The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Pressure plate, clutch & release brg...BREAKIN?

I just had my 153-tooth flywheel turned at a local machine shop. About .008 taken off. I bought the whole kit...pressure plate, disc and release brg. I have a 350 with a muncie 4-speed in my 1951 Chev Pickup. Seems like its a little difficult to get into gear...
What I want to know is that I have the clutch pedal adjustment about 1/4-inch or so. Kind of hard shifting into gear...at a standstill that is. Kind of like the clutch is not completely disengaging. When clutch is depressed, the wheels are not turning, and the engine remains running. Do I need to burn the "newness" off, so to speak? Is there a BREAKIN PERIOD on this? Anybody experienced this before? Thanks, JEFF

Sitting still with engine off most all transmissions will be hard to get into gear.
Is it still hard if the engine idles, you push the clutch in, and then promptly find a gear? The synchronizers should make it happen quickly with little effort and no grinding.

If it is still difficult check to see that the clutch disc is installed the correct way and it is not either rubbing on the crankshaft bolts or bottomed out on the splines on the input shaft.

Grigg

If the transmission is slightly misaligned with the bellhousing the clutch disc will drag the flywheel even with the pedal fully depressed. This causes the synchronizers to be difficult to move. Going to reverse will cause at least a slight grind, since the reverse gear is not synchronized. Did it shift OK before the new clutch was installed? Also, I hope you changed the pilot bushing in the end of the crankshaft. A worn pilot bushing will let the front of the transmission shaft wobble enough to set up a drag situation on the flywheel. It would be more likely to happen with a new disc with minimum clearance when released.
Jerry

Yes, it did shift okay before I installed the new pressure plate & clutch disc.
I borrowed a friend of mine bushing puller tool, and I had a heck of a time "trying" to get it out. So, I left the bushing in, as it didn't look worn or old. And greased it good inside the hole. Now the old/used pressure plate and I did buy a new clutch disc and release bearing...back in 1980. And that stuff is discarded with all new parts now. And I hardly drove the truck at all since then. A little in 1981, 1982, some in 1983-84. Then it sat until 1992. And my girlfriend got on my about get that truck out and drive it. And just around 200 or 300 miles. Then again in 2003...but just a couple of short runs, and thats really the last time that I drove it.

Just a note: The truck is up on blocks in my garage, and hasn't moved since 2003. It does shift into 3rd and 4th easier than 1st and 2nd. And Reverse does make a slight grinding. Maybe I need to let it off the blocks and down onto the concrete floor, huh? Right now, I'm cleaning the inside of the bed out with some boxes of clothes and such. Getting ready to drop in down on the floor and back it out...and start driving it again. At least for awhile. It needs to be driven. I've only got about 4 or 5,000 miles on the 350 engine, or less...since early 1982.

I thankyou very much for your knowledge on this subject. JEFF

Like Paul Harvey says- - - - -"The rest of the story"! No wonder you're having problems! The clutch disc has probably rusted to the flywheel a little, and as soon as you start getting some driving load on it, the problem will clear up. It won't take long to shine up the mating surfaces so the clutch disc can stop dragging on the flywheel and the pressure plate.

The next time you need to remove a pilot bushing, use a 5/8" tap and thread the hole in the bronze bushing, then screw a bolt into it. When it bottoms out, keep turning and the bolt threads will force the bushing out.
Jerry

The bolt used as a puller reminds me about 50 years ago there was a trade magazine that published a column of "ship tips" and paid the submitter $5 for the ones published. I remember being angry because it was common practice and I could have been the guy who got $5. Clutches do rust to the flywheel. Sometimes to the point you have to pull them out.

Remember the old Motor Magazine cartoon strip, "Sherlock McCanick and Mike"? The old codger and the young trainee got into some pretty good discussions, and Sherlock always bailed the youngster out of a jam!
Jerry

I'll bet there's a bur on the pilot bushing and the input shaft is spinning because of it, causing grinding in the non-sychronized gears. It's gonna have to come back out I would think,
Scott

bad pilot bushing sounds likely, but I would take it for a drive first, as it could also be surface rust on the clutch.

When you get to removing the pilot bushing I like the tap and bolt method for that size. Some folks like to pack it full of grease or wet tissue paper, then with a hammer and a bar or dowel that just fits in the bushing you can drive the bushing out by driving the bar in, a very simple and crude hydraulic jack.

Grigg

Jeff,
If you have to take it back apart, I would clean out that grease that you mentioned you greased up the pilot bushing with. That can liquify and spread onto the pressure plate and clutch disc surfaces, which you don't want. The pilot bushing doesn't need any grease.
Samantha

I would adjust the free play out a little so the TO brg is just away from the springs. Then drive it around a little. After it wears down the surface rust & high spots on the new disc readjust the linkage to the proper setting.

I just recently had the flywheel turned (early July '08) and installed a new pressure plate, clutch disc and release bearing, all in early July (last month).
And thats when I noticed the "Hard to get into gear" problem. I then took it all apart...again, for the 2nd time around. Oh, and I didn't put a lot of white lithium grease into the pilot bushing hole. Slightly lubed it a bit. And when I put the transmission in, it seemed like it went in easier than the first time. And I also tightened up the 4-speed linkage set-up, with spacers, etc. I haven't started it up, again. But I'll soon find out if its the same as the first time. Cleaning stuff out of the bed. Boxes of clothes, etc. But everything is "ALL NEW." Had the flywheel turned about a month ago. Just wanted to say that method of removing the pilot bushing is a slick "Remove and Replace." And hopefully when I start it up, and off the blocks...that everything is working good this time I might add. I've never had that problem before...ever. Thankyou, "ALL" for the help. I'll get back to ya! JEFF

Well, I adjusted the free pedal play to where the release bearing was just touching the fingers. Then I drove it around a bit...then the shifting was easier. And I then re-adjusted the pedal play to specs..........Thanks folks! JEFF

I bought an 86 Chevy half ton with a blown up 4.3 V6. A friend wanted the V6 so he made me a good deal on the rest of the pickup. I pieced together a 350 over time and towed the pickup to my folk's house in Norton (130 miles away) to install my new engine. Other than being pretty cold in the unheated garage, the install went pretty good--even the exhaust pipes fit perfectly. We got the engine running on the second weekend I was able to work on the pickup and things were going great until I went to put it in reverse. Nothing but grinding gears--same thing going forward. I WAS MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad and I got the pickup rolled out into the street and I was able to get it started in gear. I had to 'float the gears' to get out on the highway where I could fully depress the clutch pedal and jam on the brakes to get the clutch broke loose. It took a couple attempts and once I got it broke loose I slipped it a little and rechecked the free travel. It worked perfectly after that.