SBC Con OFE = undriveable

[Cattletrkr]

Goin for 3 in a row here.

I guess I hadn't tried reverse w/o going to another gear first for a while. I tried it this morning and it was "normal". not perfect, but about the same as it has always been. Same way tonight after running all day. I'm thinkin' for some reason it just took a while to break in.

Who knows, maybe tomorrow it'll suck again. But for now I wish I could change the title of this thread 'cause I'm feeling it's a little unfair to SBC.

 

[Gene Arnold]

You may have solved your problem by now so if you have just disregard what follows. I had a new clutch, pilot bearing, and release bearing installed by a professional shop in Nebraska in 2003. It was never "right" but I put up with it for 20,000 miles until, like your situation, the bucking and jerking got so bad I was afraid I'd break something. Rather than re-write my problem and fix, I'll just copy from my 2005 post.

Here’s an update on my grabby clutch problem. After returning from a short trip on July 4th I had a bad time backing the Airstream onto my RV pad (very slight incline). It was so bad I was fearful of breaking something. Well, I decided I’d better bite the bullet and have a pro diagnose the problem. He said no matter it was only 20,000 miles back, he recommended a new clutch. I had it done last week. When they got it torn down they discovered three serious problems.



(1) The pilot bushing (I had opted for the graphite impregnated bushing rather than the stock bearing) had been forced all the way through the flywheel so that only about ¼ of the bushing was in the flywheel and in addition the pilot bushing was cocked a bit.



(2) The wear on the inside surface of the pilot bushing was on only about ¼ inch of the bushing, so it seemed obvious that the input shaft was barely making contact. This apparently allowed a lot of play in the shaft, hence the rattle that I’d noticed soon after the 2002 clutch job. I’d also noticed excess noise immediately upon driving the truck after the 2002 job. I thought the mechanic might have failed to install some insulation around the shift lever; then I found there is no insulation there to begin with.



(3) Uneven flywheel with signs of hotspots.



My mechanic will not resurface a flywheel (he says he’s had too many bad experiences with them). He does install used ones when good ones can be found. My luck wasn’t with me and he couldn’t find a suitable used one so had to buy a new one from Mopar ($805. 00 – yes, that is no mistake and is for the flywheel alone). So: one new flywheel, stock pilot bearing, factory clutch (made by Luk), and a release bearing, $1,783. 00 poorer , and I’m back on the road. Just took a short trip to the mountains over the weekend, came back home, backed the trailer on to the pad—NO GRABBING!! Also, no more rattle, and no more excessive noise!



So, my Nebraska mechanic in 2002 apparently made some serious errors when he installed my transmission.

Some of this might apply to your problem.



Gene

 

[PC12Driver]

Goin for 3 in a row here.



I guess I hadn't tried reverse w/o going to another gear first for a while. I tried it this morning and it was "normal". not perfect, but about the same as it has always been. Same way tonight after running all day. I'm thinkin' for some reason it just took a while to break in.



Who knows, maybe tomorrow it'll suck again. But for now I wish I could change the title of this thread 'cause I'm feeling it's a little unfair to SBC.

If it makes you feel any better, your truck sounds like it has the same characteristics as mine has had since I put in my OFE about 4 years ago. It's fairly smooth when empty, especially with a little more rpm on launch. But the shifting out of neutral has been notchy since the beginning. I've just picked up the habit of stopping the rotation of the heavier clutch disk by bouncing into 4th before even attempting first or reverse. As far as the jerky engagement with a trailer, I think that's the nature of the beast. Metal-to-metal clutches are inherently grabby. Combine that with a heavy trailer, long leaf springs, and the factory lift blocks on the 4x4s, and you will get hop.



I'm going to be pulling the camper a bit more, so now I'm trying to figure out which path I want to go down to get an organic clutch back in there. Either de-tune and put in a Con-O single disk, or try the SBC "street" dual disk organic. I don't really want to de-tune, but the dual disk could be an expensive experiment if it doesn't work out for me.

 

[SHobbs]

I have yet to pull the 5er since having my OFE installed. At first I had the same things happen, hard to get into 1st and reverse. Backing with just the truck has been a learning curb. Backing now compared to the stocker is way different, 1st I found you have to let it out completely or ride it which is grabby. If I let it out quickly in reverse and let the truck lurch then I use the rolling momentum to keep me going instead of riding the clutch. Second gear launches actually improved with the OFE and the difficulty getting into 1st and reverse has all but gone away after a month. One thing I did start doing was to hesitate a few seconds before trying to get it in gear which helps.



At first I thought it was an install problem but, I tossed that idea being that everything has improved. I am curious how it will act with the 5er hooked up, have to wait and see.

 

[bmoeller]

Flywheel was machined at a truck shop. Don't know what type of grinder they have, but it shouldn't be a cheapy.

Hope that doesn't mean they touched it up with a 4 or 7" handheld angle grinder.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Try doing some 3rd gear launches and "slipping the poop" outa the clutch, 3000rpm and just drag it out to get the (empty) truck moving, that will help seat the clutch in better. Do this after few hundred miles of stop and go traffic. tho.

Make sure you cruise around for a good 10 minutes before shutting things down to cool the clutch and what not down!

I did that a few times tonight. The third and final time when I hit 5th it slipped. Maybe once or twice would have been good enough. I did let it cool down for a while.

New carrier bearing is in and is a good waste of $275.

Needing to relearn how to backup isn't a good selling point for a clutch. I can't change the way I do things because i have to go slow a lot. 4lo isn't much of an option on hard dry ground with a load trailer.

I guess for now I just have to start out in 1st ALL the time and get ready to break stuff in reverse.

 

[PC12Driver]

I did that a few times tonight. The third and final time when I hit 5th it slipped. Maybe once or twice would have been good enough. I did let it cool down for a while.

That sort of thing might help out the metal-to-metal side of the clutch, but that can't be good for the orgainic side. Once it gets burnt it's trashed.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Where can I get a new flywheel? I just priced one direct from Cummins at $962. 08. Is that right? Sounds ridiculously high to me.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Where can I get a new flywheel? I just priced one direct from Cummins at $962. 08. Is that right? Sounds ridiculously high to me.

Check with Peter at SBC - I bet he can cut that figure by half!

 

[icman95]

I bought a new flywheel from SBC along with my new clutch. The guy I had doing the installation work recommended a new one, not resurfacing due to the fact that the prices were close to one another. They charged me an extra $200 for the new f/w plus shipping. Sounds a lot better than Mopar's $900+. I also dealt with Peter at SBC. Really helpful. I would suggest, though, asking him to send it no signature required so that UPS can just leave it on your door. I didn't know it was coming with a signature required and fought with UPS for 5 days to get them to deliver it.

 

[GCroyle]

New F/W

5 speed = 50-2702, 6 speed NV5600 = 50-2727, both available from Perfection Clutch, new not resurfaced.



Portland Airport, headed home after two weeks out!

 

[JasonCzerak]

Where can I get a new flywheel? I just priced one direct from Cummins at $962. 08. Is that right? Sounds ridiculously high to me.

Them Mopar F/W's are lined with gold. Just like the center console door in my 93 XJ is $190!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

5 speed = 50-2702, 6 speed NV5600 = 50-2727, both available from Perfection Clutch, new not resurfaced.



Portland Airport, headed home after two weeks out!

HI again Gary - great to meet up with you during your trip out our way - I wanted to mention your flywheels, but wasn't sure you sold them direct - when you get a chance, please PM me with a price on a FW for a '02 6-speed.



Thanks, and have a safe trip home!

 

[GCroyle]

Gary K7GLD, PM sent.

 

[ROADWARRIOR]

HI again Gary - great to meet up with you during your trip out our way - I wanted to mention your flywheels, but wasn't sure you sold them direct - when you get a chance, please PM me with a price on a FW for a '02 6-speed.



Thanks, and have a safe trip home!

Gary,



Did that nasty clutch finally eat through your flywheel?:-laf



Dan

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary,



Did that nasty clutch finally eat through your flywheel?:-laf



Dan

NOPE - still perfect as far as I can tell - I just like to keep my available options lined up! :-laf:-laf

 

[Cattletrkr]

- when you get a chance, please PM me with a price on a FW for a '02 6-speed.

Ditto. Only for an '04. 5 if it makes a difference.

Thanks

 

[GCroyle]

Perfection F/W's

Cattletrkr,



PM Sent.



Gary

 

[RHARVEY]

For what its worth... My ConOFE did something like that... . so I called Peter. He told me that it wasnt the clutch but it sounded like to him that the springs were trying to wrap. So much torque that it would wrap the rear springs and then they would snap back. He said to put in a set of ladder bars and it would cure the problem... Guess what it did...



Rick

 

[Cattletrkr]

For what its worth... My ConOFE did something like that... . so I called Peter. He told me that it wasnt the clutch but it sounded like to him that the springs were trying to wrap. So much torque that it would wrap the rear springs and then they would snap back. He said to put in a set of ladder bars and it would cure the problem... Guess what it did...

Rick

I've tried to look over everything and look for something outta place. Everything looks good. Nothing loose and nothing cracked/broken. I have a lot f evtra springs that this was never an issue with before.

I gotta change the title of this thread. It can't be the SBC 'cause it was there before and it's still there. I'm gonna try the flywheel and slave cylinder and see what happens... if I can get a flywheel reasonable.

If that doesn't do it I don't know.