Major Clutch Issues.

nsweeney86 · Oct 20, 2014

So heres the story. I bought an exedy OEM cluth replacement kit a month or so ago and sunday, i finally found time to replace it. Ive done a few clutches in my day and everything went as expected. Until i tried to drive it.

When i start the car with the clutch pedel to the floor everythings fine. When i let the clutch out, the car bogs down and dies. I jacked the ass end up and it does the same thing. Even in Neutral. Seems almost as if the clutch was stuck to the flywheel or pressure plate and its not releasing from the engine. Ive made sure the quadrant was pulled all the way up and the cable was tight. I cant seem to figure this one out. Lol

hoping someone has had this same issue and can give me some pointers. Its a 1997 gt with the T45 transmission. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

nsweeney86 · Oct 20, 2014

May i add that when the cars not running, i can push it in neutral. But when it is, neutral grabs like its in gear. (Pulls hair out) haha

TeamCaffeineGT · Oct 21, 2014

Sure you got the right clutch kit? The only thing that I can think that would kill the engine is something catching or rubbing on the bell housing, like a larger pressure plate rubbing on the bell housing. I am sure that the pilot shaft would be seated, the trans wouldn't bolt to the engine otherwise. Perhaps the throw out bearing was installed incorrectly, or seized? Any noises coming from the trans? Did it all install smoothly?

Check to make sure you have the T45 and not the T5 OD.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/transmission-tag-identifier.html

This problem has to be something wrong with the clutch. If the car starts with the clutch in then the input shaft is spinning in the transmission. Letting the clutch out in neutral is the same as with the clutch in, only the input shaft is spinning. The only difference is that the friction plate is engaged on the flywheel and pressure plate.

nsweeney86 · Oct 21, 2014

Thank you for your response. Everything bolted in as smoothe as ever. Didnt have to force anything to go into place at all. Before installing i compared all parts with the one that were removed and they looked identical. The clutch disk was slot thinner but i just figured thats cus it was warn. I shined a light into the hole where the shifter fork goes and everything in there was working as sopposed to. The TOB sits about 1/8 inch away from pressure plate when decompressed. Im clueless as to whats goin on. Possible maybe a little loctite got on the disc snd seized to the flywheel? Bout the only thing i can think of. Lol

TeamCaffeineGT · Oct 21, 2014

Guess you'll need to pull it again and take a look at the postmortem! Try turning the input shaft by hand, should spin freely. Again, I don't think it is a trans issue. Has to be something with the clutch!

wmburns · Oct 21, 2014

I would look at the possibility that your problem is actually INSIDE the transmission. For example, two gears engaged at the same time.

It seems to me that the clutch is working because the motor will start with the clutch depressed. This proves that the motor can turn separately from the pressure plate. The problem starts when the pressure plate needs to spin. That's why it seems to me this issue is inside the transmission.

TeamCaffeineGT · Oct 21, 2014

Good Point @wmburns! I totally missed that nsweeney86 said it died in neutral! I thought he said the opposite. YUP! Transmission...perhaps you can unbolt the drive shaft from the trans yoke and attempt to turn the trans by hand, or with a breaker bar to get the bind freed up. You put trans fluid back in it right!? I hate pulling the trans for this reason alone, it is a pain to fill once back in the car!

nsweeney86 · Oct 21, 2014

Hmm. Ill have to look into that after work wmburns. Very good point. Maybe it didnt go on perfectly straight? Maybe crack the tranny bolts lose and see if i can get anywhere? I did put trans fluid back into it. Poured it into the shifter hole till it started dripping from the fill plug if thats how ya do it. Lol really dreading takin the whole thing back apart. Willing to try about anything else tho. Lol

mransr · Oct 21, 2014

maybe the shifter isn't on correctly and neutral isn't neutral?

nsweeney86 · Oct 21, 2014

Thought that at girst to MRANSR. But when the car isnt running and i shift into neutral i can push it. When i try all of the gears it dont push. Only does it when engines running. Lol craziest thing. Jackin it up now

nsweeney86 · Oct 21, 2014

So i jacked the car up. Got the driveshaft and starter off, transmission is loose and i can wiggle it around pretty good. Nothing feels jammed. I cant even spin the crank with a ratchet unless the clutch is pushed in. Ill have transmission back off tomorrow to inspect clutch components. Im betting its the wrong clutch disc or somthing along those lines. Somethings gotta be incorrect in there.

wmburns · Oct 22, 2014

Are you absolutely certain that the transmission and motor are fully mated to each other?

It seems to me that if the problem isn't inside the transmission then the next logical spot is between the friction plate and the transmission input shaft. For example the motor and transmission are not in a straight line.

nsweeney86 · Oct 22, 2014

Im pretty certain. I brokr the trans bolts free end wiggled the trans around to see if it was in a bind and it butted back up to the engine without force. I even tride to move the trans around while someone tried turning the crank. Soon as i push the clutch in tho,it turns. I removed everything last night and broke the trans bolts free. Tonight i will remove trans and inspect clutch components. I will keep you guys posted once i take a look. Truely appreciate the responses.

nsweeney86 · Oct 22, 2014

So it took me 4 hours to get the transmission off of the engine and thats after everything was take off. Lol what happened was the shaft that the throwout bearing slides on and the center of the clutch disk got pressed together. Idk if this is the wrong disk and the center sticks out more than normal. Not making much sense to me lol

nsweeney86 · Oct 22, 2014

Does the center of that clutch disk look like it stick out more than it should? Or is something else goin on?

squeak93 · Oct 23, 2014

Check to make sure you didn't break the tob retainer. They are not the strongest in the earlier t45's and will cause a nasty leak if cracked.

I would guess the wrong clutch disc or it was manufactured incorrectly.

TeamCaffeineGT · Oct 23, 2014

If you flip it around, does the clutch disc have the same amount of spline sticking out? Should be almost flush on the other side and that would face the transmission!

Exedy instructions show the flanged portion of the disc facing the flywheel.

http://www.exedyusa.com/multimedia/specsheets/InstallInstructions.pdf

nsweeney86 · Oct 23, 2014

The flywheel side is completely flat. The side facing transmission sticks out quite a bit. Looking at other kits they dont seem to stick out as far in the center. Rest of the clutch seems fine its just the very center part that the tranny shaft slides into was smashed into the Throwout bearing sleeve(part the bearing slides back and forth on)

squeak93 · Oct 23, 2014

Looking at the pics and comparing with the multiple clutches I've installed the disc is not correct. Either the wrong part or they manufactured it wrong. The sleeve and disc are obviously not supposed to come into contact with each other.

nsweeney86 · Oct 23, 2014

Glad to hear. Was hoping it was a ty disk and nothing major. Anyone have an old clutch laying around that can measure out about how much it stick out? This things upwards of 3/4 of an inch and the ones i seen when i googled it had to be 1/2 inch or less.

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