Lopez

So - my clutch drags. I'm following these instructions to adjust the intermediate plate:
http://www.nichols.nu/tip768.htm

Anyway - I can't get the pressure plate to compress. I have tried both a bar and C clamp on the actuator arm to various other things (bolt threaded in the closest aligning cover hole - that bent the bolt, crowbar wedged behind the bellhousing - that just made the clamps slide) I've got the small bracket/brace that goes perpindicular to the TT and bolts under the exhaust manifold heat shields off the car as well but still no dice. I'm out of ideas.

Anyone know how to do this or what tool to use, and what to brace it against? the car is a '79 manual and there is NO chassis brace there like on later cars - not sure if that would work either, but it's not an option for me.

Lizard928

I have actuated the clutch with it in the car.

remember that the clutch arm moves towards the REAR of the car to disengage the clutch.

I take a LARGE flat head screwdriver and stick it between the pressure plate housing and the clutch release arm and pry it towards the rear of the car.

Holding it there to inspect the gap can take a fair amount of strength though.

Landseer

You can actuate the clutch with a come-along.

But, you need to be careful not to pull too far.

Hook one end under the big aluminum rear crossmember.

Hook the other end on the actuation arm, kind of in the hole that the actuator shaft utilizes.

Crank it up carefully until the lever moves.

Lopez

thanks for those tips! I'll give them a shot. I can't believe I didn't think of the come-along - there's one not 6 feet from the car.

Of course, I've already put the car away for the night now...

Anyhow, I really appreciate the help.

Lopez

Okay - come along thing worked like a charm. But I am not sure what I am looking at. Sorry for the terrible picture but I had to use my camera phone while lying on a creeper with about 3 inches of clearance.

Anyway, the part highlighted in the red box - this is I assume the friction disc that is between the flywheel and the intermediate plate? It looks like 2 discs sandwiched together. If that's true, then I can't see the other friction disc at all, and I can freely move the T adjusters by hand but they spring back to their original position when I try to move them. Am I doing something wrong?

thanks!!!

nosnow

The T-adjusters are suppose to auto set. I believe the continually move forward but cannot adjust backwards. Meaning when you replace the friction disks you have to reset them so they will adjust to the new friction plates.

Were the clutch plates recently replaced? When was the last time a clutch/throwout bearing/pressure plate was installed?

I ask this because on my 82 the throwout bearing housing slowly bent which caused the clutch to drag. If you have the original clutch I suggest taking the clutch packout and looking over all the components. It can save you a set of syncros.

Lopez

this is the original clutch which has 27,000 miles on it. So, it has been in there a very long time, but has very little wear (the lever arm still has a good cm or so before it will appear in the inspection hole) - I'm not really sure what the life expectancy of these clutch discs are, but this one seems like it has a lot of wear left in it.

Lopez

okay - on closer inspection and looking at the plan view in the manual (which would be nice if it had labels) I now am thinking the highlighted friction disc is the REAR disc closest to the torque tube. Anyone disagree with that?

nosnow

At 27K the friction discs are probably good. However, the throwout bearing casing is old and they have a tendancy to fail.

Another spot on dual clutches that cause sticking is the small shaft the clutch pack rides on. Sometimes the clutch disks get stuck due to dirt, rust, old grease....

Lopez

well, I figured out the adjustment - the intermediate plate does move back & forth and stay put - I was initially pushing on the spring-loaded tabs that hold the friction discs in place as they wear. They happen to also be copper colored and T-shaped (like the above-referenced instruction FAQ describes). Anyhow, I tried to take pictures of everything for the sake of mankind but I am not sure they will be much help - I really need a lift to get enough clearance under there to take a decent photo. I'll review them and maybe post them anyhow if I think they'd help anyone in the future with this.

Paul - if this doesn't help the way it's supposed to I'll probably do what you recommend and pull the whole clutch pack to inspect everything.