Clutch Problems

[73 CJ5]

O.k. I am in need of guidance once again...
I have a 73 CJ5 and my clutch has gone out. It was making noise on my way to work. When leaving for the day I put it in reverse and the noise started again. When I tried for first it would not go into gear without turning the jeep off and then starting it again once it was in gear. The noise got very loud so I parked it and let it idle in neutral at which time I smelled smoke. I shut it down and smoke was coming out of the fork slot in the side of the bell housing.

I have not done anything with it sense. Does this sound like clutch for sure? I would hate to have ruined a Transmission .

 

[gert]

LOL yes it sounds like it to me Last time I smoked a clutch there was a bunch of clutch dust and fibers in the bell housing. I am not quite sure why you were getting so much noise and it not wanting to shift into gear though, The best way to find out for sure is to take the tranny out of your jeep and inspect the clutch

 

[73 CJ5]

I am going to pull it this weekend. Is there a way to know if the Clutch set I need is the 10 1/2 or the 11 before taking it out? I would like to have the parts to fix it already of on hand when pulling if possible.

 

[hoerner7]

Definitly sounds like the clutch. 6 cyl have 10 1/2 inch clutch. The problem I usually have is that the kits come with the most common parts. So the throwout or the pilot may be different from what you need

 

[fzsk4p]

The noise was likely the throwout bearing. But there are several other parts that could fail and cause noise. Certain that when you take it apart you WILL find what is wrong.

Once had one of the springs in the clutch plate come loose and wedge itself between the plate and flywheel. That was an expensive sound.

Because the clutch was dragging......IE......you could not shift into gear with the engine running. The clutch was not releasing.

Don`t forget to resurface the flywheel. You mention smoke. Flywheels don`t like excessive heat.

 

[BusaDave9]

for a second I was thinking the noise could be the tranny. You weren't very descriptive about the noise. But then what is convincing everyone that it's the clutch is the smoke. Trannies don't smoke like that. It's slipping so bad you've burnt out your clutch.
You need a new clutch kit (pressure plate, friction plate, throwout bearing). As fzsk4p has pointed out you can probably count on resurfacing the flywheel. Or at the very least inspect it well. If the heat hasn't wrecked it there may be groves in it (much like when brake shoes completely wear out and cause groves in the drums)

 

[73 CJ5]

Thanks for all the input, I am hoping to get into it on Monday. I will definately look over the fly wheel since I have it out and probably wouldn't hurt to throw a new rear main in at the same time.

I just have to find a way to get it the two miles to the garage...