I finished up a clutch install on my 1995 Firebird yesterday, Stock T56, stock spec clutch.
Everything is buttoned up and the car is on jackstands. The car behaves like there is no clutch in there.
The car will start with the clutch in but not when the clutch is out (like it should). However, if I go from neutral to 1st with the clutch in, the rear wheels begin to spin as if the clutch isn’t there.
I took off the slave cylinder and checked the clutch fork - it appears that (feels like) it is on the throwout bearing (hard to see but it feels like it). I also ensured that that ball on the end of the slave cylinder rod is in the depression in the clutch fork and it is in there. I also checked the fluid level… What else should I be checking? The resistance on the clutch pedal is about what it should be…
That car needs to put on a trailer to head here on Wednesday:
that should be normal. there is always gonna be some pressure between the clutch and pressure plate. if you have it on the ground it wont move.
even if you have someone out of the car grab the tire it will be enough to stop the tires.
the clutch doenst totally move away from the flywheel when you put in the clutch. it still rubs very very slightly. put it on the ground and drive it for its break in period then go thrash on it. good luck racing it next week.
I am definitely not actuating the clutch with the pedal. This can only mean clutch fork (I wish I could see in there) or hydraulics. I have near-zero patience left. I am about to take a crowbar to the car.
Hmmm, maybe I am missing something here on the clutch fork.
When I removed it from the old TO bearing I just tugged on it and it came off. I assumed that I simply needed to shove it back on there with the new clutch. Is this wrong?
Currently, when it is not connected (I think I am getting it connected) to the TO bearing, it seems to be able to “see saw” around a bolt in the center of the fork. Should be this loose? Is this my fatal flaw?
Ditto…LT1 has the disc installed backwards b/c pull type clutch. Also important to tighten pressure plate bolts to spec (I beleive 85 ft lbs). Take the two bolts off holding the slave cylinder. Have someone push on the clutch pedal while you are pushing the slave cylinder pushrod into the slave. It should have no trouble forcing itself out of the slave. If so, your hydraulics are good.
Did you say SPEC clutch or stock specification clutch?
SPEC is poop. I’m on my 2nd one & not happy. That being said, it should still engage/disengage.
It appears that I screwed myself. The garage confirmed that I did everything right mechanically and the hydraulics were all properly bled and working. However, in trying to gain every advantage available to me in the rulebook, I instructed the machine shop to cut the maximum off the flywheel that would maintain it’s usability. They did (as I told them to do) and instead of taking the customary 10 thousandths, they took 23 thousandths. Apparently this was enough to render the flywheel useless.
Kudos to pewterss to also thinking this were a possibility when I talked to him on the phone on Sunday.
It appears that I will make the National Championships but will have to forgo my practice sessions.
Thanks to all for the input and assistance. It’s time to shut up and race!
I came in 13th out of 24. I ran my personal-best lap in the race. I lost alot of positions missing other people’s wrecks. At one point, I came to a complete stop.
Putting in a new flywheel fixed the clutch problem.
Our run group had 58 cars in it - that is too many cars. There was a meelee at the beginning of the race… Once things settle down and I can watch the in-car from the race as well as the archive of the live announcing, I’ll probably do a little writeup.
Jay - Domination Chassis showed up on all timing and scoring sheets generated at the event since I listed you as my sponsor.
Also, my dad and I ended up in a photoshoot with Grassroots Motorsports Magazine. They are going to do an article on our father/son racing and they took all of the pictures for the article. Most pictures were take of our cars - just a couple of us people - we’re ugly bastards.