[DeTomaso] Help! My clutch is on fire!

[Christopher Kimball]

Dear Will,

Unfortunately, I don't have any idea what kind of pressure plate it has, and 
I don't even know what I would be looking for.  I might take a look at the 
manual, though, and try adjusting the clutch, although on the other hand, I 
might just wait until next week and let my mechanic do it--I wouldn't want 
to mess something up!

Thanks,

Chris

>From: "Will Kooiman" <wkooiman at earthlink.net>
>To: "'Christopher Kimball'" <chrisvkimball at msn.com>,<detomaso at realbig.com>
>Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] Help!  My clutch is on fire!
>Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 10:10:58 -0500
>
>My guess is the clutch isn't fully releasing.  In other words, while you 
>are
>driving around, the throwout bearing is resting against the pressure plate.
>
>Is this a Centerforce diaphragm style pressure plate, or is it a 
>Centerforce
>3-finger style?  You can look through the inspection hole to see.
>
>If he put on a new pressure plate, and used a 3-finger style, did he get a
>Pantera specific pressure plate?  The primary difference is a Pantera
>specific pressure plate has fingers that are about 1/4" shorter.  It gives
>the throwout bearing a little more room to move before engaging.
>
>If it is a diaphragm style, it probably doesn't matter that much.  They're
>already pretty flat, so there's usually plenty of room.
>
>You want to adjust your clutch to allow it to fully release.  There's a
>procedure for doing this, but to be honest, I've never followed the
>procedure.  I normally adjust the clutch by feel (hard to describe).  
>Rather
>than confuse you, I'll let someone else describe the proper way to adjust
>the clutch - or better yet, look in the manual.  It's probably described.
>
>Will.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
>Behalf Of Christopher Kimball
>Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 9:46 AM
>To: detomaso at realbig.com
>Subject: [DeTomaso] Help! My clutch is on fire!
>
>I need some help.  When I had my engine out of my '72, my mechanic added a
>new, centerforce clutch which has been working fine for a month or so 
>(maybe
>
>700 miles).  I noticed a while back I would occasionally hear a kind of
>squeaking noise as I let off the clutch, but it didn't feel as if it was
>slipping and once fully engaged the noise went away.
>
>Today, on my way to a car show, the squeaking noise got very loud in first,
>second and third gears, and all of a sudden smoke started rising from the
>engine compartment (it smelled a bit like burning rubber).  I immediately
>pulled over and stopped and turned off the car.  When things had returned 
>to
>
>normal, I tried again with the same result.  I found, however, that as long
>as the clutch was depressed, no noise and no smoke, but when I released the
>clutch when in gear--noise and smoke.
>
>Then, on the way back home, the problem kind of went away except for second
>gear, and (of course) by the time I got home things seemed to be working
>normally again.  Since the car show is an hour away, I don't want to risk
>driving there without first fixing this problem.
>
>I'm pretty sure the clutch must be slipping, but why or how to fix it I do
>not know.
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>Thank you,
>
>Chris
>
>
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