The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Clutch question

The clutch in my '60 chatters when starting in 1st gear. It only does it after the truck is warmed up and has been driven for a few miles and it does it really bad on hot day's.

I'm planning to do a clutch job this spring but my question is why does it chatter after warm-up and hot days. Is the pressure plate warped and becomes more so when warm?

Iron Clad

most likely oil contamination, even slight from dirty fingers on assembly - good idea to have pressure plate and flywheel VERY clean when you replace the disc - even have resurfaced if they don't look real good

Bill

Soggy engine mounts can cause clutch chatter , dunno about the temp thing though.

The pilot bearing could cause this also,alway's replace it when doing a clutch.Also I had one with a split driveshaft,it would chatter also.The carrier bearing was bad on that one.Tom

Thanks guys, I will keep an eye out for these potential problems.

Iron Clad

Clutch chatter is the clutch catching and releasing and catching again. The disk is probably oil soaked. Oil gets "sticky" on a clutch when it is hot, so the chatter gets worse. You will have to have the flywheel resurfaced when you do the clutch. It would also be a great time to replace the rear mounts and the pilot bearing, if need be, since you are right there.

If the clutch is oil soaked, You need to find out why, (rear main seal?,) and fix that as well.

best wishes,

Les

Well I hope it's not the rear main. It never uses a drop of oil, the engine was rebuilt about 20,000 miles ago. I guess it wouldn't take much leakage though to make the clutch chatter.

Thanks for the advice, I will check this out as well.

Iron Clad