Re: The Duchess Project: 1940 Super 8 Convertible Sedan

Posted by Joe Santana On 2014/2/2 0:22:01

Thanks for looking at this, Howard.

What kind of spacer did you put on your adjusting rod?

The last couple of weeks, it's been a little harder to get into gear after a stop light. I would have to try a couple of times before it would go into 1st.

Friday, as I was driving to work, I had a little harder time getting it into gear. This was after I cleaned it and "adjusted" and took it for a quick test around the neighborhood. It seemed fine during the test. No serious grinding. I always slip it into 2nd before I put it in 1st gear. Seems to slow the gears down.

So, I headed off to work. At a stop light, I started off in 1st but could not get it to shift into 2nd. It was like there was a wall there. Then when I tried to take it out of 1st, it wouldn't come out, so I decided, since I was in gear and it would motate, I'd just head back home because I needed to get to work. I know this condition happens. Stop the car and shut it off. Adjust the shift levers to neutral and try again. I was just afraid I might not be able to get it into 1st again, so headed home.

The column shift lever lever definitely feels different with engine off. It shifts into all gears including reverse, easily. With the engine running, it's completely blocked from going into 2nd. The level doesn't even what to go there and it will not grind. But if I try to put it in 1st, the level will go there, but only to grind on the gears.

I didn't remove the fork. I looked in the inspection hole and I could see that it wasn't something I could have bumped and moved.

Taking off the cover, I was thinking I could see the thickness of the plate, like when I washed it with brake cleaner. I could compare those photos taken 2,500 miles ago with now. Is that what makes a clutch quit completely like this... the plate is worn down? I've really had to think hard about how the clutch works. I press the level down with my foot. There's like a 8:1 ratio of movement between how far the pedal moves and how far the rod moves rearward. When the end of the fork move back, it should make the plate disengage from the flywheel.

If my friend Vaughn were willing and had the time he'd be ideal. I think he's done this before on a Packard. There are two college kids who are willing to help. They came today and worked on my son's 61 Jag, so i"d have some limber helpers. I have a floor jack and 4 jack stands.

Slipping. That's the way you know the clutch is going. Well, it hasn't been slipping lately, just harder to get into gear, like it didn't disengage enough. That's why I thought I could just adjust the pedal.

I haven't had the slipping problem for months...probably because of cooler weather. The slipping was caused by oil on the clutch. But I wouldn't doubt the clutch is worn. I know how to get to the transmission from above. I cut my soundproofing to make that easy.

I didn't take any of the shift linkage apart, just that adjustment rod.