Question: Can You Burn Up a Bran New Clutch in 1 day, like in 2 hours (Answer: Yes)

kiddiccarus

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Dec 24, 2003
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30 Mins from a Ragged GT
The question is simple and the symptoms I experienced is below. Did I Burn up a $375 Clutch?


Chime in, here is the basic information

1. Installed a Spec Clutch kit and both bearings
2. Installed New Adjustable Cable, Firewall Adjuster, Quadrant

(NO I should have not drove the car, so that is not an applicable answer)

Just swapped in the engine, Still a 3.8 and it has a vacuum leak or something else wrong in that area, but will run.just not smoothly. Yes I should have fixed that before going out for a drive.

When I stopped and had to be towed home, I learned.....

1. Firewall Adjuster is installed backwards
2. I purchased the wrong Clutch Cable and Quadrant
3. I 100% could not have adjusted this correctly with wrong parts.
I admit my mistakes

Symptoms.

1. Engine seemed lean under 2500 rpm
2. Will jump from 2500 to 3500+ rpm randomly
3. Adjusting the idle screw did little to help the situation.

When I drive the car rolls fine when in gear, when I pressed in the clutch the RPM would jump 1k every time before settling back to around 2500-3000. I drove about 10 miles total. At the end, I could go no less than 60 mph at 4000 rpm. I pulled into a random farm driveway and was able to back in, then NOTHING.

Before You Ask. No I didn't smell toast, burnt rubber or anything that anyone describes as the sign of a burnt clutch. BUT, I did smell something, lasted about 6 minutes and then gone altogether. The actual Clutch is Spec Stage 2 Kevlar Clutch Kit - 10 Spline (94-04 V6)

1. No Start
2. Will Not go into any gear so I have e-brake set on an incline.
3. Towed Home

---------------------------------
Identified Bad Cable and Quadrant. Called American Muscle. They do not have the part that I need but agreed the parts I have wont work. They referred me to LMR with the proper part number for a new Cable Kit. LMR was gracious after hearing the events and assured me the part kit will work and then gave me a discount above the normal because of my troubles and that AM referred me to them.

So the New kit is on the way. I will have that by the weekend and will install it to see if that will cure the woes on this situation.


* Wrong Cable: Mustang Steeda Adjustable Clutch Cable Kit 5.0L/3.8L (82-04) (The web site says it will fit and work. It Does NOT)
* Correct Cable: 1982-2004 Mustang Steeda Adjustable Clutch Cable Kit 5.0L/3.8L - by Steeda
 
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Can you burn up a new clutch in one day?

I say yes, but there would be smoke, lots of smoke.
Whats the difference between those two cables?
 
Zero Smoke, I described this all to AM and LMR and they both believe that the Multitude of Mistakes that I made may have saved the Clutch itself. Only the replacement cable and Quad will tell.

the Wrong cable is too long and will not adjust at both ends. The replacement cable is the correct length and will adjust at both ends. The Quadrant for both cables needs to be a double fork so that the slack will be taken up. Actual numbers, I do not know yet. Once I have this one out. I will measure all 3. Stock, Wrong Cable and New Cable.

The one that I purchased first is only for the 5.0 and wont work for the 3.8
 
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OK. Now we are getting somewhere. Proof that
1. I can sometimes be a moron and purchase the wrong item
2. There was no way possible that I was able to adjust this cable correctly.

I have them labeled and stretched out for all to see.

* The Maxim Cable is 71 inches long - Maximum Motorsports High Performance Clutch Cable (82-95 5.0L; 96-04 All)
------------------------------------------------------------ Ford Performance Firewall Cable Adjuster (79-04 All)
------------------------------------------------------------ Steeda Clutch Quadrant (Single Claw)

* The Factory Cable is 65 1/2 inches long

* The Steeda Cable is 60 3/4 inches long. - 1982-2004 Mustang Steeda Adjustable Clutch Cable Kit 5.0L/3.8L - by Steeda

As you can see the Steeda cable is the only one that will be able to be adjusted at both ends. Inside the Trans with all thread and a jam nut and at the firewall with the adjuster.

I will remove the single claw clutch quadrant along with the firewall adjuster to go with the Maxim Motorsports cable. If anyone wants to take these off my hands for a less than I purchased price. PM for the details. Once they are off I will post something in the for sale section.
2020-February-23-Louise-cable compare.jpg
 
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Just got in from beating my head against the wall. Have the New Cable in, Firewall Adjuster in correctly and the New Quadrant in. I can now start the car. But it seems that I am Stuck in Neutral

@Mustang5L5 Can you toss me some ideas here. Why would my T5 be stuck in neutral? What do I need to be looking at and in what order?

Recap:
When the Trans went back in:
New: Clutch, Flywheel, Pressure Plate, Wrong Cable, Wrong Adjuster (Maybe), Wrong Quadrant, New Fluid (Syncro)

Drove for max 2 hours with the wrong parts, and an open vacuum line, car was super high on RPMs most of the time. When it stopped (side of the road) I was not able to get the car to restart at all and it would not come out of neutral.

Installed the correct parts, clutch pedal feels great, starts fine, sounds good. Wont come out of neutral at all. The Shifter will go into all 5 gears and Reverse, but the Transmission isnt understanding that it is in a gear position, if that makes sense. To be clear. If the car is On or Off, im in Neutral all of the time.

Any Feedback (Besides the obvious of me being a moron for driving with the engine racing like it was) is appreciated.
 
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Swapped the Clutch out last night. This is what the $400. Clutch looked like when we pulled it.
Now, I have a Duralast clutch kit in it and it runs very well indeed. (Swapped everything except the pilot bearing to the Duralast Parts)

2020-March-8 Louise #2.jpg
 
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