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Neat video; don't think I have ever watched a clutch disk start and stop before.

A throwout bearing will generally make noise as soon as it has moderate pressure on it; this noise does not start till the clutch disk is well released. Therefore it seems it would be either something on the clutch disk rubbing on the pressure plate, the pilot bearing, or one of the counterweights on the the pressure plate rubbing somewhere on the inside of the housing.

Try putting it in gear and slipping the clutch a moment.

OK, I just listened again and I hear two things: One is the whiffle noise you get with a new clutch install that will go away after a small amount of driving. The second seems to be the unhappy-ballbearing-noise I am guessing pilot bearing. If it is the throwout bearing you can probably feel the notchiness by turning it with your fingers.

THANKS Guys...yes this is frustrating.

The throwout bearing is still newish (less than 3000 miles) and it was quiet before and was not damaged (dented or rusted) during the time the engine and trans were apart as far as I can tell so I reused it.

The original pilot bearing did feel tight so I replaced it and the R&R was as expected with no complications.

Was it wrong to "de-glaze" (scratching surfaces with some 80 grit sand paper) the surface of the flywheel and pressure plate ? Could that be the problem with the chatter??? I thought that would be a good thing as I have done this on brakes for years. The surface of the pressure plate and clutch disc were clean and in good condition prior and only had very slight wear and the flywheel was resurfaced. I cleaned everything with brake cleaner and there is no rear main seal oil leak.

The video was done during one of the high idle engine break in runs so perhaps a normal idle engage / release would sound less scary.

Naturally I do not want to break the transmission however perhaps some miles on the clutch will wear down the scratches?

The clutch can only fit in one way because the springs would strike the flywheel bore if installed backwards.

One of the guys from HAMB online message board nailed it...

I used "regular old" grade 8 bolts to install the flywheel however bolts designed to be used on a flywheel use heads that are much thinner than regular bolts. He predicts that the clutch forward facing hub surface is sliding against the heads of the bolts and it makes the sound when the clutch pedal is pushed in because that is the time when the clutch is stationary and not spinning with the flywheel and pressure plate.

When the clutch pedal is released then the clutch will spin with the flywheel and pressure plate as a single unit and therefore there is no noise.

I think I should order the correct bolts, a new clutch plate (because my guess is that the metal to metal sliding has placed some scars in the hub of the clutch plate), and might as well get the clutch return spring to make the clutch pedal easier to operate (both for my dad and the electromatic clutch).

Oh HAPPY DAY!!! I get to R&R the transmission...again!?!?!?

Bill

The clutch bolts do not have thinner heads, but they do have a certain shoulder diameter and length of shoulder so that they locate the pressure plate to the flywheel. This is important for good balance.

So this new theory is basically that the pressure plate is not bolted tight to the flywheel? Seems like that should be easy to check. Needless to say you can change the bolts without removing anything. The pressure plate cover is in any event just a heavy metal stamping and not likely damaged. Packard clutches are not like the o-rings on the space shuttle.

Wow... you guys are good!!!

I have just been exposed with another Packard Sin!!!

I also used regular grade 8 bolts to attach the pressure plate to the flywheel... Fred at Max Merritt will be happy to get my call on Monday.

First sin was using regular bolts to attach the flywheel to the crank and second sin was using grade 8 bolts to attach the pressure plate to the flywheel... Grrrrrr

Thanks again!!!

"I used "regular old" grade 8 bolts to install the flywheel however bolts designed to be used on a flywheel use heads that are much thinner than regular bolts. He predicts that the clutch forward facing hub surface is sliding against the heads of the bolts and it makes the sound when the clutch pedal is pushed in because that is the time when the clutch is stationary and not spinning with the flywheel and pressure plate."

See Picture below of an installed Flywheel.

That sounds good to me also, just wondering why you didn't reuse the old bolts?
Wes

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I did not reuse the flywheel bolts because the threads on one was all boogered up and I wanted to have all 6 the same weight.

As for the pressure plate bolts one broke off in the flywheel (even though I torqued them to specs) and I was able to drill it out and save the original threads. Then to keep everything in balance I went with all new bolts.

I was not aware of special heads on the bolts that would enter the pressure plate.