OK, wtf is wrong with my clutch?

[HI WINDING MONZA]

Not sure on the pressure plate pic, looks like its already depressed ,but then I dont know that system or that weird throwout bearing setup.

Doug in Az

[ColinOpseth]

Doug,
The LT1 T56 used a pull-type clutch. It was a one-generation thing. Yes. It's weird, lol.

I'll take all the parts off and see how they fit, this evening. I'm also going to see if there's any sign of movement of the clutch disk. I know that one side is different than the other. I suppose it's possible I installed it backwards, but unlikely.

I received the transmission in the condition it is right now. I had no idea that the splines had to be so clean. Talk about finicky. I'll post more pics tonight after I finish pulling it all apart.

[Len]

HI Colin
Sorry had a dinner date .
Thanks for the pics they do tell a lot. I dont see any bent fingers but I do see a lot of grease on the inside of the to bearing and it appears that the input splines have been grease where the disc rides. Did you grease the splines prior to install ?
IMO the vid shows that your hyro is working fine along with the marks on the collar. Ck the disc to see if some grease got on it and the input spline are free of grease along with the disc splines and burs as suggested prior. And keep posting pics it all helps us to see and think.
Len

[ColinOpseth]

OK, so I may have made a mistake? No grease on the splines whatsoever? Just clean, bare metal? This is my first clutch install and I used a write-up that may have been written poorly. I'm only ripping apart the stuff tonight. Tomorrow I'll reinstall.

[HI WINDING MONZA]

Colin ,make sure that the very end tip of the tranny that goes in your pilot bushing/bearing is clean also.

Doug in Az

[HI WINDING MONZA]

OK, so I may have made a mistake? No grease on the splines whatsoever? Just clean, bare metal? This is my first clutch install and I used a write-up that may have been written poorly. I'm only ripping apart the stuff tonight. Tomorrow I'll reinstall.

Clean first then a light grease , and use a light type grease not a thick one. Wipe off any excess on the splines as this will get on your disc if too much . The right amount should leave grease in the inner groves of the splines only .

The collar and tip of trans should use a light grease also, but not caked on either.

Doug in Az

[Len]

No worries just be sure the disc friction material has no grease on it either on either side if so, clean with brake clean. real good. Along with the flywheel and pressure plate . if there is a lot you may want to consider a new disc.
IMO no grease on the spines it just attracts dust and eventually will cause a thick mud that will cause the disc to bind on the input splines.
Len

[ColinOpseth]

Hang tight. Downloading pictures from my camera right now.

[ColinOpseth]

OK... Got it all apart. The very light surface rust is the remnants of when he cut my flywheel. He said that it would clear up during clutch break-in. The clutch pilot bushing is new. You can see a bit of grease in there remaining from when I installed and greased it. On the pressure plate you can see that the throwout bearing has been making contact. When I looked at the clutch disk and pressure plate, the clutch disk was firmly pressed against the flywheel. It did not stick in any way when I removed the pressure plate. In fact, they both slid off as a pair but weren't stuck to each other in any way. There is no appearance of any sticking or impressions of the clutch disk on either the flywheel or pressure plate, something I'd expect to see transferred if the clutch disk was sticking. The clutch disk is also clean on both sides with no grease or grime anywhere on it.

I did take a picture of the clutch disk from the side. It is a Valero unit (as is the pressure plate). You can clearly make out the "engine side" stamp in the metal. Is that the correct side facing the engine? All bolts were tight and about the same tightness, as I'd torqued them when I bolted the unit in. Hi-res images are available on request. These are about 1/2 the size of the originals.

[72 SS PNL]

i use anti-seize on the splines , since its the VD of auto world , it keeps giving , just a very light coat is all that is needed

yes clean up the rust on the input shaft and collar where the t/o bearing rides , just a scotch brite pad will be good with some pb rust buster , and id scuff the flywheel and pressure plate surface with a dry pad

other wise i dont see anything bad

[ColinOpseth]

Do you think that bit of rust prevented the TO bearing from moving forward and disengaging the clutch?

Also, should the springs be facing the engine like I had it installed?

[72 SS PNL]

the disk will only fit 1 way EASILY , and i believe its correct

run the t/o bearing over the slide and see how it feels , its possible something got in there and bound it up , but cleaner is better

[283vega]

ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE APLYING THE FORCE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? IT APPEARS THE TO BEARING NEEDS TO BE PULLED AWAY FROM THE ENGINE TO DIS ENGAUGE THE CLUTCH WHEN YOU APPLY THE CLUTCH IS THAT THE DIRECTION THINGS ARE MOVING IN? JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

[Bob Gumm]

ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE APLYING THE FORCE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? IT APPEARS THE TO BEARING NEEDS TO BE PULLED AWAY FROM THE ENGINE TO DIS ENGAUGE THE CLUTCH WHEN YOU APPLY THE CLUTCH IS THAT THE DIRECTION THINGS ARE MOVING IN? JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

Actually, because of the fulcrum, when the arm is pushed forward at the slave the other end of the arm is moving towards the rear. As this system is unique I'm unfamiliar with how this particular design is supposed to work. However, simply because the T.O. bearing appears to be attached to the clutch (pressure plate) it would make sense that it is designed to "pull" the fingers rearward, not push them forward. On a conventional pressure plate the fingers are pushed forward pivoting on a fulcrum within the pressure plate housing causing the clutch surface to move rearward away from the disc allowing it to slip.

A quick tip on determining which way your T.O. Bearing should be moving when disengaging is to observe the fingers of the pressure plate while it is being tightened. If they move forward while tightening then they must be pushed forward to disengage and vice-versa.

Colin, was arm engaged into the T.O. bearing? By the looks of the pictures it has been, but if you're like me constantly installing, testing, removing, reinstalling it's possible that on the last install that the two weren't engaged and that would definitely cause a problem. Not that the pivot point on the arm is slotted. This is so the arm can be slid outward, transmission bolted up and then arm slid in so that it engages the T.O. Bearing. I believe the problem could be that the clutch arm was not between the T.O. bearing ribs meaning when the arm was moving it wasn't taking the T.O. Bearing with it.

[ColinOpseth]

ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE APLYING THE FORCE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? IT APPEARS THE TO BEARING NEEDS TO BE PULLED AWAY FROM THE ENGINE TO DIS ENGAUGE THE CLUTCH WHEN YOU APPLY THE CLUTCH IS THAT THE DIRECTION THINGS ARE MOVING IN? JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

Yep. I am using an LT1 Tremec six-speed (T56) and it is a pull-style clutch. It was only used for a few years. The clutch slave cylinder pushes on the clutch fork, which in turn pulls back on the pressure plate.