[Shotimes] clutch disengagement problem

[Leigh Smith]

One of three possible problems:

A) Clutch has worn into flywheel, resulting in edge of disc dragging 
flywheel for incomplete release. Possible after 80k miles. Thats the 
problem mine had 4 weeks ago. My 94 had 100k miles total, but was on 
second clutch. Centerforce disc with bronze pucks wore into flywheel. 
May depend on if you had the flywheel cut last time or not. Mine 
degenerated to the point where I had to go engine off to go from neutral 
to first.  My fingers were fine. My older 89 SHO went 200K miles on a 
stock ford clutch and always shifted wonderfully, so I don't think the 
Ford clutch is as hard on the flywheel. However your description matched 
my symptoms exactly.

B) Fingers have worn, due to release bearing wear, resulting in less p. 
plate travel than before, and incomplete release. Pretty common. The 
auto adjustor in my 94 wanted to adjust the pedal to grab 1 inch off the 
floor, and leave 1/16in. air gap at cable end when pedal released. It 
sounded horrible cause the bearing was not in full finger contact most 
of the time unless you touched the pedal. This would wear the fingers 
quickly, but sounds like the opposite of your problem because it grabbed 
close to the floor. Once the fingers have worn, you would have a travel 
issue like you describe.

C) Bushings on cross shaft have worn giving less travel than before and 
incomplete release.

All three more likely than bolt working loose.

All problems have the same solution: New clutch, release bearing, 
crossshaft bushings and recut flywheel.

So sorry.
Leigh


David Eberwine wrote:

>My 91 has 80K on the stock ford clutch/pressure plate with stock
>steel-sleeved-spline TOB assembly. I did the work circa 96.  Clutch
>cable was replaced at the same time and pressure/travel appears to be
>fine.  I never keep the clutch extended at stops and I bump the throttle
>to slide it out of 5th gear so there is really minimal use on the
>thing.  The clutch grip is fine.  Full engagement is about an inch from
>the top of pedal travel with about a half inch of movement to create
>slippage (the main slip/engagement window).  Pedal force is fairly
>constant across the full range of pedal travel up to full engagement.
>The problem is that there is a slight engagement in clutch with pedal
>travel all the way to the floor - small but enough that a tach drop is
>visible and it will actually pull the car with the pedal a half inch off
>the floor.  So its like 2.5 inches of ever so slight engagement followed
>by the normal 1/2 inch to full engagement area.  Anyone run across and
>diagnosed this?
>
>Could a bolt have worked out of the pressure plate to flywheel after 7
>years?
>Could the pressure plate have a physical problem with a pressure plate
>finger resulting in continued contact at full extension?
>
>7 years ago I had more time and desire to crawl under the car....
>
>Regards,
>David
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