MTFCA Forum

This is really not what I wanted to see! When backing up I had been having a real clunk coming from the transmission U-joint area. I was thinking maybe it was babbitt thrust bearings still and sound was being transmitted up the driveshaft or worn U-joint, so I started putting together another rear end as a replacement while I rebuilt the one that was in the car. Doing a little investigation work to check the transmission I found this; The hole where the clutch pin comes thru is really worn and the adjuster in the finger is only riding ether all or less then 1/2 of it depending on direction the transmission is turning. This is something that really don't need right now, because I know when I pull the engine it's going to need a lot more then the drive plate replaced. It's a tired engine, but runs pretty good. While it does run on magneto, am pretty sure the wrapping are coming off the coils without having to see it and am afraid to see the mains. The amount I will be driving it, guess I might just have to bandaid till things get better.

...guess I might just have to bandaid till things get better.

Chances are it's not going to cure itself.

For this band-aid, I would still have to pull the engine, but would have to ignore pretty much a lot of other things.

It might be time to add a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil.

I don't think so, not thick enough!

Per Steve's reply, similarly, I was gonna say, "do they EVER get better"?

You need Motor Medic # 1 from J.C Whitney! Absolutely eliminates clunks, shimmy, shudder and oil burning while sealing leaky valves and those messy oil drips will be a thing of the past and pesky carburetor problems vanish as you enjoy faster accelleration, higher top speeds, and 35% better gas mileage!! With Motor Medic #1 in your crankcase, your car with start instantly in any weather and your portawalls will never chip, crack, fade, or turn yellow!!

I was thinking Motor-Medic, might just cure what ails it! I was looking at my extra drive plates and found one just as bad in not worse. At least I know my valves (have been replaced) will not be coming apart.

Mark, if you find an earlier three pin ring they are larger, may have been what was suppose to be in there instead of 25 and up pins, I see this all the time. Model T's are all the same through the years RIGHT?

If you are going to change out the rear axle you could fix the bad transmission output shaft driven plate at the same time. Frist get a good output shaft driven plate with good clutch spring and clutch fingers, etc. You could reuse your old spring and stuff if good. Also get a ball cap that matches the new output shaft diameter. You will have to pull the hogshead so you may want to get new bands also. Drain the oil and pull hogshead, being careful about dropping anything, remove the ball cap and driven plate with spring. Replace with new driven
plate, spring, and new ball cap. Make sure the clutch ring pins are good and go threw the driven plate holes, safety wire bolts. Install bands, hogshead and oil, check over everything. Install the rear axle with wheels, and adjust for free netual hand brake if needed and you are back on the road.

Matt; Are you saying you can remove the drive plate with the engine & pan still together?? Correct me if i am wrong, but i believe you would need to lift the engine off the pan some also. There isnt enough room to clear the output shaft otherwise.

Pretty sure that yes, you would have to lift the back of the engine up to clear along with now having to replace the pan gaskets and front seal. Not something I want to do while engine is still in the car. Even if I did not do any more work then replace the drive plate, check the thrust on the 3rd and maybe the 4th main, could at least see what things look like and start a list for later.

You may be correct Mark and in that case it is, pull engine. I had narrow brake drum transmission and a 4 dip pan and had the clutch pins stuck on the inside, not going threw drive plate. Don't know how that happened the clutch instslled highth was correct at assembly. Was able to loosen drive plate and rotate clutch ring to realign pins with holes. I thought it would tip enought to clear. In that case it worked because I only had to reach the clutch ring.

You need a egg shaped bushing to fit the wallered out hole.

LOL Or weld up the pins to fit the holes! As it is, I am going to make one out of two assembles.

It;s best never to eat oatmeal cookies in your Model T. The crumbs will attract clunks, and a clunk infestation can be very difficult to eliminate. The clunks will work their way into driveline parts and feed on them, then multiply! If you must eat oatmeal cookies in your car, be sure to remove all crumbs and any wrapping material and then take the car to Oak ridge National Labs to have it thoroughly irradiated.

But wouldn't the rolled oats be the same as adding sawdust to the rear end?

Really, how much worse is it going to get in the near future? Probably not a whole lot. That didn't happen overnight.
At what point did you plan to pull the engine and address the other issues? If it was in a year or so anyway, I probably wouldn't worry about it much. Just add it to the list of the other stuff you know about and handle it then.

I wonder why one couldnt make some sleeves to press fit over those late smaller diameter pins to keep the pins centered in the larger holes. No disassembly required. A patch fix to get thru this touring season.

"But wouldn't the rolled oats be the same as adding sawdust to the rear end?" // Experts differ, with one school swearing by the Quaker Overhaul and another school uncompromisngly pro-sawdust. Among the stalwarts of the Sawdust School, there are the Cypress Faction, the Yellow Pine faction, and the highly militant Redwood Boys. Of course, the quarterly Oat School conferences have been known to break down into fisticuffs between the Raw Oat Faction and the less numerous, but very dedicated Parboiled Oat Faction, who sometimes ally with the fringe Steel Cut Oat Faction.

Don't forget the Kroger house brand original rolled oats or even more fitting to a T, the bulk bin type.

Well a not so happy update! My 94 Nissan 4 wheel drive got stolen last night. It was my only transportation till I get out to the farm and bring back my 1948 F2. So clunk or no clunk, I will have to drive my T for a while. Not like I go any place but the store and out to the farm, really feeling bummed right now, esp with all the work I had just done on the Nissan, just got the new plates/tags and full tank of gas.
Once everything gets settled I am going to send an output shaft to Gene so it can be cleaned up and 4th main fitted. I will reassemble the output shaft to a good drive plate when I get it back.