Discussion:
OIL SPRAY clutch nightmare !

HELP!

Anyone out there remember these OIL SPRAY clutches?
Any secret fixes??

The fuel system and ignition works great on this old 1970 truck now.

One of the last issues is the clutch dragging.
It is an OIL SPRAY clutch which has a pipe on the top inspection cover and an oil pump that sprays ATF into the clutch and pressure plate.

Problem is the **** clutch drags.
So bad that you can't go from neural to FWD or REV with the engine idling. And I have to start it in gear.

I took it all apart with intentions of replacing the worn clutch disk.........someone told me the grooves in the disk wear down smooth and that makes the disk stick to the flywheel with oil suction.

When I got it apart, I was amazed that everything looks like new. New flywheel, new or rebuilt pressure plate and very nice new looking disk with plenty of checkerboard grooves on the lining.

NOW WHAT??

I drilled 60 1/4 inch holes in the disk......right thru it.
To break up the surface and stop the suction.
I also put some waviness back in the disc to help it spring free from the flywheel......because it is supposed to have some 'set' in it and it was nearly flat.

Result..........it is WORSE !!
It drags worse now!
I can't even go from FWD to REV or REV to FWD now.
I used to be able to quickly change directions if I shifted it quickly, but it has to much 'load' on it now.
It drags so bad it just grinds and will not go into gear if it is taken out of gear.
I even adjusted the clutch so I had maximum travel and MAX RELEASE....
It would not even drive the machine with the clutch out, but still dragged to bad to go into gear with the pedal fully depressed.

I am wondering at this point how these worked when NEW from the factory!

Many hours spent and it's worse than it was....


HELP please.....

dan k
  • Posted 24 Feb 2013 09:06
  • Modified 24 Feb 2013 09:12 by poster
  • By dkmc
  • joined 18 Oct'09 - 48 messages
  • New York, United States
Showing items 21 - 24 of 24 results.
Yes, and just re-checked the manual, it says ATF

I have no way to see in there or measure the clearance in the
clutch with the pedal depressed. I think it's to tight (of a space) to get anything in there to check it. Before I take it back apart, I will try to reach up in there and check it...

I put more wave in the disc by carefully bending it, it bends easily.

The clutch repair shop told me that the discs have the wave to help them spring away from the flywheel. And they said over time, the disc will go flat from setting with the pressure plate squeezing them.....their words not mine.
And seeing how more wave did not help, (it may have hurt) it is possible the clutch people are not so well informed?
It had a bit of wave.....and it dragged a bit too.....now with more wave it drags MORE....

It is a ball bearing pilot bearing and it is very free.

I can install the shaft in the clutch and lay it in the trans housing and it will slip back and forth a bit....that is how 'free' the shaft is...

I think the disc needs to come back out and be flattened....perfectly flat. No wave.....no wobble
  • Posted 26 Feb 2013 11:41
  • Modified 26 Feb 2013 11:42 by poster
  • By dkmc
  • joined 18 Oct'09 - 48 messages
  • New York, United States
Are you sure that the oil spec is ATF? I've never had a wet clutch apart on a Yale, but on older Cat's & Clarks it's usually engine or hydraulic oil being sprayed. How much clearance does the disc have when the clutch pedal is depressed?

You say that it's worse since you've had it apart-how much wave did you put into the disc & how did you do it? The wave is there to help dampen engagement- not to force a seperation. Did you check the pilot bearing (or bushing) for clearance on the input shaft? On rare occasions with pilot bushings, I've had to have the trans in nuetral & set the parking brake & let the engine run for a while to get a bushing a little looser.
  • Posted 26 Feb 2013 10:58
  • Modified 26 Feb 2013 11:05 by poster
  • By bbforks
  • joined 1 Mar'12 - 1,437 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
bbforks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
Customers love technology- until they have to pay to fix it!
For sure not backwards.....

Wish I could even look in at the disc.
The whole top of the trans is the cover and there is no way to
see up in that area...
The clutch rebuilder did say they could line the disc with dry
friction material and unhook the pump, drain the sump, and run it dry.

My key aggravation is that it could NOT have been this way when sold new.
  • Posted 24 Feb 2013 14:08
  • By dkmc
  • joined 18 Oct'09 - 48 messages
  • New York, United States
Here's some thoughts about this. Any chance the disc is in backwards and the center hub is rubbing on something? Can you look down in, press the clutch petal, and slide the disc back and forth? If all is good there, maybe try filling, or over filling, the transmission with the thickest oil you can get to make it "drag" more than the clutch. If it's worse now that you modified the disc you may need a new one and maybe just put a dry clutch in it and don't add oil.
  • Posted 24 Feb 2013 13:30
  • By mrfixit
  • joined 11 Dec'08 - 1,434 messages
  • New York, United States

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