[DeTomaso] Stiff clutch diagnosed - WTF?!

[FAITH MCCALL]

Mike, 

Those McLoed release bearings are very nice but have one flaw. There is no grease retention groove inside the 
center bore of the retainer . If you look at the stock version, there is a ,roughly, 1/4" wide groove machined onto
the bore to retain a small amount of lube . I had a few pf these fail before I noticed the problem. I always chuck
the new retainer up in the lathe and cut a  groove into it. No issues for multiple years. Without the groove, the retainer 
has a tendency to gall onto the guide tube on the trans and cause exactly the issue that you describe. . 

Ron McCall

>     On February 24, 2020 at 12:16 AM Mike & Elizabeth Thomas < mbefthomas2 at gmail.com mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com > wrote:
> 
> 
>     At the end of the Panteras Northwest Fall Cruise last September, my clutch
>     was becoming stiffer by the day and at the end, It was all I could do to get
>     home.
> 
>      
> 
>     I pulled the engine and ZF yesterday in prep for a restoration on the car
>     and when we pulled the two apart to diagnose the stiff clutch, I found that
>     the fingers on the clutch lever arm and the 'ears' on the throw-out bearing
>     were both extremely worn (see attached photos). Also, while the face of the
>     throw-out does not appear overly worn, the bearing itself is quite loose and
>     rattily. The lever arm shaft moves freely enough so I suspect my problem
>     was with the lever arm to throw-out friction.
> 
>      
> 
>     I'm likely going to have to separate the bell housing from the ZF and send
>     out for repairs - I don't want to tackle this one myself. I suspect the
>     throw-out actuator will need to be replaced. I put a very light lube on
>     things when I put it together but no more/less than the last two times I've
>     replaced this bearing (with a stock unit previously) and never seen this
>     kind of wear.
> 
>      
> 
>     Stay tuned. I sent these pics to Adam at Pantera Performance and we'll see
>     what he has to say. I was running one of Quella's throw-out bearings as
>     well. Glad I won't be driving it for a while.
> 
>      
> 
>     Mike
> 
>      
> 
>     Our email address has changed: Please use mbefthomas2 at gmail.com mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
>     <mailto: mbefthomas2 at gmail.com mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com > for all new messages, thanks!
> 
>      
> 
>     At the end of the Panteras Northwest Fall Cruise last September, my
>     clutch was becoming stiffer by the day and at the end, It was all I
>     could do to get home.
> 
> 
>     I pulled the engine and ZF yesterday in prep for a restoration on the
>     car and when we pulled the two apart to diagnose the stiff clutch, I
>     found that the fingers on the clutch lever arm and the `ears' on the
>     throw-out bearing were both extremely worn (see attached photos).
>     Also, while the face of the throw-out does not appear overly worn, the
>     bearing itself is quite loose and rattily. The lever arm shaft moves
>     freely enough so I suspect my problem was with the lever arm to
>     throw-out friction.
> 
> 
>     I'm likely going to have to separate the bell housing from the ZF and
>     send out for repairs - I don't want to tackle this one myself. I
>     suspect the throw-out actuator will need to be replaced. I put a very
>     light lube on things when I put it together but no more/less than the
>     last two times I've replaced this bearing (with a stock unit
>     previously) and never seen this kind of wear.
> 
> 
>     Stay tuned. I sent these pics to Adam at Pantera Performance and we'll
>     see what he has to say. I was running one of Quella's throw-out
>     bearings as well. Glad I won't be driving it for a while.
> 
> 
>     Mike
> 
> 
>     Our email address has changed: Please use [1] mbefthomas2 at gmail.com mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com for
>     all new messages, thanks!
> 
>     References
> 
>     1. mailto: mbefthomas2 at gmail.com mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
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> 
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-------------- next part --------------
   Mike,

   Those McLoed release bearings are very nice but have one flaw. There is
   no grease retention groove inside the

   center bore of the retainer . If you look at the stock version, there
   is a ,roughly, 1/4" wide groove machined onto

   the bore to retain a small amount of lube . I had a few pf these fail
   before I noticed the problem. I always chuck

   the new retainer up in the lathe and cut a  groove into it. No issues
   for multiple years. Without the groove, the retainer

   has a tendency to gall onto the guide tube on the trans and cause
   exactly the issue that you describe. .

   Ron McCall

   On February 24, 2020 at 12:16 AM Mike & Elizabeth Thomas <
   [1]mbefthomas2 at gmail.com> wrote:

   At the end of the Panteras Northwest Fall Cruise last September, my
   clutch

   was becoming stiffer by the day and at the end, It was all I could do
   to get

   home.


   I pulled the engine and ZF yesterday in prep for a restoration on the
   car

   and when we pulled the two apart to diagnose the stiff clutch, I found
   that

   the fingers on the clutch lever arm and the 'ears' on the throw-out
   bearing

   were both extremely worn (see attached photos). Also, while the face of
   the

   throw-out does not appear overly worn, the bearing itself is quite
   loose and

   rattily. The lever arm shaft moves freely enough so I suspect my
   problem

   was with the lever arm to throw-out friction.


   I'm likely going to have to separate the bell housing from the ZF and
   send

   out for repairs - I don't want to tackle this one myself. I suspect the

   throw-out actuator will need to be replaced. I put a very light lube on

   things when I put it together but no more/less than the last two times
   I've

   replaced this bearing (with a stock unit previously) and never seen
   this

   kind of wear.


   Stay tuned. I sent these pics to Adam at Pantera Performance and we'll
   see

   what he has to say. I was running one of Quella's throw-out bearings as

   well. Glad I won't be driving it for a while.


   Mike


   Our email address has changed: Please use [2]mbefthomas2 at gmail.com

   <mailto: [3]mbefthomas2 at gmail.com> for all new messages, thanks!


   At the end of the Panteras Northwest Fall Cruise last September, my

   clutch was becoming stiffer by the day and at the end, It was all I

   could do to get home.

   I pulled the engine and ZF yesterday in prep for a restoration on the

   car and when we pulled the two apart to diagnose the stiff clutch, I

   found that the fingers on the clutch lever arm and the `ears' on the

   throw-out bearing were both extremely worn (see attached photos).

   Also, while the face of the throw-out does not appear overly worn, the

   bearing itself is quite loose and rattily. The lever arm shaft moves

   freely enough so I suspect my problem was with the lever arm to

   throw-out friction.

   I'm likely going to have to separate the bell housing from the ZF and

   send out for repairs - I don't want to tackle this one myself. I

   suspect the throw-out actuator will need to be replaced. I put a very

   light lube on things when I put it together but no more/less than the

   last two times I've replaced this bearing (with a stock unit

   previously) and never seen this kind of wear.

   Stay tuned. I sent these pics to Adam at Pantera Performance and we'll

   see what he has to say. I was running one of Quella's throw-out

   bearings as well. Glad I won't be driving it for a while.

   Mike

   Our email address has changed: Please use [1] [4]mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
   for

   all new messages, thanks!

   References

   1. mailto: [5]mbefthomas2 at gmail.com

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   use the links above.

   Members who post to this list grant license to the list to forward any
   message posted here to all past, current, or future members of the
   list. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an archive
   or approve the archiving of list messages.

References

   1. mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
   2. mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
   3. mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
   4. mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
   5. mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com
   6. mailto:DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   7. http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso