How does this clutch look? Pics inside...

[Mike93]

This clutch came from an '89 SHO that was previously owned by FuzzyFish (#6 fastest NA MTX SHO in the Top Ten list). I have been having some issues with my current clutch in my '93 and rather than dropping $400+ on a new clutch and flywheel balancing I was thinking of running this clutch seeing as I know it was working great before I removed it.

I've never really gotten down and dirty as to inspecting the clutch wear and understanding how good is good and how bad is bad. My first reaction was that it looked okay...but I'd like some more opinions.

If I were to run this clutch I noticed the pressure plate fingers have "worn into" the throwout bearing. If I used this throwout bearing in a differnent transmission is that a bad move??? Also, some of the fingers seem to be more "relaxed" than others when it was disassembled...is this a sign of anything???

Also, I nver measured but does this look like a 9.25" clutch or the 9.75"???

Thanks, Mike

 

[93rev2sev]

Are you kidding?
That clutch is toast. The flywheel is glazed, the PP fingers are bent, I don't see a quill sleeve(original clutch?). On a good note...if that IS the Original clutch, the PP fingertips don't look TOO bad(considering).

It might work...but not for long.

A new 9.75" valeo clutch kit is about $279...flywheel grind is about $25.

Then, the clutch will last another 70,000+ and you won't have to worry about it 2 weeks from installation.

I would call that clutch "owner specific". Allow me to explain...

Take a worn out clutch that has been driven by the same person for it's whole life. That same person could go on driving that clutch another 20,000 miles(maybe). Give that car to someone else(with different clutching technique) and it might not last 1000 miles.

Do yourself a favor, get a new clutch kit. A stock one. They love you long time...I have over 50,000 hard (Detroit City)miles on my stock valeo clutch and it still feels new(ish)

 

[Phoenix]

What he said.

Have the flywheel resurfaced in a local shop. And it's time to have this replaced with a 9.75 clutch/PP kit (whatever you had as stock , get the 9.75)

I've seen brand new kits on ebay for 190$ (ZOOM clutches) If the money is tight for you.

 

[Mike93]

Here's the thing...the current AutoZone clutch kit that is in my car is suspect. Also, if memory serves me right I'm missing a dowel in the flywheel. Ever since I put the mtx in this once atx'ed '93 I've had a vibration. Through my trouble shooting I'm now looking at the clutch and flywheel set-up, but before I drop any money into this car I thought I'd go the free route and spend a few hours of my life swapping a clutch. I've been in and out of this car enough to be able to do this job in an afternooon.

My thoughts now are to use this clutch, flywheel, and trans all AS IS...it was running great when I drove the car home, don't see why it woudln't work a little longer.

If it proves to work well, then I'd be more inclined to drop some $$$ on a nice clutch and flywheel set up.

 

[93rev2sev]

Vibration...if you are missing one dowel...your engine out of balance 2-3 grams. Thats your vibration.

Use all the dowels or NONE of the dowels. They are an installation aid, nothing more.

 

[Mike93]

Vibration...if you are missing one dowel...your engine out of balance 2-3 grams. Thats your vibration.

Use all the dowels or NONE of the dowels. They are an installation aid, nothing more.

I hope you're right that they can make that much of a difference...if I pull the clutch on the '93 and notice one missing I'll have a tough decision to make; remove remaining dowel and keep everything the same...or swap flywheel/clutch/pp from '89 over.

 

[Phoenix]

I hope you're right that they can make that much of a difference...if I pull the clutch on the '93 and notice one missing I'll have a tough decision to make; remove remaining dowel and keep everything the same...or swap flywheel/clutch/pp from '89 over.

He is right , couple grams can make a huge diff. Actually it's not very good for the main bearings/crank.

 

[93rev2sev]

When engine assemblies are balanced, they are balanced to WAY less than a gram

one gram one foot from center of crank at 6000 RPM=...lessee...

gotta work on the math for a few minutes....

 

[Howdy_Doody]

You have a PM.

 

[Mike93]

When engine assemblies are balanced, they are balanced to WAY less than a gram

one gram one foot from center of crank at 6000 RPM=...lessee...

gotta work on the math for a few minutes....

How about at idle??? I notice it from idle on up. Because of this, i've never had the car much higher than 6500rpm...

Howdy, got your pm

 

[93rev2sev]

for simplicity,

Mathgods Please forgive my sigfigs...

1 gram, 10cm from center travels (20cm*3.14) = 63cm per revolution. 63cm times 6000revolutions = 378000cm per minute.
=3780m/minute; 3780 divided by 60seconds
=63 meters per second.
Kinetic energy = 1/2*mass*velocitysquared we get...
KE=.0005kilograms*3969=1.98J

almost 2 joules. Heres a wikipedia conversion...
1 joule = 0.737562149277 ft·lbf
1.98J = 1.46 ft lbs.

So that 1 gram imbalance in your engine is equal to about 1.5 ft lbs of force working against your engine at 6000RPM.

Find a dowel.

 

[Phoenix]

Idle too @ 700 rpm.

If you ever experianced a car wheel that's missing a weight , you'll know. And it's rotating ALOT slower then 700 rpm.

same physics applies to the crank.

 

[Mike93]

Phoenix and Rev...I think you guys are smarter than me, especially when it comes to math. I'm a toy and product designer with an art school college education...what do you expect

I really hope when this comes apart I find a missing dowel...if so is the conclusion then to remove the remaining??? or add a dowel???

 

[Shoaz]

Regardless, don't use that clutch that you pictured. And don't use that transmission without a quill sleeve and a new TOB. The quill tube on that thing is visibly worn and that's what ruined the PP fingers.

Just feel lucky that it worked as well as it did.

 

[93rev2sev]

You CAN however, steal one of the dowels.

 

[zak]

If you do a lot of stop and go driving, burnouts or frequent accelerations to 6 or 7 krpm consider a ceramic TOB (helps prevent PP finger wear)

zak

 

[Eric VerValin]

for simplicity,

Mathgods Please forgive my sigfigs...

1 gram, 10cm from center travels (20cm*3.14) = 63cm per revolution. 63cm times 6000revolutions = 378000cm per minute.
=3780m/minute; 3780 divided by 60seconds
=63 meters per second.
Kinetic energy = 1/2*mass*velocitysquared we get...
KE=.0005kilograms*3969=1.98J

almost 2 joules. Heres a wikipedia conversion...
1 joule = 0.737562149277 ft·lbf
1.98J = 1.46 ft lbs.

So that 1 gram imbalance in your engine is equal to about 1.5 ft lbs of force working against your engine at 6000RPM.

Find a dowel.

I like this guy... always love to see the #'s on things. I'm calling you when I wanna put my SHO into orbit.

 

[93rev2sev]

I like this guy... always love to see the #'s on things. I'm calling you when I wanna put my SHO into orbit.

Awe, tanks!

Lesse,
You will need an initial escape velocity of...

 

[Mike93]

UPDATE:

Tonight I removed the clutch from my '93 and was delighted to find 2 of 3 dowels in the flywheel!!! Perhaps, just perhaps this has been the root of nearly 2 years of frustation trying to figure out what was causing my drivability/vibration problems. I plan to drop the flywheel off tomorrow to be resurfaced...waiting for my new clutch to arrive on Saturday

For a clutch Howdy Doody hooked me up with a brand new stock piece, along with a new TOB. I'm stoked to get this thing back together...I really hope that dowel was the cause of this madness.

 

[Shoaz]

Make sure it's a revised TOB with a quill sleeve, or you'll be replacing the clutch again in short order.

Also, I doubt one missing dowel would cause any problems unless the PP wasn't flush against the flywheel.

Nevertheless, getting new pieces in there should definitely help.