road course. The thing never slipped. Partly why it isnt a daily driver clutch.


Brian Michael
98 silver Gen3

 

[Art5]

built motor (honed, ringed, bearings, etc) w/3.0 heads/cams, UDPs, SS aluminium flywheel, Performance Plus Y-pipe Borla cat back 190lph Fuel pump Pro-M 80mm MAF
suspension - ss linears/konis

 

[johnny5]

Area 51 -
Why the Ceramic TOB? What is the greatest benefit of upgrading it? I was able to get 110k out of the original. I was going to get a Sachs clutch set that includes the clutch/pp/TOB in the kit.

Also, what are the teflon bushings? Are they a wear item?

I'm even thinking of getting a new flywheel, where would you recommend for a decent price.

Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to get everything in order before I pull the trans out.

 

[zak]

According to your only other thread, you just bought this 1989 SHO. The chances of the original clutch being in there is well . . . approaching zero in part since that car was subject to a clutch recall at some point in its life.

zak

 

[johnny5]

Zak
I can assure you this is the original clutch, as I purchased it from the original owner, a 65 year old lady whose husband just passed away. It was her car and she knew the entire service history. Thanks though.

 

[FOMOCOTOSHO]

According to your only other thread, you just bought this 1989 SHO. The chances of the original clutch being in there is well . . . approaching zero in part since that car was subject to a clutch recall at some point in its life.

zak

I know this guy (he's my boss @ worK) and can assure you it's the original clutch. I met the original owner as well because she was also selling her '90 w/ 33k miles on it and she has a perfectly mint '89 with only 14k that still have a new car smell under the cover in her garage. I got the chance to look at them both because I was considering buying them.

Try and help him out guys. He's never been a Ford guy but I "converted" him because he loved my '95 SHO so much and I could never stop talking about it. (He's going to fire me LOL) Now he's addicted.

He isn't looking for anything super high performance here. This is a regular DD and he wants to keep it that way but would like an improvement in wear & feel if there can be such without sacrificing long-term wear & excessive cost.

Thanks everyone

 

[zak]

My apologies. Given that these are North Dakota cars, most of the miles are likely highway. If you plan to mostly use the car for highway driving you may not really need a ceramic TOB - they are more for those that wind the engine to high rpm, occasionally break traction, etc,. where they help reduce clutch finger wear. Because the SHO revs so high, so quickly, the TOB can not keep up with the fingers and finger wear occurs. This keeps the clutch from releasing properly, and eventually will not allow first or reverse to be selected.

It will be interesting to see what the clutch looks like. The original 89/90 had a 9.25 inc diameter disc, these small clutches got recalled, new flywheels were put in along with 9.75 inch diameter discs and pressure plates.