NOT Amazing

[FordGuy100]

Justin when you get it completely out let me know. I can come look at it for you,also I can get you a NEW clutch at a good price. I dont use rebuilds unless the friction shop does them, I have had to change too many under warranty, meaning I ate the labor the second time. . Stick with the old truck, your grandpa wore out the clutch not you. Is the challenger hot rodded???

I'll let you know then . Hopefully it is just the clutch....but like others have said I should have been able to make it home without the clutch. It did turn over in gear with the clutch peddle to the floor...just not enough oomph to start it up (crank.......crank.....................crank..........nothing).

I dont remember talking about the challenger in this thread ......but yes it is. Its a 1970 Dodge Challenger SE (with electric windows, and locks, A/C all that sort of plush stuff for the time), 383 2bbl, 727 torqueflite column shift tranny. He switched the column shifter to the slapstick style shifter (in between the seats). Edelbrock intake manifold with carter 670cfm 4bbl. Had a cam in it, dont know what kind. He worked in a machine shop so he went through the heads.....had it bored to put in 440 pistons to make it a 396 cubic inchs. Rotating assembly balanced and everything. Main web girdle. Thats all that coming to me right now. So he knows what its like to want to "hot rod" something.

 

[towcat]

My parents are wanting to go in with me on a OBS PSD.....all they said they want from me is $3000......it is really really tempting guys, let me tell yeah. Only thing holding me back is the fact that I pretty much know they wont let me mod it, from all the crap I've gotten about "hot rodding" my truck and now its "falling apart, and breaking down."

you wouldn't be able to stand not modding a OBS PSD.
My company ride is a '97 OBS. It is a SLUG.
You think you have problems now....wait 'till you started playing around with PSD's...you'll be wishing for the old IDI days when the parts prices start hitting.

 

[FordGuy100]

you wouldn't be able to stand not modding a OBS PSD.
My company ride is a '97 OBS. It is a SLUG.
You think you have problems now....wait 'till you started playing around with PSD's...you'll be wishing for the old IDI days when the parts prices start hitting.

I know man...I know. I doubt I do it, and I think they have changed their minds anyway.

 

[RLDSL]

I dont use rebuilds unless the friction shop does them, I have had to change too many under warranty, meaning I ate the labor the second time.

Ft Wayne Clutch IS THE friction shop,Probably the best custom clutch rebuilder in the country.
30 years ago you could go into Napa and pick up a decent rebuilt clutch, that would last darn near as long ( or longer )as a new unit for most american applications, but these days, I imagine they have gone downhill in quality the same as all their other rebuilds , but the quality and workmanship on the Ft Wayne rebuild I bought, put most new clutches to shame. I had a nice long conversation with them there. They do all the work in house,and they can build them up custom for any application. They specialize in rebuilding antique and obsolete clutches that no one else will touch.

Nothing to be scared of on those units. I pull over 10k with mine, no problems. When my engine screwed up after 5000 miles, I er *got to * visually inspect the thing after some hard running, still looked like the day i put it in.

 

[92F350CC]

Ah, brings back memories. Cruising around town with my buddies, about 1 am one night back in high school. While playing cat and mouse with a car full of girls, I pulled over into a park to let one of my tender-stomached friends get out and puke(Had recently gone through chemo), and when I went to leave, the car would rev really high, but not hardly move at all. Called home(mistake), my folks refused to come help me. After a few hours of trying to get people to give me a ride, only to get trash thrown at me, I ended up having to just try and drive it the way it was. Took a long time, but it finally crawled into the driveway. The next morning, I had it towed into a garage, and the prompt diagnosis was a burnt up clutch. They replaced that, the throw-out bearing, and resurfaced the flywheel for a grand total of $500, which hurt for a high schooler working at a fast-food joint. The worst part was the embarrassment at school the next week. I grew up in a town of less than 3,000. Everybody had heard about it within an hour of it happening. My firebird was easily the most recognizable vehicle in town.

 

[david85]

Funny thing is even though both my trucks have had their nasty bouts with gremlins, none of them ever failed to bring me or family members back home. I guess we have an understanding; I take care of them and they take care of me.

I've never had a situation of a failure in one moment, theres always warning signs of some sort that lead up to the breakdown if its going to happen. People you can ignore, but listen when your truck is trying to tell you something. Maybe I've just been lucky that way (or senile ).

So how bad is it, Justin?

 

[FordGuy100]

Funny thing is even though both my trucks have had their nasty bouts with gremlins, none of them ever failed to bring me or family members back home. I guess we have an understanding; I take care of them and they take care of me.

I've never had a situation of a failure in one moment, theres always warning signs of some sort that lead up to the breakdown if its going to happen. People you can ignore, but listen when your truck is trying to tell you something. Maybe I've just been lucky that way (or senile ).

So how bad is it, Justin?

Yeah, this was the first time it let me down and actually left me stranded. I've had the clutch master cylinder go out, so I had to float gears to get home. The brakes need to be bleed bad, cause I have to pump it sometimes. Turbo's gone and crapped out on me, made it home. This time I tried getting it to go, but it wouldnt, so oh well. My grandfather actually got ahold of my mother and told her straight up that the clutch was redone in 02, and it wasnt ever done right, you could tell (shakes been when slipping the clutch). So that was kinda cool .

So other than the 6 years of the same clutch engagment issues, there was no real warning. One weird pop of out gear a mile before hand, but I didnt think twice because of it. Just all of the sudden kaboom is all.

I've been working lately, almost got the tranny pulled the other day, except that damn tranny crossmember is throwing me fits. I tell you pulling a tranny is worse than installing a turbo. My hands and arms are so dang cut up from getting out the top 2 bolts, its not even funny, all those dang cut off zip ties are sharp up there . I'm working Sunday as well, so it will be a while before I can tell you if all is good or not.

 

[david85]

Took me a little while to get my E4OD to work right and had to install and remove it a few times. Its not cool, and yeah, those top two bolts are a real *****. U joint, 20" worth of spliced extentions, and a lot of patience (a full vocabulary will also work).

Did a SMF conversion a few months ago on a 1995 powerstroke, and it wasn't much better.

Not sure how the cross member is on yours, but in both my cases, I jacked the transmission up untill it was just touching the floor and that gave me just enough room to sneak the crossmember bast the bolt studs from the transmission mount. Then used a couple of jacks along with a good variety of blocks, spacers and jack stands to lower it carefully. Getting it back in will be even more fun. At least you won't have ant torque converter bolts to worry about.

 

[Diesel JD]

The tranny crossmember bolts are a huge pain, worst thing is if you round them off then you have a headache on your hands. Dad and I did that when we pulled the T18 in my truck from the donor F150 in the junkyard. Everything else was really pretty easy. I unbolted the trans from the bellhousing first but since you have to do your clutch that bell has to come out anyway. That one stayed right where it was since a 302/300 bellhousing does nothing for a diesel. I still think it might be easier to get at those bolts without the trans in the way. Did you get those injector lines from me yet? They said two days? Let me know when you do get them,
JD

 

[FordGuy100]

The tranny crossmember bolts are a huge pain, worst thing is if you round them off then you have a headache on your hands. Dad and I did that when we pulled the T18 in my truck from the donor F150 in the junkyard. Everything else was really pretty easy. I unbolted the trans from the bellhousing first but since you have to do your clutch that bell has to come out anyway. That one stayed right where it was since a 302/300 bellhousing does nothing for a diesel. I still think it might be easier to get at those bolts without the trans in the way. Did you get those injector lines from me yet? They said two days? Let me know when you do get them,
JD

Yeah, they are a huge pain. Its the cross member support things that come off the top of the frame rails that is throwing me a curve ball. I'll get it eventually.

Nope, havent got them yet...thats all good I think I'm working Sunday anyways.

 

[subway]

for bell housing bolts long extensions are your friend! just sit at the back of the tranny and feed them up through. i have even drilled 1" access holes in the floor for some and just poped a body plug in afterward.

a four wheeler with a chain helped pull back a stubborn crossmember on a junk truck. it could be done more carfully with a come along though.

 

[icanfixall]

About those cut off ends on the zip ties.... Either leave them long or use a bic lighter and melt just the sharps. It works for me.... I hate getting all cut up trying to get things done... These trucks are really smooth around the metal flanges compared to a V12 Jag sedan... The wife had one and I learned what a pos it was to keep it running and not bleed so much... Damn english cars... Just sharp as hell everywhere....