Done! ...or maybe not...

With numerous contributions from you and the ytmag website, I successfully turned over my first engine rebuild on a '50 C this last weekend. It purrs! I was feeling quite proud of myself, and was about to take it for its maiden voyage when I found I couldn't get it in gear. During the rebuild, I had the clutch rebuilt...new springs, new friction plate, blasted and painted, etc. After spending a few hours in archives, I now know that it was behaving as if the friction plate was stuck to the flywheel. I could see through the inspection port that the pressure plate was releasing as it should, but the shaft wasn't coming free at all.

So, I did a few things to break it free...blocked up the clutch pedal for a day, put her in 4th, and rocked her back and forth until she moved. Great, I thought, I've fixed it! Well, not so fast...

When the engine is turning, I still cannot get into any gear without gnashing of teeth. I can, however, start the tractor in any gear with the clutch pedal depressed. It does move at all, and when I release the pedal it engages the gear as you would expect. But, once you depress the pedal again, and take it out of the gear you started in, it's clear that the tranny shaft continues to rotate because it's impossible to get into a different gear.

So, if this really were a case of a friction plate stuck to the flywheel, when I started it in gear, it should move, right? Given that, I have a new theory -- I think I've got a friction plate that's just a bit too thick. When the tranny is engaged and the clutch disengaged, there's enough resistance from the rear end that the friction plate will slide around the flywheel. When I engage the clutch fully, it transmits power normally. Then, when I disengage the clutch once more, and the tractor stops moving, the rear end resistance again stops the friction plate. But, when I take it out of gear, now all the rear end resistance goes away, and the extra thickness of the friction plate contacts the flywheel enough to spin it up. Does that make sense to anyone else?

I've trying to keep from having to split the tractor again, but I think I've talked myself into that as the only option... Anything else I could be missing?

(I've already adjusted the throw out linkage to be as aggressive as possible...)

Many thanks,

- David

I had the same problem with my 200. I replaced the clutch disk, pressure plate and through-out bearing. The one thing I didn't replace was the pilot bushing. I tried all the tricks of driving it, letting it run with the clutch engaged for a while and I ended up slitting the tractor again and replacing the pilot bushing. I put a small dab of molly grease on it when I put it back together and it solved the problem. I learned a good lesson and that's replace everything, better than having to split the tractor again for a $2.00 part.

Good Luck!
Ernie Bob

Thanks for the tips! I'll give her a good running this weekend to see if it loosens up.

- David

Yep...checked that too. I'm good there. Good thought though. Thanks!

- David

Not sure this will help, but worth a try compared to splitting the tractor.

Aha...got another theory working. The guys at the clutch place say the too-thick-plate is probably *not* the issue. They think that the friction plate isn't sliding along the shaft due to some imperfection in the splines...like a burr or something. Now, this makes perfect sense given my first major screw up on the rebuild. (I was hoping I wouldn't have to admit to this, but here goes...)

The first time I went to put the engine and tranny back together, I did it solo, and I ended up not having the tranny shaft synced up on the splines. I thought it was ok, but it wasn't. Too much torque on the bolts, and I cracked the engine block at the clutch housing flange. How's that for learning a lesson the hard way? I was able to track down a bare block, had to pay some "tuition" at the machine shop to have it decked and the sleeves transfered over. Then, I had a knowlegable neighbor help me reassemble it right the second time.

So, it's quite likely that there's a scratch or something on the splines of the tranny shaft or the splines of the plate. The parts guys suggest just running it around for an hour or so to see if it will work itself smooth.

Dang...gotta drive the tractor around tonight ;-).

- David

Good luck !

Good thoughts... Yep, I changed the tranny fluid right before I painted her, so I should be good to go there. I like the idea of trying to just wear down the disk a bit...hadn't thought of the incline thing. Sure wish I knew exactly how thick that disk was so I could have an idea of how much wearing down it would take. (Famous last words, eh?) Hmmmm...maybe the clutch parts shop has a record...I'll make a call. Thanks for the input!

- David