Clutch problems

shagginwagen · #1 08-14-2003, 03:05 PM

Hey guys,
I'm a new guy here so bear with me. I've got a 1993 300 straight 6. About 150,000 miles on it. I just put a new clutch kit in. Now I am getting a lot of chatter from the clutch with the pedal pressed. Also when i get over 55 m.p.h. I get a bad vibration from what feels like the transmission. I dont want to pull the tranny again but I know thats what its gonna come to. Not sure what to look for when i get it out.

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F Dragon · #2 08-15-2003, 12:57 AM

The first suspect would be the clutch, assuming nothing like this was happening before. Inspect it for missing/broken parts. Was it a name brand, or a parts counter part? I remember when I believed that if I bought it from the store, it was new- not always so. Alot of them are remanufactured,and from what I have seen, I'd say they're garbage! I went through 3 on my old firebird before going centerforce: the first one chucked a spring from the disk, the second one ended up with bent fingers, and the third just wouldn't hold. When the clutch went on my 85 150 (300 six, 4x), I went with centerforce and couldn't believe how easily, smoothly, and powerfully it worked.
Just something to keep in mind if that replacement exploded...

97 XLT 4X4,4.2L · #3 08-15-2003, 11:24 AM

You're getting chatter with the clutch all the way to the floor? Yeah, you're going to have to pull that tranny and see whats going on in there. Maybe the clutch assembly isn't allighned properly? As for the vibration on the highway, my guess would be a loose tranny bolt. Good luck with it.

shagginwagen · #4 08-18-2003, 02:14 PM

thanks for the help guys. yeah, it was a parts store clutch. I think the alignment is my problem. As far as the vibration, it acts like a u-joint, but by coincidence it started happening when i put the new clutch in. i'm gonna tear into it this weekend i'll let ya'll know what the diagnosis is.

wamsleyb · #5 08-18-2003, 04:22 PM

chatter with the pedal depressed:
loose or damaged pressure plate, and clutch and/ or throw-out bearing

Vibration:
Misaligned clutch, loose pressure plate, driveshaft clock- re-clock your driveshaft when putting it back in ( mark where it is now and upon re-installing twist it 180 degrees and install it. Some drivelines are happy put together one way and when you disturburb them, they vibrate)

Follow the recommendations already outlined, Get a name brand clutch and pressure plate that you know is NEW.
Get a clutch alignment tool, they are cheap and make quick work of the install. Get a new throw-out bearing (if you did not) and re-clock your driveshaft and see how it goes.
One other thing, make sure that you do not get any grease on the flywheel, clutch, or pressure plate. Otherwise you will get a chatter when the clutch is released. If you do get it greasy, use some brake-klean or similar spray solvents to clean the disc areas.

Hope that helps,
Brian