So, Should I Replace This Part or Not?

[patrickt]

So, do you think my clutch fork will eventually make it through my remote inlet? And if it does, will the initial leak be so slight at first that I will hopefully see a puddle and immediately head for home? How many times do you think the clutch will work with the little bit of fluid that's still in the master cylinder? Of course, I could always just ignore it and hope that it will go away all by itself.

[Z-linkCobra]

You could replace the part and call it good. Or you could actualy fix the problem and get some more clearence so that after you replace it it doesnt happen again.

As far as the clutch loosing all the fluid and not working. When you come up to a stop shut it off and put it in gear....when the light turns green hit the starter and take off..shift it without the clutch untill you get home. I had to do that several times in my ol' 66 Ranchero that I had. With the original clutch arm and pivot that bolts on the driver side of the block...it was constantly giving me grief. I drove that car alot with no working clutch. Down shifting takes some practice...but I can do it...lol.

[blykins]

Now see, if you were running a Quicktime bellhousing, I could sell you a regular length fork and it wouldn't rub.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by blykins

Now see, if you were running a Quicktime bellhousing, I could sell you a regular length fork and it wouldn't rub.

Thank you, Brent. I'm just thinking what the heck I'm going to use grind down the end of that super-case-hardened fork without pulling it out of the car.

[rodneym]

Patrickt,
Could you make more room by repositioning the spring end 'up' and shave off some of the fork? And replace the inlet.
rodneym

[blykins]

Good luck.....

BTW, I could make you a package deal that included a new, non-C/F clutch kit too.

And just think....it would give you a new reason to make a new "I did it myself and here's how I did it" thread: bellhousing, fork, and clutch swap.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Patrickt,
Could you make more room by repositioning the spring end 'up' and shave off some of the fork? And replace the inlet.
rodneym

Yes. While my initial post had a little humor to it, the question is a little serious. I've got a new remote inlet on the way, but I think the fork has clearanced itself on the inlet as far as it's going to go. I just don't know how much more plastic I have left. Pulling the MC, replacing the $6 inlet, O-Ring, and Clamp and then grinding off a little bit of the fork is the quality repair... I just don't know if I feel like doing that this year.

[rodneym]

Impressive how much is already gone. Why not mark the inlet with a sharpie or something similar and see if it's done whittling away. Maybe have your wife press the clutch and take a look?
rodneym

[Z-linkCobra]

Why not just slot the holes where the MC mounts and move it over a little bit. I dont know how your car is layed out but that might be easier than trying to grind that hardened arm.

Or put a hydraulic throw out bearing on it and call it good.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Impressive how much is already gone. Why not mark the inlet with a sharpie or something similar and see if it's done whittling away. Maybe have your wife press the clutch and take a look?
rodneym

If somebody happened to have a Tilton remote inlet sitting around and could peek at it to see how much plastic is around the edge, that would be nice. Otherwise I'll just wait until Pegasus sends me the one I ordered.

Originally Posted by Z-linkCobra

Why not just slot the holes where the MC mounts and move it over a little bit. I dont know how your car is layed out but that might be easier than trying to grind that hardened arm.

Or put a hydraulic throw out bearing on it and call it good.

There's not additional room to move the MC over, and I would never, ever, ever use a HTOB. The part of the fork that is doing the scraping could be easily ground off (by dropping the fork off at a machine shop, that is). Grinding it while on the car will be a bit of PITA.

[dcdoug]

Fix it the right way, or go review the rollback thread and make sure you have everything you need......

[RodKnock]

I wouldn't drive my car until that is fixed. Holy Moly.

Now what am I looking at?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

Fix it the right way, or go review the rollback thread and make sure you have everything you need......

Well, that was reasonably clever, at least.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I wouldn't drive my car until that is fixed. Holy Moly.

Now what am I looking at?

My clutch master cylinder is mounted adjacent to the transmission bellhousing. The white plastic inlet is where the tube from the remote reservoir brings the fluid. My clutch fork has been scraping against it each time I push the clutch in, and letting the clutch back out. It has rubbed off a good bit of the plastic. If it rubs off enough, it will spring a leak and I'll be SOL out in bumf*** once again.

[tboneheller]

Cut the fork with a cut-off wheel.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by tboneheller

Cut the fork with a cut-off wheel.

I think that's probably exactly what I'm going to do. I only need to cut a piece of the fork about the size of a thumbnail.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

My clutch master cylinder is mounted adjacent to the transmission bellhousing. The white plastic inlet is where the tube from the remote reservoir brings the fluid. My clutch fork has been scraping against it each time I push the clutch in, and letting the clutch back out. It has rubbed off a good bit of the plastic. If it rubs off enough, it will spring a leak and I'll be SOL out in bumf*** once again.

Ah, now I see it. Why isn't your clutch master cylinder mounted on the side of the engine compartment up high and out of the way?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Ah, now I see it. Why isn't your clutch master cylinder mounted on the side of the engine compartment up high and out of the way?

That's not the stock ERA master cylinder. It's a larger Tilton unit that facilitated moving the clutch pedal back (towards the front of car) to make more room for my 6' 4" frame. Room in the tunnel is tight -- I think ERA does that in order to give you more room. It just barely rubs, but, obviously, it rubs. But if the top portion of that inlet is solid plastic, then it doesn't matter. I was really hoping somebody on here had one just sitting on their counter and could say "there's a quarter inch of plastic there" or "there's a half inch of plastic there" or "there ain't much plastic there at all." Fixing it is going to be a PITA. The parts are less than ten dollars, but I've got to drain the clutch fluid, remove the master cylinder, and then try and ease my cutting wheel to nip off the end of the fork without it bouncing out and hitting something on the car, or hitting me in the nose.

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by patrickt

The parts are less than ten dollars, but I've got to drain the clutch fluid, remove the master cylinder, and then try and ease my cutting wheel to nip off the end of the fork without it bouncing out and hitting something on the car, or hitting me in the nose.

And enjoy a pretty good shower of sparks while your under there.....

[patrickt]

BTW, this is the part. Tilton #74-200. Maybe the top is solid plastic and I don't need to do anything at all? Naaah.