Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Sudden change in clutch engagement point and pedal pressure? (w/JD Sachs clutch)

[pcorssmit]

Driving to work the other day, I pushed in the clutch to shift into gear leaving a light (was in neutral at a complete stop). The pedal pressure was about half of what it normally is. The engagement was at the top of the pedal (was always near the bottom/middle before), and engagement is now very sudden (ie engagement travel is an inch instead of a few inches), I have to start in 1st in order to control it. The clutch is a Donnely modified Sachs, its been in for ~3 years and 50k miles. The clutch normally has some chatter on take off, but it is now much worse, since I can't really control the engagement. It does not seem to be slipping at all, and drives fine other than the weird pedal. I put a new slave cylinder in it the other day, and no difference. I'm just trying to figure out what may have happened, of course I'm hoping to avoid having to drop the trans but if I do it would be nice to have an idea whats going on.



Pete

 

[Sled Puller]

Maybe check the master, or recheck for air.



Same thing happened to me when I had that clutch, and it was the slave.

 

[pcorssmit]

Well, I got it to slip on the way home from work last night, rolled into the throttle in 4th at low rpm and the boost spiked.



I pulled the transmission, and the flywheel and flywheel side pucks look good. There is some wear on the pressure plate and the pucks on that side (slight grooving), but there looks to be plenty of material left. The diaphragm spring wasn't perfect, but IMO no too bad. I'm wondering if the arm came off the ball stud, I couldn't quite tell for sure, but it definitly was not on it, however it may have just fallen off when I removed the bellhousing.



Did your pedal get real soft when you lost your slave cylinder? I'm just having a hard time reasoning why the engagement would be at the top if I had a hydraulic problem, it would seem the it would be at the bottom of the pedal travel.





Pete

 

[pcorssmit]

Well, I had a better look at it last night. The diaphragm spring is bad, if you look at the pressure plate from the side, the spring fingers taper from one side to the other, maybe 15°. The only thing I could think of was that maybe the spring was starting to loose temper. It does look like the fork had come off the ball stud, but I think the cause was the diaphragm.



The new Con-OFE should be here early next week; until then I just hope the weather gets better--it was 15° when I got to work this morning, driving my topless, heaterless K5. At least it didn't snow today (like yesterday).



Pete