I own a 58 Corvette with a 4 speed transmission and the 283 engine. I've had the clutch replaced recently. The car now vibrates. The clutch has been replaced 3 times and it still vibrates. The last two are much better but not perfect. When the engine is run with just the flywheel and no pressure plate the engine is as smooth as silk all the way through low RPM to High RPM. With the pressure plate attached there is a vibration in the car. As I said, 3 clutches have been installed with the same result. Does anyone have any ideas on this. It is baffling to me and the mechanic. Like I said it is smooth as silk with only the flywheel and once the pressure plate is installed on it, it has a vibration.
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58 Corvette Clutch
Check the pilot bearing. If a loose input shaft has hammered this bearing oversize, the clutch plate can be off center and cause vibration. Don't ask me how I know this. -
58 Corvette Clutch
Check the pilot bearing. If a loose input shaft has hammered this bearing oversize, the clutch plate can be off center and cause vibration. Don't ask me how I know this.Comment
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Re: 58 Corvette Clutch
Bill-----
This is a quite common problem, even with new GM pressure plate and discs (long discontinued for your application, of course). The problem is that the pressure plate and disc assemblies are not necessarily properly balanced out-of-the-box.
Before installing ANY replacement clutch in a car I recommend always removing the flywheel and taking the new pressure plate and friction disc to a competent balance shop for precision balancing. If you do this and if the balancing shop is truly competent, the resultant assembly will be smooth as glass when installed in the car. I've been "down this road", believe me.
Always make sure that you mark the relative position of the flywheel and pressure plate assembly after balancing. Usually, the balance shop will do this, although they often do it with paint. In any event, make sure that you make note of it. To maintain balance, the pressure plate has to be installed indexed to the flywheel as it was when the final balance was done.
There's no need to index the friction disc. In fact, it's not even possible to do it, but I mention this only because folks sometimes wonder about this.
Anyone that installs a replacement clutch without having the flywheel, pressure plate and friction disc balanced first is just asking for trouble and GREATLY increasing their chances that they're going to have to "go back in". I do ALL POSSIBLE to avoid the latter.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 58 Corvette Clutch
Bill-----
This is a quite common problem, even with new GM pressure plate and discs (long discontinued for your application, of course). The problem is that the pressure plate and disc assemblies are not necessarily properly balanced out-of-the-box.
Before installing ANY replacement clutch in a car I recommend always removing the flywheel and taking the new pressure plate and friction disc to a competent balance shop for precision balancing. If you do this and if the balancing shop is truly competent, the resultant assembly will be smooth as glass when installed in the car. I've been "down this road", believe me.
Always make sure that you mark the relative position of the flywheel and pressure plate assembly after balancing. Usually, the balance shop will do this, although they often do it with paint. In any event, make sure that you make note of it. To maintain balance, the pressure plate has to be installed indexed to the flywheel as it was when the final balance was done.
There's no need to index the friction disc. In fact, it's not even possible to do it, but I mention this only because folks sometimes wonder about this.
Anyone that installs a replacement clutch without having the flywheel, pressure plate and friction disc balanced first is just asking for trouble and GREATLY increasing their chances that they're going to have to "go back in". I do ALL POSSIBLE to avoid the latter.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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