Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

How do you know when it's time for a clutch adjustment? This car was restored by the previous owner about 1,000 miles and over ten years ago. I can get it to shift smoothly once in a while, but not all the time. Even up shifting is causing occasional grinds. I haven't checked the transmission fluid yet, but I plan to change it out.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Grinding when shifting may be your shifting technique. The tranny in the Model A is not synchronized so to shift smoothly you either double clutch to match engine speed with gear speed or more commonly upshift at lower road speeds. If you shift from 1st. to 2nd. At 8-10 mph and 2nd. to 3rd. below 20 mph. you won’t get any grinding. At least this is the way I was taught and the way I shift my 160A.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

There is a section in the owners instruction book about adjusting the clutch---how much "free play" does the pedal have

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

I'm sure my technique does have a lot to do with it since I've only had it since May. I've been trying to shift the way you mentioned. Maybe I'm shifting too slow?

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

I don't know. I'll have to look. It's just a thought I had.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Engine idle speed has a lot to do with smooth shifting, slower the better, also don't be in a hurry when changing gears. If you need to get up to speed fast, double clutch! Have fun learning your A, go for a drive and enjoy!

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Clutch pedal free-play should be 1.0-1.5"

A Model A is in no hurry to do anything, that includes shifting.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

It doesn't seem to matter how I shift it, it still occasionally grinds. I don't know. I try to up-shift slowly and sometimes that works, then the next time it doesn't. Waiting too long? I don't know. I down-shift much unless it's 3rd-2nd and under 15mph.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Go ahead and check your play in the clutch pedal and if it is too much go ahead with the process.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

I don't know, it seems people are in a rush to do everything today including shifting.

All you have to do is push clutch, pull/push shift lever to neutral count one, count two and push/pull lever to next gear, release clutch pedal.

Its about the same for downshifts except the engine speed needs to be raised probably more than you think and double clutch if it makes you feel better. But I do have to double clutch 2nd to 1st.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

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Adjusting free-play is pretty straight forward involving the actuating arm rod length. It can a PITA crawling under to get to the linkage.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

I have to be patient and wait for the engine to slow enough to avoid grinding gears. My dad taught me to pat the accelerator when down shifting from 3rd to 2nd. It seems the engine needs to be faster than idle to slip it in.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

This is basically what I do, but it's not always effective. I'm wondering if the idle speed is set too high. I know the throttle lever does like to drift down some. Can those be adjusted?

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Easy and slow; easy take off and slow shifting seems to work for me.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

The clutch can be adjusted from the top by removing the floor boards. This is easier for me than crawling under the car. I also remove the battery to get it out of the way. The play, clutch pedal movement before you feel more resistance, has to be at least one inch but not more than 1.5 inch.

Besides shifting technique, the clutch disk can be dragging. This can be caused by a number of different reasons. The pressure plate fingers may not be adjusted correctly causing one or more pressure springs to not be released completely. The tolerance is pretty tight on this adjustment. There could be oil or grease on the disk which is causing it to drag. The disk could be warped. The pilot bearing may be bad. To see if it is dragging, have a partner push in the clutch while the car is in first gear, then try pushing the car. You should be able to push it with a little more difficulty than when the car is in neutral.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Yep, that is an easier to adjust the clutch. If doing that it makes sense to do other stuff like clean the battery cables. If thats all I need to do though I guess I'm too lazy to take the floor out. But, as I get older, stiffer and short tempered,,,,,,,,,,,,[ smiley face ]

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Are the teeth at the top of your steering column worn down?

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

I suppose some. I don't feel the teeth when I move the lever.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

As the oil in the gearbox warms up, your gear changing technique/timing has to change as well. On my cars, when they are stone cold, the oil is so thick, I sometimes think I must be about to bend the gear stick. That is when I change at a very low speed and don't wait between coming out of one gear and going into the next. A double de-clutch at this time is almost impossible. After a mile or three, it is easy to feel the difference as the oil warms up and the viscosity changes. My timing also changes.
Maybe you are not changing your technique as the oil warms up. You will be OK sometimes but when the oil has changed viscosity, you probably will get a bit of a crunch unless you change to match it. The only way to get it right all of the time is practice, practice, practice and all the while paying attention to how the gears move easier when the oil is warm than cold.
This does not mean that I disagree with what has been said above by others but I noticed no one else had mentioned this.

Re: Time For Clutch Adjustment?
 

Catman,

Until you get a chance to repair the sector at the top of the steering column, you can slip a plastic or rubber hose over the lever to keep the throttle from moving.