Vibration around 1400 rpms

[sjrtx]

You need the dowels on the flywheel, but you also need the dowels that are in the back of the block that align the bellhousing-which are most likely there. They are what aligns the tranny with the block. As far as the crankshaft/input shaft misalignment, that usually happens after someone align hones a block, and the crank moves upward.

The alignment tool you're describing is for aligning the clutch disk while tightening down the pressure plate, so its centered with the pilot bearing. The input shaft is straight(obviously) so if your clutch and pilot bearing are off centered, your going to have a heck of a time trying to get that tranny in there.

The alignment dowels on the flywheel are for centering the pressure plate. There is too much free space in the bolt holes, so it would be very easy to get the pressure plate off centered. Even a few thousandths offset could cause some vibrations. If you really didnt use the flywheel dowels, I would look into that.

 

[pumm3l]

I'm positive the alignment dowels on the block for the bellhousing were there. I'm goning to take everything apart this following weekend and take a look, that clutch alignment tool makes much more sense the way it was designed when you describe how to actually use it heh. After you use the flywheel/pressure plate alignment dowels do you generally remove them after you tighten everything up? because I don't recall seeing any on the old clutch when i removed the trans from my old engine.

Also when you mentioned about the input shaft and crank shaft becomes misaligned after align honing the block, what does honing mean?

Thanks for all the help.

 

[sjrtx]

Align honing is when they hone the mains in the block, the end result is the crank moving upwards. This is normally done if the block has a spun main bearing.

You cant take the alignment dowels out once you torque the clutch on. They are supposed to be there and stay there. If you didnt see them before, then that means you either didnt notice them or someone didnt put them in. Youll notice that the dowels fit very tight with the dowel holes in the pressure plate- there is a reason for that, and its to keep the pressure plate perfectly centered and not allow it to shift. You'll also notice that the pressure plate bolts are not that tight in the bolt holes. Theres no way to precisely center that clutch without the dowels, so the end result is a weight imbalance.

 

[trinity_gt]

Just got mine back from the shop. They skimmed another thou or two off the flywheel and installed a second new clutch and now the vibration is gone completely. The trans guy supposes the original replacement may have had a defect causing a slight imbalance.

Just glad it's gone and she's back to normal (if not better than original...)

 

[pumm3l]

The trans guy supposes the original replacement may have had a defect causing a slight imbalance.

He's thinking the clutch had the imblanace? is that your stock flywheel that they shaved a bit off?

I'm ordering those alignment dowels and I'll try to throw those on, if that don't work I'm going to order a new flywheel and see what happens from there. Hopefully I don't need a new clutch these parts only have a few thousand miles on em.

 

[sjrtx]

are your ordering the FRPP 10.5" clutch bolt kit? That comes with the 3 dowels. just remember that 10.5" dowels are different and not interchangible with 11" bolt pattern dowels.

 

[pumm3l]

are your ordering the FRPP 10.5" clutch bolt kit? That comes with the 3 dowels. just remember that 10.5" dowels are different and not interchangible with 11" bolt pattern dowels.

Yes that's the one. I'm aware they won't work with the 11" which doesn't apply in this case because even though I'm using a 2002 engine I'm still using my t45 tranny which uses the 10.5" clutch.

 

[Mike97gt]

I was ready though the posts here and I read that you tested the harmonic balancer for this problem by removing it from the car and then running it and the noise is still there.. well one problem..

thats a ineffective test.. taking it off would not change the noise if the balancer was shot.. a bad balancer could act just like no balancer..

When you installed the clutch/flywheel did you tourqe the bolts to spec or did you just gun them in? also when tightening down the presure plate did you do each bolt in correct order a little at a time or did you run one all the way in then go on to the next?

 

[pumm3l]

I was ready though the posts here and I read that you tested the harmonic balancer for this problem by removing it from the car and then running it and the noise is still there.. well one problem..

thats a ineffective test.. taking it off would not change the noise if the balancer was shot.. a bad balancer could act just like no balancer..

When you installed the clutch/flywheel did you tourqe the bolts to spec or did you just gun them in? also when tightening down the presure plate did you do each bolt in correct order a little at a time or did you run one all the way in then go on to the next?

yup I torqued the clutch/flywheel to spec and as for the pressure plate bolts, I tightened them all evenly starting with the top and moving to the next in a circular motion like the instrucions stated, then I torqued those as well.

that's an interesting point with the harmonic balancer I never thought of that probably because I'm using the same crank pulley from my old engine and didn't have this issue so if retorqueing and adding in these alignment dowels doesn't work before I buy a new flywheel i'll add back on my old pulleys and try that.

 

[Mike97gt]

Yeah it's worth a shot at this point.. You already did the motor mounts so we know those are good

 

[COramprat]

I've had a light vibration since my clutch swap also. Not really RPM related as it is MPH. Very light at 60 and again at 120...my trap speed in the 1/4. ...

Anyway, I also smell clutch every so often...less since my tranny mount was swapped but I think I have something out of whack too. Did you notice burning clutch at any time?

 

[trinity_gt]

He's thinking the clutch had the imblanace? is that your stock flywheel that they shaved a bit off?

To be truthful that's what he said but I don't know if that's what he actually found. If he found, for instance that, after machining the flywheel, they neglected to re-install the dowels he probably wouldn't tell me that. It's easier to blame a 3rd party like Luk (maker of the clutch) than to admit you personally messed up.

But yes, the car still has the factory flywheel. I was told that the friction surface was milled for the first install and, for probably just to cover all bases when they had it apart the second time, milled again for the second one. Seeing as how the car had maybe 10 miles on it after the first resurfacing, I'm going to assume they took off 0.001" the second time around. At least I hope that's all they took off.

 

[pumm3l]

I've had a light vibration since my clutch swap also. Not really RPM related as it is MPH. Very light at 60 and again at 120...my trap speed in the 1/4. ...

Anyway, I also smell clutch every so often...less since my tranny mount was swapped but I think I have something out of whack too. Did you notice burning clutch at any time?

nope no burning clutch here, and that king cobra clutch really stinks so you'd definitly know heh.

 

[pumm3l]

damnit anyone know where I can get the clutch disc alignment tool before the weekend? Autozone, pep boys, and advanced auto parts don't carry it. I know summit and partsamerica.com do but I doubt they can get it here before the weekend, I got the dowels and wanna try to get them in before the weekend. I stepped on my last one and broke it by accident last time =\ damn plastic

 

[sjrtx]

you got an Oreilly?

Edit: Oreilly's website says theres none close to you.

However, Advance Auto Parts shows one. They should probably be able to get one from the warehouse same or next day...

see if this link works: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=CFO&mfrpartnumber=52010&parttype=467&ptset=A

 

[pumm3l]

you got an Oreilly?

Edit: Oreilly's website says theres none close to you.

However, Advance Auto Parts shows one. They should probably be able to get one from the warehouse same or next day...

see if this link works: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=CFO&mfrpartnumber=52010&parttype=467&ptset=A

thanks but i just called advanced they don't even carry the part in store you gotta order it online.

 

[pumm3l]

so here's the update:

pulled the transmission off, first off how the F are you supposed to get the alignment dowels in the flywheel? I had to like almost hammer it in and it barley even seated itself but upon hammering it in I decided to check out the pressure plate and noticed that the alignment holes on the flywheel did NOT match the alignment holes on the pressure plate??? I rotated the pressure plate around thinking mabye the pressure plate bolted up at a certain point and no matter which holes I used the alignment dowels were off about 1/8" I guess that's what I get for going cheap generic flywheel when I replaced it back in Nov. upon inspection it also showed the clutch disc wearing unevenly, so that I don't have the pleasure of feeling what a nice full tranny falling on your chest feels like AGAIN I'm going to replace everything so I dont have to get in there for awhile. This time I'm goin with all ford parts.

 

[sjrtx]

Well if your going to do that, get you a new stock flywheel and a FRPP king cobra clutch.

It does take some hammering to get the dowels in there. I'd do it with the flywheel off, and put something under the backside where your hammering the dowel to support the flywheel (even though its extremely unlikely youll bend it). Use a pair of needle nose to hold the dowel straight, and smack it in with a hammer. You'll know when it stops going in.

Why the bolts and alignment holes are off is beyond me. Is this something you got off ebay? Eitherway, sounds like it was a defective/incorrectly machined part.

 

[pumm3l]

yea what I had before was an excedy ebay flywheel kinda like this but the one I got was a 6 bolt and could accept an 10.5" or 11" clutch and I was using the king cobra clutch with it. I can't go with a stock flywheel though because I'm using a 2002 romeo block with a t45 trans so I need a 6 bolt flywheel that can take a 10.5" clutch, I'm gonna go with the FRPP billet flywheel with the king cobra this time, hopefully this will take care of the vibration issue.'

thanks for the info about the dowels.

 

[sjrtx]

I gotcha. Im also running a dual pattern flywheel. Its a Centerforce brand. Not sure how accurate this is, but the guys at Tommy Vaughn told me they make the FRPP version for Ford.

With all the defective parts from ebay stories ive heard recently, im starting to think people that work at these plants where these parts are made are pulling/paying for the defect parts for pennies and pawning them off on ebay.