[DeTomaso] The Clutch in 5533

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

The cracks on the flywheel surface are 'heat-checks' or thermal cracks 
indicating lots of drag and heat at some point in its life (not necessarily from 
the present owner). Most are very shallow and will disappear with a 
resurfacing, which also removes a few pounds of weight from the assembly and 
slightly increases power. Not removing them means that there's a definite chance 
of one or more growing to become a true structural crack. If this is a 
factory-stock flywheel, its gray cast iron which is particularly apt to break if 
cracked. A blown-up flywheel will assuredly cut the bellhousing in sections, 
risks irreparable damage to the block and other expensive things you don't 
really want to know about. And the same thing goes for a non-addressed crack 
in the pressure plate. Resurface both. Scotch-brite removes minor surface 
problems but won't remove all the cracks. Or better- replace them both with a 
Centerforce assembly, which will not only be stronger, the clutch pedal will 
be easier to push in. My 2¢- J Deryke


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