is this DMF worn?

[Greg5OH]

quick vid, what you think? My clutch thill has .3" total thickness. Doesn't look like it wore at all when I got it used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5hHBjJqICs&list=UUBmnWIfrTi2vMQsade16dJw

 

[laserjock]

I'd say she's about toast but don't take my word for it. I seem to remember there was a procedure and an acceptable amount of rotation. I can't remember what it is for sure, but 5/8" seems to come to mind. I don't get any play really out of mine. I think that's one of the few places I got lucky.

 

[riotwarrior]

Based on my personal...and that's all it is personal experience, that flywheel is done. Not so much from the travel however that's a very big part, but the lack of damping from friction material.

The flywheel should actually take some effort to shift side to side grabbing it and having to move it forcefully as there is friction material similar to clutch disk that assists the dampening of the movement.

IIRC I did a video that demonstrated the differences, could be a teck 101 I don't recall actually. dig u may find it I'm too lazy too...rofl

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I think the max play is 5/8", so you should measure it, but I wouldn't put it back in as it can make too much of a mess if it comes apart.

Have you thought about doing a Lucky Mod? IMHO, I'd Lucky Mod that flywheel before I put it back on with that much play.

 

[Greg5OH]

i figured Ill just get the LuK kit, brand new clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, TOB, pilot bearing, clutch alignment tool, flywheel and pressure plate bolts...367$ with shipping. cant beat that anywhere. I dont want to be pulling the trans in the next 2-3 years after i spent all this time making the truck like new to cheap out now and use a questionable flywheel.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

$367 is a pretty awesome deal for all that

One thing you might want to look at is the kevlar input bearing, I think they are like $40 at Fort Wayne Clutch (maybe?), I also think Calvin might have had a line on some (maybe he was turning them himself?)

Anyhow, it would suck to have one of those needle bearings fail and get pulverized and wreck your day.

Glad to hear you are doing it right with regards to the clutch

 

[riotwarrior]

got kinda doing some youtube stuff...

Here ya go..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJRCV5_LTuY

 

[Bob87]

For what its worth, I'm getting ready to do an E4OD to ZF swap as we speak. I had a similar dilemma. I bought the ZF from a guy and it came with a used DMF and clutch. I think the clutch was recently replaced on the donor truck because it looks pretty new. The DMF isn't as worn as yours Greg5OH. It still takes some effort to overcome the friction between the two pieces and rotate them. However, there is around 3/4-7/8" of rotational play. A friend of mine gave me a new SMF a couple years back so I bought the Luk 07-131 clutch kit from Amazon last night for $181. I really don't want to have to work on the clutch for many many miles from now. The SMF without moving parts seems like an easy decision over the used DMF.

Having said all of that, there are several posts where folks swear by the Lucky mod. Its probably a good way to go as well.

 

[Greg5OH]

thanks Bob. Ive actually been using this flywheel for 2+ years in this condition, tha tis how I received it. Was I driving on borrowed time? maybe..but I was broke back then...(and broke again now because of this build lol), but definitly going witht he Luk solid conversion.

The lucky mod would still require a new sprung clutch, so for a bit more money, i get a new flywheel, bigger clutch, TOB(mine is toast) and input bearing. Now...lets hope this input bearing comes out easier than the old one...that was a BISH! ended up cutting the casing with a carbide bit.

 

[franklin2]

I did the lucky mod. It works well, but it's noisy. The sprung clutch disc is not that expensive, I got mine from Autozone. I have got the noise down to it's lowest level so far. After overfilling with straight 30w(can't shift it in cold weather) and then trying overfilling with 10w-30(better but still very notchy in cold weather) I finally went back to filling it with the proper dexron at the proper level. After it warms up there is almost no noise at idle, just some noise when you are lugging the engine.

But the key to killing the noise in my truck was raising the idle speed. That's why I went back to the normal oil. As the truck was warming up, I could sit at a stoplight and have lots of noise. As the oil in the tranny got warmer the noise would go away, ot seemed to be related to the rpms of the engine. The thinner oil lets the engine idle higher with less effort, and it seems to help the noise even more.

 

[Greg5OH]

i always hear of noise with an SMF. how does this noise sound like? is it very loud and annoying? I guess I will find out for myself soon enough.

 

[ToughOldFord]

Results seem to vary quite a bit. Mine makes no rollover noise at all. Another member here not too long ago went back to the DMF because of the noise the SMF made and all the tricks with different idle speeds and oils didn't help him any. He posted a video and it was horribly noisy, as much as I don't like the DMF I couldn't blame him for going back.

 

[franklin2]

i always hear of noise with an SMF. how does this noise sound like? is it very loud and annoying? I guess I will find out for myself soon enough.

Like was mentioned, it depends solely on your engine, because that is what's causing the noise. Each time the engine fires, it rattles the gears in the tranny. If your engine hits especially hard or erratic, it can be noiser. The DMF is a big shock absorber that isloates the engine from the tranny and makes it quiet.

It can sound like one of those grinders at the quarry that grinds rocks, or it can be a light whirring noise.

 

[ToughOldFord]

Here's that thread I was referring to:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?66977-New-transmission-time/page2

Second video is the one you ought to hear.

 

[ToughOldFord]

Interesting though, I didn't catch before that he solved the problem by trying a different manufacture of SMF conversion kit. Good to know.

Here's that thread I was referring to:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?66977-New-transmission-time/page2

Second video is the one you ought to hear.