clutch/oil pressure issues?

[treed2@u.washington.edu (T. Reed)]

Paul,

When you say its rubbing on the shield/cover, I assume you're referring to
the thin metal piece that goes between the engine and transaxle? I'm very
surprised that you say the pressure plate is rubbing on it? How bizarre.

I left the bolts for that piece out when I did my engine swap and have
never got around to putting them back in. They're in a little baggy
somewhere. I wonder if that's one of my rattles.. hmm..

I have a quiet buzzing noise that I just noticed about a week ago when I
push the clutch in. It only happens under certain conditions though (ie.
when the nose of the car is pointing down on a hill) so I immediately just
chalked it up to a rattle.

As far as the oil pressure gauge changing when you push on the clutch,
that sounds like a ground problem. Run some more ground straps from your
engine and tranny to the battery.

-Toby

On Sun, 4 May 2003, Paul Maione wrote:

> hey everyone.
> i finally got my car running again after 7 month's of a heavy
> hibernation. i had to put it away early at the end of last year
> because of an exploding clutch issue.
>
> so i get a centerforce dual friction to finally cure the problem,
> install went smoothly. at the same time i get my tranny build up
> with a 3.94 RP, .80, new seals, bearings, etc.
>
> i install everything and fire it up. seems to be running nice
> until i put my foot on the clutch. i hear a rubbing whine, kinda
> like a zzzzzzzzzzz. so i get under the car and pop off the bottom
> piece of the bellhousing shield so i can take a look see. i can
> see that the pressure plate is like touching the shield that's
> bolted to the block. i couldn't even slip a business card in
> between it. i don't really remeber how close my other one was,
> but this doesn't seem right. even if i put the faintest pressure on the
> push rod lever it'll start to make this sound, but when i'm off
> the pedal it doesn't make any noise. also while in the car and
> pushing the clutch pedal in to hear the sound, i would see my oil
> pressure gauge drop like 8 psi when i would push in the clutch.
>
> WTF?!
>
> that's the most wack thing i have ever seen. i've noticed that i'm getting
> mega
> amounts of oil pressure when the car is at idle also. around 40 psi.
>
> the lifters are ticking like mad also, but i figured that's because it was
> sitting for so
> long. but even after letting it idle and letting it warm up for like 30
> mins, they we're
> still clacking like mad. i put some ATF with the oil so see if it would
> calm it down
> (changing the oil anyway) and it did. after it all cycled through, it
> quieted down big time.
> took a trip to the gas station, shut off the car, then started it again,
> making all sorts of
> noise again. when i got back to work from the gas station it was ticking
> bigtime again.
>
> the engine was rebuilt like 9000 kms ago and i'm running mobil one 15w50
> that has about
> 3000 kms on it. every lifter is almost brand spanking new. i got some
> lubro-moly 5W40 that
> i'm gonna throw in on moday. i'm just starting to think this is a bigger
> problem then just some
> cruddy oil.
>
> any input would be greatly appreciated.
>
> thanks
>
> paul