Still Battling this clutch problem. Help!!!

[Chisel]

When you tighten the 6 bolts that hold the pressure plate to the flywheel the 3 fingers will move away from the pressure plate cover. This action moves the fingers away from the throwout bearing giving it the needed clearance and puts pressure on the clutch plate. The pressure plate when tightened by the 6 bolts will be tight against the flywheel where the 6 bolts screw into the flywheel.
Your picture shows the 3 fingers tight against the pressure plate cover. My picture shows the 3 fingers about 3/8 to 1/2 inch from the cover. There lies your problem. Either the pressure plate is not tight to the flywheel or the fingers on the pressure plate are not adjusted right. Since this is the 2nd pressure I doubt both pressure plates are bad. If the pressure plate is tight against the flywheel, that leaves only the cultch disc being to thin which again is not likely, thus back to a improperly adjusted pressure plate

[Big_Guys_baby]

First off, thanks a lot guys for the help! I really appreciate it!

I am pretty sure the pressure plate bolts are the culprit. These are the bolts that I used from the kit from carpenters. I am not sure if I still have the original bolts for comparison, will need to dig through my parts bin.

I unbolted the pressure plate tonight and the clutch fingers barely moved. When I pulled out the bolts it was obvious that they were bottoming out on the flywheel when I torqued them to specs. Now, I need to research what the correct length bolts are supposed to be. I will also post a pic I took of the pressure plate bolts.

[Big_Guys_baby]

Are these the correct bolts?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ar...1/media/images

[Chisel]

I guess you didn't check for clearance between the pressure plate flange to flywheel at the 6 mounting bolts? That would have told you if the bolts were to long and by how much to long.

[ken ct]

They look too long?? ken ct.

[DavidG]

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The shank of the 5/16-18 hex head bolts must not exceed 3/4" in length. (The industry standard for measuring bolts is not overall length, but rather the length under the head.) The bolt in your photos is well over 3/4" in length and the end of the threads show clearly that it bottomed out in the hole in the flywheel. You are very fortunate that when you torqued the bolts that one or more bolt heads weren't sheared off.

[Big_Guys_baby]

Well, first off I feel very relieved that I know what is wrong. With the bolt bottoming itself out it felt like the flange of the pressure plate was seating down firm, but of course with fingers not pulling away that should have been major red flag... Now I know! Of course I made assumption that the first kit was shipped with correct bolts, which wasn't the case.

Hopefully I can track down some correct pressure plate bolts in town!

[Big_Guys_baby]

Correction: The bolts that I used that were too long didn't come from carpenters. They were a Mr. Gasket brand I got that were too long. Didn't want to wrongly accuse Carpenters!

[Terry,OH]

If the unthreaded shoulder of the bolts are the correct length you can cut or grind the bolt length to the proper length and reuse. You will not find bolts of the proper length with the proper shoulder, on a hardware store shelf. Take a close look at the holes in the flywheel, the threads for the bolts start recessed in the fly wheel. The unthreaded shoulder is supposed to pass through the pressure plate and extend into the flywheel.

[Henry/Kokomo]

For pressure plate bolts, you might try Roy Nacewicz. Good source of correct fasteners. www.fordbolts.com

[Kahuna]

Any good Hot Rod shop will have the correct bolts to use. Mine also came from Mr. Gasket, but there are different ones (length) available

[Big_Guys_baby]

seems like my updated didn't post. On a serious archaeological dig through my parts bin I tracked down a nice baggie of the correct bolts. Bolted her up and and the pressure plate bolted down like a dream. It looks good now. Excited to start getting her back together!

[1937pickup]

All that agrivation over bolts-thanks for the update.

[peewee2you]

Big Guys baby, good for you... Wow, an awful amount of work for that discovery, but at least it gave you a chance to clean up and correct some other items and when you get it back together hopefully will give you that much more peace of mind. I only hope nothing short of positive for you moving forward, and that 1st drive after all this work will make this whole ordeal slip away. That is why this site is so valuable to us all, there is an abundance of knowledge, and your knowledge base has increased thru this experience, so the next time a question comes up on Pressure plates, clutch disc, throw out bearings and bolts come into play your up at bat. Seems like you have gotten the total experience on your 46, I believe your first post stated that you removed the trans via the removal of the rear end/banjo, the good is that you've done all the work, so you know exactly what has been done and not. attaboy!

[Big_Guys_baby]

Thanks Peewee!

[Mike in AZ]

glad you figured out the problem without more pain and frustration....and it was an easy solution....thanks for sharing the solution, too....Mike

[JM 35 Sedan]

BGb, I hate to ask this question but I am wondering if those bolts that were too long were also causing the problem with your C&PP that came from Carpenter? If it was, we should probably clarify this so that folks reading your other post will not think that Carpenters parts were at fault. Just a thought.

[bbrocksr]

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

BGb, I hate to ask this question but I am wondering if those bolts that were too long were also causing the problem with your C&PP that came from Carpenter? If it was, we should probably clarify this so that folks reading your other post will not think that Carpenters parts were at fault. Just a thought.

John, He did on post 28
Bill

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by bbrocksr

John, He did on post 28
Bill

Bill, I know he clarified the bolts did not come from Carpenter on this thread. What I meant was some clarification on his original post/thread on this same subject http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84749 will lead folks to believe that Carpenters PP was at fault when it was actually bolts purchased from another source that caused the problem. Just saying that Carpenter should not be given a bad rap for the PP he is supplying if the bolts were at fault from the beginning. JMO