[Tigers] Clutch issue

Thu Jul 15 17:16:36 MDT 2021

Lots of good questions Gary.  It could very well have been damaged during
installation at the factory.  I never took it apart before installing it so
don't know.  Nothing jagged at the end of the bore (but there was an issue
down there).  Yes, the peddle hits the floor before the piston bottoms out.
And I do have the spacer installed.  The part of the seal that touches the
very end of the bore is the flat end lip of the seal, it goes up against the
recuperation hole and keeps fluid from going up into the reservoir when the
peddle is pushed in and forcing all the fluid to the slave cylinder.

Here is what I "think" the issue was;   At the very bottom of the bore where
the recuperation hole is, there "was" an area that wasn't machined deep
enough to have clean machining all the way around the hole.  An area just
about the size of the inner part of the seal hadn't been machined, it was a
few thousands lower than the machining around the outside (a slight pocket
if you will). That, I think, caused the rubber seal to "buckle under" with
the very high pressure (could be over 1000psi).  If you have seen my video
of the overhaul of the brake booster you can see at the end of the video
where I put pressure gauges on the brake output and you can see the pressure
of 1500lbs from the brake master cylinder (same principle as the clutch
master). 

What I did was to "grind" the bottom of the bore with a wood dowel that I
put some sand paper on the end and spun it to take the higher area around
the hole down to the hole, only a few thousands of an inch, now the seal has
a flat surface to seal against. So far its working, but we'll see.

Coolvt, how in the world did you have this problem for so long??

Jerry Christopherson

9473187

TAC Insp. #58

From: Tigers [mailto:tigers-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Gary
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2021 4:38 PM
To: tigers at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Clutch issue

It looks like it was damaged when it was installed.
Where it is broken should not be touching anything, no?  Unless it was the
end of the bore, jagged metal down there?
Did you really jam down on the pedal after it hit the end?  The pedal hits
the firewall before that I think...
Did you forget the spacer piece between the cylinder and firewall?
Gary

On 7/15/2021 12:48 PM, Jerry Christopherson wrote:

Well I'm surprised that there weren't more people wondering what my problem
was. Gary was the only one curious enough with some guesses.  The problem
was the seal inside the clutch master cylinder, the one that covers the
recuperation hole in the very end of the cylinder bore (#4 in the blow up of
the clutch cylinder exploded view in the green manual).  Somehow it had
failed as you can see in the photograph.  The question is how and why did it
fail, I have some ideas, but won't go into them now, but I think it had to
do with the machining at the factory that caused it.  I think I have solved
the problem, but we will see. 

By the way the reason the clutch peddle went to the floor is because the
fluid was going back up into the reservoir.

Jerry

That is a toothpick holding it open. The company has sent me new seals.

From: Tigers [mailto:tigers-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Gary
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2021 6:50 PM
To: tigers at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Clutch issue

Did you break the clutch arm "axle" "pivot" whatever you call it.
I did that once, my clutch arm actually fell out in the driveway.
Gary

On 7/3/2021 4:33 PM, Jerry Christopherson via Tigers wrote:

OK all you "gearheads", let's see who can figure this one out.  As some of
you know I recently went completely through my engine (boiled block
rebalance, new bearings and rings etc,etc.).  I put in a new clutch 10.5"
(Ram #88794HD) far more 

clutch than I  need for a street car, It's good for 450 ft. lbs. of torque.
My car is in the upper 300lbs of torque. The clutch requires more movement
than the stock master cylinder is capable of so I bought a new master
cylinder with larger bore

(.700 stock is .625) as suggested by some of you.  That master worked ok,
but required a FULL depression of the clutch peddle to the floor (I like
midway release).  My adjustment is as far as I dare to keep the throw-out
bearing from staying in

contact with the clutch fingers.  So I got about 80 miles of driving since
the overhaul (and getting a very strong left leg) and the clutch started to
not release, it would take several "pumps" to get it in gear, also to make a
shift.  At times the clutch 

peddle would go to the floor with absolutely NO resistance what so ever.  I
had about 2 miles to get the car home. That was a real thrill, at times I
had to use the starter while in first gear to leave a light or stop sign.
Anyway  this having no peddle 

at times 

then having some peddle finally got me home.  At home I checked the clutch
fluid level thinking I had lost all fluid (kind of what it felt like) but
the level was still FULL!

I found the problem, let see if any one of you can guess what I found to be
the problem.  You won't believe it!  I'll tell the story after some of your
guesses.

Jerry Christopherson

9473187

TAC Insp. #58     

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