Clutch chatter from 1st Gear

50C8DAN
50C8DAN Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I got the Commodore on the road and to its first car show today, lots of interest. Anyway, I am getting clutch chatter when shifting from 1st to 2nd, non from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd. Oddly, no chatter when I first start up but once I am on the road and things warm up the chatter starts. New clutch plate and turned pressure plate, also I did put in the Hudsonite. One of my Hudson buddies thinks it just needs to break in. Any comments?

Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    When you say "chatter", I assume you can hear something in the clutch when the car is running? If so, it is most likely the setting fo the finger height. If one or other of the three fingers is set low, it will tend to fling around. Can really only be checked by dismantling the clutch. Try decreasing the free-play of the pedal to minimum and see if this eliminates the problem. It could perhaps be a slight warp or high spot in the clutch plate which would cause the same thing, in which case it may go away, but only time will tell. Good luck,

    Geoff.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Geoff has some good ideas based on lot'sa experience, but don't overlook the possibility that if it's a new clutch, a lot of the Hudsonite will be absorbed into the fresh cork, leaving little to adhere to the surfaces. You might do the Hudsonite drain and fill trick again.

    Glad you are finally having some driving fun!

    Dave w.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Dan--Assuming the clutch plate is okay, and since you had the pressure plate resurfaced, I would assume you had it rebuilt by a clutch and pressure plate outfit.



    I would believe that they would have adjusted the fingers. I suspect the problem may be in the "fork, bushings and shaft". I suspect the fork is not putting even pressure on the T. O. Bearing causing the fingers to release and apply pressure on the plate unevenly. Randy Maas
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    Thanks for all the input. What I am referring to so we are all on the same page. It will not engage smoothly into 1st starting out once up to temp or a couple of shifts from stop into 1st once I get going. It engages fine from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd and 3rd back to 2nd. It is only starting out from neutral into 1st that I am having an issue with.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Okay, it sounds like the problem is the clutch not disengaging properly, that is, the gears crunch when you engage 1st gear whilst standing? If so, it may wear in, but do try draining and re-filling the clutch with the correct amount of compound (1/3rd pint). And reduce the free-play to minimum, so that you get the maximum amount of movement to disengage the plate from the flywheel. It won't hurt to take this right back to half an inch, but keep an eye on it, as when the clutch beds in the pedal will move further back. I was fortunate when I replaced the clutch in my Hornet, I just hand-sanded the flywheel and pressure plate, put a NOS clutch plate in, and it is as smooth as ababy's bottom, as the saying goes, with no grabbing or sticking. Good luck,

    Geoff.
  • super651
    super651 Senior Contributor
    Dan, if the chatter is still there as Ken u-tx described and adjustment does not correct it Then remove the clutch and check the cork thickness.

    A local hudson owner had the same problem as you the corks were to thick and we had to use 2-cover gaskets . Problem Fixed.

    Dont remember the correct thickness at this time. ( can someone help out in this ) Thanks Rudy
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    OK, sorry I am not explaining the situation properly. There is not gear crashing or nashing, the clutch is jumping most of the time not a lot but more than I like (like a person that does not know how to drive a std. trans letting the clutch out properly). I have tried letting the clutch out slow, medium, fast, etc. and still not getting there. A friend of mine that drives a '49C8 has driven my car and had the same problem and his car does not have the problem. Again no problem with shifting to other gears or cold. Maybe just need to drive it some more to break it in???
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Third time! I understand now what your problem is - the clutch is grabbing as you let the pedal out, and the car is shuddering as the drive is taken up. If you have had the pressure plate and flywheel resurfaced, this can only be insufficient clutch fluid, or the finger adjustment, or a warped plate. If the finger height is not correct, that is all three fingers set at the same distance, then the pressure plate will be pulled back unequally, and this will cause the problem. Exactly the same if the clutch plate itself is either warped, bent, or has unequal thickness of corks. First thing of course is to put a little more clutch fluid in and see what happens. Good luck,

    Geoff.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    50C8DAN wrote:
    I got the Commodore on the road and to its first car show today, lots of interest. Anyway, I am getting clutch chatter when shifting from 1st to 2nd, non from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd. Oddly, no chatter when I first start up but once I am on the road and things warm up the chatter starts. New clutch plate and turned pressure plate, also I did put in the Hudsonite. One of my Hudson buddies thinks it just needs to break in. Any comments?



    The problem I have with my 29 is it does not always disingage when I first start it so I start it in gear with clutch in and it works fine. Also if I rev it up a little that clears it. I have ATF in it and I am going to try Hudsonite when I can get some and try that. Take Care, Ron
  • junkcarfann
    junkcarfann Expert Adviser
    An old Hudson mechanic told me to put in a little extra Hudsonite (1 or 2 ounces, but only 1 at a time) to attempt to cure several clutch ills, including sticking or chattering. I have done that once, and it immediately made shifting easier. There is nothing to lose if your other choice is to dismantle the car.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    An interesting but strange thing happened to me about a month ago. I decided to flush my clutch out, so added extra Dextron. Drove around the block ('bout 3 miles) and back to the shop to drain. An interesting thing happened. After a mile or so, It was impossible to completely release the clutch! The extra fluid made the clutch act like a torque converter! Draining and refilling with the proper amount put it back to working properly.Lesson here.. If it works don't fix it.

    Dave w.
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