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New Clutch Not Releasing 1957 Fc150

Discussion in 'Jeep Truck and FC Tech' started by henry donaldson, Dec 23, 2019.

  1. Dec 23, 2019
    henry donaldson

    henry donaldson New Member

    florida
    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2019
    Messages:
    24
    Thanks for letting me join the forum...I have a 1957 FC150 with original F134 motor and T90 Transmission. Just installed a new clutch disc, pressure plate, throw out bearing/carrier and pilot bushing. Parts came from Autozone, they had free overnight delivery, and look identical to what came out...With pedal pushed all the way in clutch will not release allowing me to put it in reverse or first. I even used channel locks and turned the bell crank as far as it will go moving the throw out bearing and pressure plate fingers as far as they will go, and it won't release. The old clutch worked fine, I only replace it because I was in there stopping the oil leak from the tranny input shaft cover. Found there was NO seal, or remnants of a seal, under the cover. Replaced cover with a new one from KW with the neoprene seal...The flywheel looked good so I degreased it and polished it with some fine emery cloth. The new pressure plate face didn't feel sticky or appear to have any thing on it so I installed it as it came out of the box. Any ideas why my clutch won't release? Disc is installed with correct side to flywheel...And are you supposed to have the tranny and bell housing installed to engine and put the throw out bearing fork thru the inspection hole in the top of the bell housing, or bolt the tranny and bell housing together, install the throw out bearing and fork and install the tranny/bell housing together to the back of the engine? I installed the fork thru the hole after it was all together and it took about 30 minutes of finagling to get in, grrr!...Do the adjusting bolts on the pressure plate do anything more than determine the distance from the 3 fingers to the throw out bearing when at rest? Doesn't look they would change the amount of pressure the plate has.
     
  2. Dec 23, 2019
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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    Apr 28, 2011
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    5,407

    well that's a new one on me . the clutch fork install
    I have the hardest time putting a transmission in . and not knocking the throw out bearing off the fork . bell housing on engine
    after many years of fighting that
    I started installing bell on transmission . and putting it up as a unit . solved the throw out bearing problem
     
  3. Dec 23, 2019
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    The pilot bushing might be your problem. Did you test fit it on the input shaft before you installed it? It's best to do that and then afterwards too. Either with an extra input shaft or something of identical size. Others have had the same problem, the shaft drags in the bearing and won't stop spinning making it seem like the clutch isn't releasing.
     
  4. Dec 23, 2019
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sedalia MO.
    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2008
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    4,716
    If the pilot bushing is the cause loosen the bolts and shim the block to bellhousing evenly. That let's you relax the input to pilot without pulling everything.
    If that acts better you still get to drop everything to beat it some more.
     
  5. Dec 24, 2019
    jeepstar

    jeepstar Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sheboygan
    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2006
    Messages:
    2,753
    Well, maybe worth mentioning, but my tcase wasn't gear....I didnt think to double check that....

    Granted, I didnt install a new clutch, but had similar issues.
     
  6. Dec 24, 2019
    henry donaldson

    henry donaldson New Member

    florida
    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2019
    Messages:
    24
    Thanks for the replies...I just gave it another look. I pulled the coil wire so it won't start, put the transfer case in 4wd low to give resistance, put the trans in 1st, pushed the clutch pedal to hopefully disengage the clutch and turned it over with the starter motor. It moved forward. So even with the resistance of moving the FC the clutch disc stayed stuck to the flywheel/pressure plate. I think if it were just the pilot bushing there wouldn't be enough contact to spin the disc with all the resistance from the drive train. I'll pull it apart in a day or two when it warms up. Being an FC with the bed removed everything is right in front of me and very easy to get to. I'm also going to leave the trans bolted to the bell housing and pull them as a unit. Will report back later.
     
  7. Dec 24, 2019
    jeepstar

    jeepstar Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sheboygan
    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2006
    Messages:
    2,753
    I sent I sent you a p.m. If there's any way you could send me some pictures of the gas pedal setup you have on your FC that would be fantastic. Merry Christmas and welcome to the Forum
     
  8. Dec 25, 2019
    henry donaldson

    henry donaldson New Member

    florida
    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2019
    Messages:
    24
    Merry Christmas to all...I could not sit thinking about this and Festivities don't start till 1 pm so I went out and pulled this apart, took less than an hour. Found I could not get a 5/8 dowel in the pilot bushing while it was still installed. I was going to use the hydraulic method to get it out. It is supposed to be 5/8" ID, .625. I used a puller to get it out and found it would not go over the end of the tranny input shaft, at all. I am hoping this is the problem! I used fine emery cloth wrapped around a socket extension and carefully enlarged the ID. Took 4 or 5 trips from the vise to the trans, removing a bit each time, before it would go on using my fingers and rotate. The old bushing is .7 and sloppy on the shaft, a lot in one direction as the hole is worn egged shaped. All I can suggest is putting the pilot bushing on the shaft and making sure it fits before installing. I don't know if these are supposed to be plug and play or if they come undersized and you are to machine them to the exact ID you want. Old kingpin bushings used to be this way. ..I had a clue but did not realize it when I was putting this together. I tried to mate the tranny to the bell housing with the bell housing already installed. It got to within about 1/2" and would go no further. I was able to start the 4 bolts and tightened them sequentially to pull the tranny tight to the bell housing. What I was doing was forcing the input shaft into the pilot bushing...Other info. My old clutch disc was 4 spring, the new 6. Neither will go up against the flywheel backwards. The hub hits the flywheel bolts. The old disc measured .31 thick and still shows lots of life. The new disc is .325. With the new pressure plate sitting on a flat surface there is about .21" between the pressure disc itself and the table top. There is a measuring method to check this in the manual but I can't quite make heads or tails out of it...I'll report in when this is back together.
     
    Glenn and jeepstar like this.
  9. Dec 25, 2019
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    Definitely check the pilot bushing again after you install it.
     
  10. Dec 27, 2019
    henry donaldson

    henry donaldson New Member

    florida
    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2019
    Messages:
    24
    It was the pilot bushing, dang. All back together and working. Initially the clutch was still dragging a bit, I attribute that to a new disc and pressure plate, but after several shifts it no longer is. I assembled the bell housing to the trans and reinstalled them as a unit. It was heavier and more unwieldly to work with but better than trying to install the fork afterwards...All I can suggest is you test fit the busing to the shaft before installing, might save bit of time.
     
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