[DeTomaso] Help! My clutch is on fire!

Will Kooiman wkooiman at earthlink.net
Sat Aug 25 14:29:41 EDT 2007


To be honest, I don't even know if Centerforce makes a 3-finger pressure
plate like the original.  Here is a link to some of their diaphragm pressure
plates:  http://www.speedyperformanceparts.com/centerforce_pt_m.html

Here's a link to the original 3-finger style.  http://www.pim.net/cpage.html
It's about half way down.

You can probably tell which style you have by looking through the square
inspection hole.

You don't want to drive your car until you're sure the clutch is adjusted
properly.  It's probably the safest to wait for your mechanic.  Just make
sure he didn't install a Mustang 3-finger pressure plate.

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 1:03 PM
To: wkooiman at earthlink.net; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Help! My clutch is on fire!


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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