Bad clutch cable?

[Ares]

Ok I got issues after last night and need input. Now I never had a single problem making any shifts last night. Once in lanes just trying to put it in first I heard a real slight grind. Ok I gave firewall adjuster a slight turn out and made 2 more passes with zero issues.

Now on way home it was ugly. 1-2 was fine but getting it into 3rd was nasty. 3-4 is fine. I adjusted it again before going to work. Same issues almost grabbing right off floor. After work again adjusted and still ends up grabbing almost off floor.

Am I thinking correctly that cable is toast and about to snap? Seems like no matter how much I try to adjust out it gets worse. I'm assuming its broke or frayed somewhere and stretching now. I'm just not use to having this problem as on last car I had just replaced cable with clutch. This cable is original with 60k miles and 4 seasons of racing.

[Stangman701]

Ok I got issues after last night and need input. Now I never had a single problem making any shifts last night. Once in lanes just trying to put it in first I heard a real slight grind. Ok I gave firewall adjuster a slight turn out and made 2 more passes with zero issues.

Now on way home it was ugly. 1-2 was fine but getting it into 3rd was nasty. 3-4 is fine. I adjusted it again before going to work. Same issues almost grabbing right off floor. After work again adjusted and still ends up grabbing almost off floor.

Am I thinking correctly that cable is toast and about to snap? Seems like no matter how much I try to adjust out it gets worse. I'm assuming its broke or frayed somewhere and stretching now. I'm just not use to having this problem as on last car I had just replaced cable with clutch. This cable is original with 60k miles and 4 seasons of racing.

Sounds like your longtubes melted the outer casing of the clutch cable. The actual cable itself is probably fine, but the outer casing gets soft and compresses. That happened on my 85 and I've heard of it happening on quite a few other stangs, especially one's with longtubes.

[Ares]

You know I hadn't given that a thought. Since I put the new headers on there has been a slight smell of something getting heated that I thought was just the headers being new but seeming to linger.

[yellowstang03]

actually mine was doing the same thing on the way home first to second was pretty rough. let me know if you figure anything out im probably just gonna order a new quadrant and cable...

[wick]

I figured you wouild have read this...

I wrapped the third cable where it comes close to the long tube. No more problems now.

http://www.steelcitystangs.com/forum...ad.php?t=10817

[Martin0660]

See that, we finally found a benefit of only having exhaust on the passenger side ;)

Bob Myers

[wick]

See that, we finally found a benefit of only having exhaust on the passenger side ;)

Bob Myers

HAHAHAHHAHAHA and header wrap people are loving longtube people.

[Ares]

Header are no where close to cable. Closest a tube gets is 3" where cable goes into bell housing. Only other point is a good 4" away near tube #1.

I put new cable on and old one moves but not as easy as new one. Now problem I have with new one is it's adjustable at fork and I can't get a wrench or socket onto nut and lock nut. Fork has some weight riveted onto it and leaves no room for tools. I got cable as tight as I could but car is nearly undrivable. Clutch is On/Off almost off floor. I'm gonna have to set adjustment nut near end and use firewall adjuster that I had with old cable.

I hope cable/firewall adjuster works and that is all as I have bad feeling trans might be hurt bad.

[Martin0660]

HAHAHAHHAHAHA and header wrap people are loving longtube people.

I see it different. The clutch cable people are loving the long tube people, keeps the sale up.

Ed- I actaully just read the details of what you posted at first. The last big issue I had was exactly like that, unfortunately, it was the third gear syncros. Slipped in a new victim T5 for mine. I hope i'm wrong but.....

Bob Myers

[Ares]

I have already begun looking for another 3650. It seems if I hit 3rd quick it's not much of an issue but do it slow and I can feel it trying to engage and goes in with a little grind. Course leave it in neutral and I got a rattle from trans.

I'm still gonna mess with clutch cable tomorrow and cross fingers that its nothing but clutch not disengaging fully. If all goes well I will be at rack sunday but saterday is most certainly a no go.

[Martin0660]

Hey Ed- did you consider doing a quick fluid change on it to make it for the weekend? I have no clue on the Tremec stuff, but on a T5 sometimes putting straight tranny fluid back in them (over synthetic) will give the syncro enough drag to work for a while at least. Not sure if it will work on your 3650??

Bob Myers

[wick]

If its catching right off the floor and you are fully adjusted on the cable, you may be getting firewall flex. Look for some cracks along where the clutch cable goes through. Do you have a double hook quadrant? Have somebody else sit in the car and work the clutch while you watch the firewall and the fork. If you do have the double hook, put the cable at the farthest away point from the firewall.

[Ares]

Well I got this figured out. Spent day putting original cable back in and changed out the fluid with 4qts Mercon. Nothing of note out of old fluid. Basically the pilot bearing is shot and the input shaft is still turning off crank or pressure plate is weak and just not able to release fully no matter how much I tighten cable. With car running in neutral I can press clutch pedal to floor wait few seconds and try to put it into 3rd and it grinds like the input shaft is still being turned. Even 1st requirees a little extra effort but doesn't grind doing this. My dad listening to it even said the pressure plate is done. Course he spent all day trying to persuade me to go up the Shults Ford and buy a GT500 and I mean all day he did this. He seems to want me to get the black one

I'm gonna order up a new clutch and this time also replace pilot bearing which I didn't do last time. I know what I am doing next friday.

[Martin0660]

I will start a new thread with details, but you missed seeing the death of a T5 today :(

Bob Myers

[Ares]

Just ordered a ton of stuff. New clutch coming and went with another Spec but this time the 2+ in a 11", new insert for my aluminum flywheel, Lokar dipstick for motor that I broke off trying to remove when doing new headers. Rest of stuff is for 351 to finally get atleast the rotating assembly together.

On a side note I did begin looking into swapping the 3650 out for a 4r70w or a 4r75w(if I can find one). Looks to a be a straight forward. I may lose a few ponies with an auto but it will be faster which is always good.

[Martin0660]

On a side note I did begin looking into swapping the 3650 out for a 4r70w or a 4r75w

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO Say it aint so.

On a side note, raced my truck today (automatic) and went to the finals. Yeah it went rounds but wasn't any fun. Hell, nobody was even scared today I understand if you do it ;)

Bob Myers

[2001GTTT]

Just ordered a ton of stuff. New clutch coming and went with another Spec but this time the 2+ in a 11", new insert for my aluminum flywheel, Lokar dipstick for motor that I broke off trying to remove when doing new headers. Rest of stuff is for 351 to finally get atleast the rotating assembly together.

On a side note I did begin looking into swapping the 3650 out for a 4r70w or a 4r75w(if I can find one). Looks to a be a straight forward. I may lose a few ponies with an auto but it will be faster which is always good.

yeeaaaa, thats how players roll!

[Ares]

Well I got the new clutch today and new insert for flywheel.

Again I have the Spec 2 in car and updated to a Spec 2+

Spec 2 - carbon/kevlar material on both sides that holds very well to high rpm slick launches. Material shaped like triangles and connected on very outer edge by this band. Get this off friday and see what kinda wear it has after 3 seasons of racing.

Spec 2+ - Carbon/kevlar material on flywheel side shaped in a 6 puck design connected at very outer edge by thin strip of material. Now pressure plate side I assumed was the same but found it it more a 6 puck ceramic design. Considering it's rated to 670ftlbs I don't think I will ever have a slippage issue at launch or between shifts. I'm interested in how this feels compared to the 2.

[Martin0660]

Ed, I suspect you know it based on the life you got out of the first one, but follow Spec's break in to the letter. They seem to hold up well if you do, seems like some of the ones that slip early werent broke in "right".

Bob Myers