Is it me, or is Ruby's transmission having troubles?
Ruby RedHot has a 1.6 engine and standard transmission powering her. Lately I've noticed when I let off the clutch and give her gas she takes her sweet time accelerating. Her engine will roar but it's like I'm dawdling about. Now and then she'll take off like she should but that's getting rarer and rarer. Is it me... is the tranny slipping or something... or is this a quirk with 1.6 Pintos? Thank you for listening to my whining. ;D
Problably needs the clutch replaced.
Yea, it's you. :rolleye:
Kidding!!! :lol: Sounds like the clutch is slipping or maybe the cable is not letting it disengage properly.
Sounds like the clutch replacment time or needing cable adjustment.
Groan....
Thank you guys. Maybe this weekend I'll check the cable. I know her clutch was replaced in '89 or thereabouts (according to the paperwork Mary kept regarding repairs). Her repairs were all done at Drew Ford in La Mesa. How many miles does an average clutch last (with average driving)?
Depends on what you call average driving and the quality of the clutch seen them die in 5000 miles and last as long as 100,000.
ADJUST TIME. Fred :)
back the 2 nut's forward
Fred, I'm hoping you're right on the money! ;D
Until you get 1/4" on free plaY ON PEDAL YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE WITH YOUR FINGER. Fred :)
I'm not sure what you mean by free play on pedal but it's definitely different than the green wagon's clutch pedal! lol. I've been doing a lot of downshifting lately because the brakes lock easily...TOO easily! :hypno:
Time fer a brake job! Swing it by this weekend Becky and we will knock it out. :o
The brakes are fine... for drum brakes! lol. These stupid traffic lights always seem to change right when I'm coming up to them! >:(
That's because your driving to fast, slow down on the moutain dew to much sugar. :hypno: Fred
On free play if it takes your foot to push pedal 1/4" it's to tight, you should to be able to use little pinky to push 1/4" on pedal. Fred :)
It's a pretty firm pedal... I'll try the pinkie method right now. :o
It took several fingers with knuckles locked for the pedal to move at all. It's very firm. :-\
I think it might be time for a pressure plate and clutch cable. I had a stiff clutch on my 74 for some reason and broke two clutch cables. Now that I replaced the clutch and pressure plate its not near as hard to push the pedal.
You had a severe problem, never heard of any 1 braking clutch cable yor the 1 s't . Fred :)
Quote from: Bigtimmay on May 20, 2010, 08:53:37 PM
Depends on what you call average driving and the quality of the clutch seen them die in 5000 miles and last as long as 100,000.
My original clutch is still engaging fine after 154000 and has survived 2 leadfooted teens and 4 stick shift learners. :hypno:
I would like to know what the HECK mine is made of!
Fred is it ME that has the severe problem? Pintoguy76, please forgive me for saying this- I hope you're wrong. This is my primary daily driver and thanks to that crook of a guvnur (called GAS or Gashole by his detractors like me!) I can ill afford to replace the clutch, pressure plate, etc. I am glad yours was resolved but sorry for the inconvenience it surely caused you.
Quote from: pintoguy76 on May 20, 2010, 09:54:59 PM
I think it might be time for a pressure plate and clutch cable. I had a stiff clutch on my 74 for some reason and broke two clutch cables. Now that I replaced the clutch and pressure plate its not near as hard to push the pedal.
2 cables!!!! i have a 1700 lb presser plate and the original cable never broke one stock is like 1200 lb
Clutch rebuild kits are about $100 here in Idaho at shcucks/oreilly's, autozone or NAPA. I bought a clutch from Fred this year for when I have to redo mine again, but I will have to get a new throwout bearing and pilot bearing, nothing as expensive as the entire kit though. All together it's about the same price as a kit though, I'm just spacing out the price across a year. :P
When you have your clutch rebuilt, be sure to have them check the flywheel and have it resurfaced to. I didn't resurface mine last time I rebuilt it and it has a whine after 2100 RPM. I have to replace mine as it is just above the minimum milling line, and can't be shaved any lower. Thus why I TRIED to buy one from Karina.
I'm using a Mustang II clutch cable on my 78, with the adjustment tube from a mustang II on the firewall. When I have to adjust my clutch I just disconnect it from the pedal and reach under the hood to adjust the cable, much easier than crawling under the car!
I get 800,000 to a million out of my truck clutches. Ive blown cheap clutches behind V8's in a day. I run 2300# clutches in my dunebuggies & have never broke a stock VW cable. Get a quality clutch & not a reman. As for freeplay you should have 1/4 to 1" as you push the pedal before it starts pushing on the pressure plate.
Should have stated, I run my clutch with 1/4" free play. I've had the current clutch in it for a little over a year now, maybe a year and a half, without any issues. We shall see how worn down it is when I pull it again.
Back when I replaced the old one for the current one, I was only a year and a half into it, but I learned to drive a stick on it. It had about 20,000 miles on it and still half the material still on the clutch disc. No abnormal wear, but since I had the transmission down I figured I'd swap it out.
OP.
should just be an adjustment issue as long as there is a little meat left on the friction.
when you check it make sure to unhook the cable and check for smooth operation. also if you do find a stiff cable check your grounds for the battery - body and the strap from body to engine before you put in the new cable. a poor ground on the engine can actually cause the cable to become a ground wire. when cranking the starter it can heat up and melt the inner plastic shield to the cable making it stiff.
OhSix'
Not only did I break two clutch cables but I broke one of the clips that holds the clutch fork onto the ball inside the bell housing. Since I had to take everything apart and my clutch had been slipping, i replaced it with one i took from a parts car a few years back that was in good shape. Also replaced the pressure plate and got a new t/o bearing. Haven't had any problems since. It is a strange issue tho, and my brake pedal is kinda stiff on that car too. Makes me wonder if theres a problem in the pedals somewhere. Who knows.
bushings at the pedal hanger bracket may be gone
Quote from: Srt on May 22, 2010, 04:06:36 AM
bushings at the pedal hanger bracket may be gone
+1
Can I get new ones? Perhaps that is the problem the OP is having as well?
This is not the greatest picture of the clutch cable, but if anyone can see it and tell me if it needs adjustment or...? please let me know. If I need to, I'll take a better pic tomorrow. I couldn't find my camera til this evening. :-\
Not something you can tell by looking Becky, it's more of a "feel" thing. As stated before, you need about 1/2" of free play in the clutch pedal. In other words, when you first push on the pedal, there should be 1/2" of "dead space" before you feel any kind of resistance at all. :)
Here's something I'm noticing too...
1st and 2nd have ok power but 3rd is when she really seems to lag and have little power though the engine RPMs are increased (like revving her in neutral). 4th- especially on an incline- has very little to no power and the car actually slows down into the 3rd gear category. :( When I bought her she had all kinds of power. Now it seems Green Meanie, with her 2 good cylinders, has more power than Ruby.
Jimmy, the reason I posted the pic is because I thought someone would be able to tell me whether the cable is already adjusted to death or not. I'm really hoping that's all it requires- a cable adjustment.
what you are describing is the clutch slipping when the leverage against it increases.
Judging from the position of the cable there may be some adjustment left. however continued cooking of the clutch through driving until you do fix it will rapidly remove the material from the friction decreasing the likelihood that you can do it all with adjustment. get under there with a wrench. loosen both nuts and turn them so they go towards the rad support and allow the outer cable to go towards the back of the tranny. continue to do so until you have the above described free play on the pedal. tighten the nuts. take it for drive and see if things improve. if it still slows down in top gear going up hills start saving for a clutch job.
OhSix'
SUCCESS!
I crawled under Ruby and saw that the adjusting nut was right against the flywheel housing bracket, so with the help of my spacer I spaced the nut 1/4 in. from bracket, then tightened both lock nuts. On the test drive Ruby acted like a different car! She now has plenty of power in all four gears and lots of get-up-and-go. Only thing is, now I have to be sensitive with the clutch pedal, like on Meanie! lol. I may still need to replace the clutch, but I have a little more time to save those pennies now! lol. Thank you everybody for all your suggestions and help. Fred, I am glad you were right on the money! ;D