I noticed oil on and in the bellhousing earlier and more tonight. I'm also seeing some at the front of the pan. I'm concerned the oil pan and (hopefully not) the rear main is leaking. The two piece seals from this era are always problematic to replace. As the trans will be out and maybe the bellhousing too I may pull the pan and try the rear main seal replacement again. I don't want to contaminate the new clutch disc and am tired of the leaks.
Trans is out. I'll pull the bellhousing tomorrow night after removing the starter so I can add spacers. I'm still on the fence about the hydraulic TOB but I need to get a thread spec to determine which kit I need if I go that way. That requires a pedal stop be added to my pedals too.
Bellhousing finally came off today after removal of the starter. I drained the oil in preparation for dropping the oil pan due to what I believe is either an oil pan leak or rear main leak. When I pulled the pressure plate I noted that the clutch disc was clean and dry (whew!). The pressure plate showed some oil steaks radiating outwards and there was some oil speckling on the inside of the bellhousing. I also noticed some odd wear on the urethane encapsulated springs on the clutch disc hub caused by contact on the 12 point ARP flywheel bolts. I need to discuss this with Ram Clutch tomorrow and see what they can tell me. I pitched the OEM Ford flywheel bolts during a recent garage clean up. I need to pull the flywheel to access the block plate to try and trace the oil leak/s. So still in tear down mode looking for issues. Tomorrow night I index the pivot ball forward then keep on toward the oil leak.
In reply to wawazat :
I hope there's a smoking gun in there somewhere.
Still looking Patrick. Clutch lever and TOB were good and installed correctly. I'll move the pivot ball forward before the reinstall. It's strange to me that the springs showed wear from the flywheel bolts. Doesn't that mean the clutch disc was spinning at a different speed than the flywheel so I was getting at least some clutch release? I'm wondering if this was enough friction to keep the drivetrain energized with the clutch pedal depressed. I'll see what Ram has to say tomorrow when I call them.
In reply to wawazat :
Disc springs dragging on flywheel bolts will absolutely prevent full disengagement. That is a smoking gun.
Here is what I saw on the clutch disc today.
The white crumbles are the urethane material encapsulating the springs.
BTW-Thanks Turner!
id10T error on my part. I installed the clutch disc backwards. Ram tech service was very gracious. I am embarrassed and feel like a dolt. No clutch disc damage or issues other than some reduced weight and enhanced clearances. After I pull the flywheel to try and located the oil leak I'll put it back together.
Damn.
I have done that.
More than once.
In a row.
On the same car.
Dont feel bad....
You're the best Michael! Thanks.
New rear main seal and oil pan gaskets should arrive today if FedEx can be believed. They were supposed to be here yesterday.
wawazat said:You're the best Michael! Thanks.
It really sucks when you do it with a Lakewood bellhousing after you have all the Nylock nuts the whole way around the Bell. That clutch job took me like four days because I had to keep redoing it cuz I kept making the same damn mistake
At least the mistake made it easy to see the rear main seal leak. And nothing catastrophic that isn't fixable. Glad to see you on the downhill again.
Sounds like forward progress despite the frustration. Good that it didn't hurt anything for sure.
been there, done that. the key is to not do it again LOL.
Thanks Brent, Dave, and Patrick.
Further tear down finds the main bearing cap dry and the oil pan gasket leaky. The old valve cover gaskets were also leaking but have now been replaced. I'll clean up the back of the block then drop the pan after removing the motor mount bolts and jacking it up a bit. I'm really hoping I don't need to do the main bearing seal again.
Not having to touch the main!
The block plate around the rear main is completely dry. I'm going to clean up and degrease the block then drop the pan and replace the gasket and start back out of this cave of despair I created for myself.
In reply to wawazat :
Got the Smiths "How Soon Is Now" on repeat, do ya?
Monday is '80s synth pop night in the garage.
Yaz Upstairs at Eric's is next up. New Order Blue Monday is on now.
Gotta watch the volume lest a wild eyed Adrian show up on my doorstep!
not totally synth pop but Squeeze Greatest Hits might be OK too
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