I pulled the clutch off the 8 this weekend, and discovered as I expected, either the fly or the pressure plate has a significant high spot. Clutch had been chattering like crazy letting her out from a stop. Since the trans is out, I figured I send the p plate to KEP and have it checked out. When I pulled off the plate, both the p plate and the fly are very dark blue, and the disk is very smooth and hard, so she has obviously been slipping much more than I realized due to the clutch not being set up properly.

I will have the fly checked at a shop anyway, but I am curious what you guys think. The fly and the p plate both have an oval shiney spot opposite each other, where the clutch was clearly making contact first, and causing the chatter (sorry, since they are both shiney, I can't get a decent pic). Here is my Q: The spot on the fly is about 2x the size of the spot on the p plate. Does that tell you which one has the high spot?
(My guess is that makes the P plate high)

Use a straight edge.

QUOTE (9146986 @ Feb 1 2005, 12:26 PM)

Use a straight edge.

Use your wallet.

Resurface the flywheel and purchase new disc and PP.

Problem solved.

Here's a WAG....

How does the geometry of the throw-out bearing to pressure plate tangs look. Just seems that if you have an uneven contact problem (assuming the pp torque was correct), it might be that the throw-out bearing is not engaging/disengaging the the pressure plate squarely, allowing one side to make contact with the disk first...........or something to that effect.

QUOTE (914RS @ Feb 1 2005, 02:31 PM)

QUOTE (9146986 @ Feb 1 2005, 12:26 PM) Use a straight edge. Use your wallet. Resurface the flywheel and purchase new disc and PP. Problem solved.

I've always heard that if you break the tranny from the engine to put a new clutch, pp, to bearing, and resurface the fly... and change the rear seal... unless they are all 100% perfect... which they rarely are...

You guys are missing the point. I shoulda been more clear. I am sending the p plate to KEP for a rebuild, and I will have the fly mic'ed, and then turned if necessary. I'm not trying to save a buck, I'm trying to learn sumpin about diagnosing a clutch problem. It seems to me that the difference in the size of the shiney spots would probably tell a good mechanic which one is causing the problem. I could be completely wrong (wouldn't be the 1st time, . . .today ), but I learn so much from the mountain of collective experience of the members of this group, I was just wondering if the difference in those spots would tell the guru types here which one went bad.

My theory (WAG really) is that the smaller spot on the p plate is the source of the problem, and that it leaves a bigger spot on the fly because the disk spreads out the force over a bigger area before it reaches the flywheel.

My WAG was based on the fact that my Ford Ranger shuttered like all get out in 1st and Reverse after the engine was replaced. The shop swore that they turned the flywheel and installed a new pp, disk, and TOB, then said there was nothing else they could do . When it finally went completely out a year later , and I installed a new one myself, I found that they indeed did turn the flywheel, but never shimmed the flywheel out to it's proper location in relation to the TOB. I never did take any pics of the flywheel or pp, but they looked like what you described in your original post.

While on the subject--here is one for ya,, what was the culprit of this one??? Looky see how only 1/3 of the wheel was making contact with the disc,,,the wheel has never been turned....

QUOTE (jwalters @ Feb 1 2005, 05:13 PM)

While on the subject--here is one for ya,, what was the culprit of this one???  Looky see how only 1/3 of the wheel was making contact with the disc,,,the wheel has never been turned....

Is it me or does that look like a 3 puck clutch disk once lived there???

Looks like a little oil form the flywheel to crank Oring. Do the tranny front seal as well for good measure. There is the pilot bearing to replace or clean and lube as well.