Team Fannypackers (in the British sense!) has just completed a clutch
replacement on the '91 Tercel we're running. Yeah, it's not an LBC, but
it leaks like one!
This was a curious clutch failure, as the clutch would not disengage.
Usually this points to hydraoulics, but I rebuil;t those and the problem
still remained. So today, out came the gearbox. What has happened was
that one of the damper springs on the clutch disk had broken apart. The
"springs" in this case were actually rubber cylinders which had hardened
over the last 15 years. The pieces of this "spring" had lodged
themselves in the pressure plate such that the pressure plate would not
disengage from the disk.
But now, we have a working clutch! I'm takingn the rally car on a
shakedown ride in NJ commuter traffic to work tomorrow morning to make
sure everything works.
I'm looking forward to the fun!
-=Chris
<-----Original Message----->
From: David Lieb
Sent: 5/7/2006 12:15:00 PM
To: John.Deikis@va.gov;John.Deikis@va.gov;spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: BABE Rally preparations
> How are things progressing with the cheeseheads at Team SU and with
the
> gangsters at Team OSHIT?
> Will team-dot-net be fielding three vehicles in this epic debacle?
Team SU has been working diligently. We got Mickey relatively
operational
about a month ago, so I drove her home from Wisconsin and proceeded to
use
her as a daily driver to shake out some of the problerms we were
anticipating. Having replaced any number of split quad bullet sleeves,
the
regulator in the alternator, the fuel pump, and a number of other small
items, the clutch started to slip. Not unexpected, I was just hoping it
would happen before the trip.
Drove her back up to Willy's spacious garage and we pulled the engine
out
and inspected the clutch. Sure enough, she was starting to kiss the
rivits.
I had a used clutch disk (what idiot hangs onto used clutch disks? Now
you
know the answer) that still had a bit of clearance to the rivits, so we
slapped that in and I headed back to my side of the Chedar Curtain.
Wouldn't
you know it, the clutch started slipping worse than before on the drive
down.
Yesterday I received the new B&B disk I ordered from PPP, so it will go
in
sometime this next week and the testing will resume.
We did have a setback this past week. Due to issues at work, Willy is
not
going to be able to make the trip. I offered the berth to my short list
of
candidates, but they were all able to come up with excuses in time ;-)
Justin the rally-meister assures me that I won't be the first to go
solo,
although it will most likely take me out of contention. It will still be
fun, however.
David Lieb
"Team" SU
.
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