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clutch went out....


shyfty

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so, I'm cruising along until I get to one of those stop lights things(damn things...don't they know that Zeds were made to go? ). It's my turn to go, I attempt to shift into first, but it won't go. none of the gears will. I push the car off to the side of the road and do a quick checkover. I couldn't find anything externally: the pedal linkage is good, there's fluid in the reservoir (but, I checked the whole line anyway...no leaks) and I checked the slave cylinder. I only had enough time to have it towed home before I had to be at work, so I haven't had time to look at it yet. so, when I get started tomorrow, what should I be checking and how? a note about the slave cylinder: I really am new to this clutch thing, but the pushrod was looser than I figured it should be. I could pull it in and out quite easily, and it could jiggle side-to-side a bit, too.

anyway, I think I'm something like the 3rd owner, with 157k, it doesn't look like anythin has been replaced. any suggestions while it's out of service and I have $1k to put into the car?

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oh, I didn't mention before that it's an early '74, if that helps any...

finally got to it this afternoon. the entire hydraulic system checks out okay. so, my next assumption is internal. I do have a lead on that: the clutch fork can be easily moved back and forth. pulling the tranny, I see...

could someone tell me 1. what this problem is (did it disconnect from the pilot bearing....is it prone to do that? my dad used to tell me stories of the clutch going out every once in a while on his 280....) and 2. while it's out, should I have anything replaced, the tranny rebuilt (for good measure....and maybe for the 3rd being a little rough on this 4-speed). what kind of price should I be expecting for someone to do this for me? or...I also have 5-speed with maybe 40k on it. should I just swap that in instead? thanks.

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Sounds like you have to pull the tranny to find out but it sounds to me like the throwout bearing "disapeared" if you have that much play, the only other thing I can think of is broken fingers on the pressure plate.

Since you'll have it apart I'd think about clutch and pressure plate and a new throw out bearing. I'd probably throw in the 5 speed, no use doing everything twice. Hey and since you have it apart now would be a great time to put on an aluminum flywheel :)

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I finally got the transmission off last night. man, what a bear it was to get the echaust lead pipe off. I eventually didn't (one rusted bolt wouldn't come off) so I had to work round it.

anyway, so I had a friend help me pull the transmission. he's a Jeep guy, but I figured that the same basic prinicples apply to all clutches, and he has the experience around here pulling his four or five times.

Originally posted by LanceM

it sounds to me like the throwout bearing "disapeared" if you have that much play

well, I don't know what you mean by that, Lance, because the clutch fork/release bearing/pilot bearing assembly is all there. my friend's idea is that the pressure plate is at fault. he thinks the fingers aren't sticking out enough. I've attatched a picture of this. what do you guys think?

post-4465-14150792896583_thumb.jpg

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Can't say for sure but the fingers look ok to me, what usually happens is they break off, they all look there and even. Since you have it out I'd take it to a clutch shop and have them check it out, maybe the springs are just tired.

What I ment by the throw out bearing "dissappearing" is sometimes they wear out and actually break up ending up in the bottom of the housing. They usually make a hell of a lot of noise for a long time before that happens, but since your's is there and intact it wasn't causing the problem.

Is the clutch disk good?

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While your there---when the flywheel is removed you will see a rubber doughnut type seal.That is the rear end of the crankshaft.You won't get a better time to replace it.If it leaks it can waste your new clutch.Pop it out ,pop in the new.One also lives at the front/ rear of the tranny and is just as easy to replace.

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my pre-removal thinking was bringing up ideas on a lighter flywheel. I had been eying that aluminum one, but $500 is just too much. searching some more, I came across some "flywheel lightening" threads. "hey, this could work." I started calling some places around town....but no one seems to know what I'm talking about. is there another name/term for this?

how about the clutch itself, with the lighter flywheel, but it still being stock, would I still need to buy a better clutch?

if I keep regular, I probably will end up replacing the whole clutch assembly since it's off. I got a price on an Advance Auto clutch kit: $99. anyone against that/them? ("them" being I will never buy another starter from them:stupid: )

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An alumimun flywheel is sure the way to go if you can afford it, they say that every pound off the flywheel is like taking ten pounds off the car, or something like that.

I love the way it will rev with a light flywheel, if nothing else is sure sounds cool :)

You won't need a heaver clutch with a lightend flywheel, but I have no opinion on theirs. You might want to check and see if there is a clutch rebuilder in your area, they are farily common, and have them rebuild your old clutch. Usually it is cheaper than buying new from an auto parts store, which is probably rebuilt anyway, and you've got a local guy to bitch to if it isn't right.

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  • 1 year later...

I have the trubo flywheel and clutch from Arizona Zcar and love them. The F/W weighs 13.5 LBS, I did not want to go too light. After driving the 13.5 LBS one for a year I'm sure the 11.5 LBS non turbo would work fine though. I paid $450 for the whole thing, clutch and F/W. I have always heard not to lighten a factory flywheel for safety reasons. I once got reamed for saying that on another Z site and was asked to provide evidence showing they are not safe. I can not provide any evidence but the fly wheel I took off the car had been lightened and was heavier by 4 lbs and very thin in areas compared to the AZC F/W. Turns out the guy that was having problems with what i said ran a garage and offered to lighten factory F/W for Z cars.

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