Quick Question about chatter under bell housing

Hello, I just bought my first CJ6 today! I have a few questions, but I will start with a simple one and go from there. So this jeep hasn't been run, driven regularly in quite a while. I replaced the battery and gave it a new tank of gas and now its running really well. It looks as if the engine has been maintained, has a newer coil, plugs, alternator, water pump ect...There is a chatter from the bell housing that is pretty noticeable unless you press the clutch in. I know there are a few post about this, but my main concern is if this needs to be attended to immediately? I was actually thinking that maybe there might be some rust on the fly wheel and that after driving a bit it may go away? I live in an apartment complex and I unfortunately cant take it out myself so I would have to pay some one to address this and the labor is pretty expensive. I thought I could focus my $and time on some of the bigger engine issues that I am having...What do you guys recommend? Can I wait a while to address this? Also, for now the clutch seems to work good, I just have to be careful putting it into first (have to be completely stopped to put it in).

 

some more bad news...not sure if its trans or clutch related.I think its the clutch I took it out for a real drive (about 30 min, not just around the block) and I noticed that if you are cruising in 2nd or 3rd and let off the gas it sounds as if it going to idle, but as soon as i press the gas it rev's to the right rpm and goes... the clutch hasn't slipped when you shift gears or anything even if you give it a lot of gas, just while driving in gear. also the chatter goes away at higher speed/rpm. Also, ebrake does not work, and if I put it in first sometimes it still rolls when I am parked... any idea what I can expect to pay to get new clutch components installed? thanks!!!

 

Depending on what your "bigger engine issues" are, you could well end up pulling the engine anyway, and that would be the ideal time to deal with the clutch/tranny issue. So if there is a chance you are going to pull the motor soon, maybe you can wait. If it gets worse though, you'll have to address it sooner. Always takin' a chance, though.

Oops, nevermind. You posted up a more complete rundown while I was pecking this out. I agree, sounds like tranny/clutch...

 

you think that it is the trans, not the clutch? Actually engine may not be that bad, just need to fix an oil leak from the lower front of the engine (not exactly sure where yet) and adjust the carb running a bit rough and have some black smoke. If I change to a chevy 4 speed trans, what kind of clutch would I use? The stock one for the CJ5 or another one?

 

My '73 made a similar sound when I bought it . . . turned out the pilot baring had come apart and left shrapnel in the bell housing. It would be more common to have a bad throw out baring, however.

Some times the emergency break cable will freeze up . . . might come loose with some penetrating oil but safer if you just replace them. Meanwhile better chock your wheels!

 

Sounds like tranny/tcase to me too. Agree with the chocking the wheels idea too. where are you located? there people all over the country here that could possibly lend a hand or input.

 

Man, I suggest you figure out a way you can work on this yourself. When I lived in an apartment, the rules were that I could not work on cars in the parking lot. I had my truck and my daily driver (DD) the VW. I parked the truck on the street when I needed to work on it - this was only sort of ok with the city, since they have a law that inoperable vehicles cannot be parked on the street.

It looks like you live in a climate that's fairly warm and dry - all you need is a dry, level spot to work and a few basic tools. JMO - you're going to have to work out something, because an old car isn't practical unless you can work on it yourself.

I hope we didn't talk you into something that you can't handle.

 

I live in SLC UT. I bought the CJ as a long tem project. I will keep my JK as long as I need to for now. Its unfortunate that in my current position that I can't do any heavy work on my CJ, but it won't allways be like, its just for now. I don't really know anyone in SLC well enough to ask to use there garage/driveway. I had a house in NY where I was able to Restore a FJ40 2 years ago, but times have changed. There is a guy localy selling a Chevy 4 speed trans and a D20 transfercase that have both been rebuilt for a 75 CJ5. They are both cheap, I can get both for 200. he said that the trans is currently set up to work with a Chevy V8. I am wondering If I should pick these up? Will the 4 speed bolt directly to the Bell Housing of the V6? I don't know what kind of 4 speed it is, I can tell from looking at it its not the SM 420. The guy selling doesn't know either it was his dads project. From the outside, they look brand new as do the output shafts. Thanks guys...

 

A gm 4 speed should bolt to the Buick bellhousing. If the trans is already adapted to the transfercase thats not a bad deal. Make sure this trans does not have external shift linkage, that would mean its a car trans, not good for a Jeep in my opinion. Check to see if this is a sm465 or possibly a np435 which is not a gm trans but used behind quite a few GM trucks. Check this website to help you figure out what it is.
http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/transmission_gateway.htm

 

thanks for the link, that helped out quite a bit, its an SM465, is this a good trans for the CJ?All ready adapted to Transfercase. What clutch would I use? The stock one? or does it need to change when using a diferent trans? Thanks again for all of your help,.

Brian

 

That rattle could be throw-out bearing rattling against PP-fingers if you dont have a pull-back spring on the clutch fork. Hope that all it is.

 

Me 2. I am planning on upgrading to a 4 speed eventually,and I would eventually love to get an atlas transfercase, but probably not for a while. If I can just do a quick/not to expensive of a fix for now that would be great .I am taking it to a trans shop tomorrow, said they would get into it and let me know exactly what is wrong before I decide to buy that other trans and Tcase. I will let you know what happens. Thanks!

Brian

 

what kind of clutch would I use with that trans? The stock style? or a diferent one? Thanks for all your help!

 

Might look for a garage that you can rent for a month or two. Post an add on Craigslist in the needed section and I'll bet you come up with some inexpensive options.

I grew up in SLC and used to use a "rent by the hour" shop to work on my cars . . . may still be something like that around.

 

You rock, thanks again!

 

Quick Update. I drove the jeep for about another 20-30 min tonight...for some reason, I did not notice any slipping in any gear this time around...It definitely was yesterday, and I still here the noise in the bell housing area, also... When I go in reverse, I hear a loud clunk clunk clunk noise...that speeds up as I speed up (different than the other noise) I crawled under the jeep and notice that there was some fresh indents/scrapes in the Bell-housing from the front DS, they were pretty deep too..I am wondering if maybe the springs are old and sagging and that is causing the front Drive shaft to rub? When I am parked, the DS is about 3/4" away from the BH. If that is the case, then why would I only hear it in reverse? (I hope that it isn't a tranny issue). While looking underneath, I noticed that some of the bolts on the cross member look brand new, makes me think that some one else recently took a look at the transmission. I also noticed that a bolt on the PS trans mount to the crossmember was very very loose (haven't tightened it yet.. Thanks again for your help!