MTFCA Forum

Late last fall I had I had to pull the engine and replace the clutch shoes (broken pieces in the oil). It got to cold and snowy before I could finalize the clutch adjustments. I need some help setting free neutral. I am wondering if I need to adjust the clutch spring length.

I have followed the instructions in the green transmission book (pg 32). But the car keeps creeping forwards. I have the clutch adjustment bolt fully extended, it is right on the edge of free neutral. However, the bolt extends so far down, that the bolt will hang up on the clutch cam (??), if you do not press the clutch peddle when changing the shift lever from low gear. I feel I have way to much bolt extended down. I am suspecting the issue is with the three clutch adjustment bolts inside the transmission.

I have a Turbo 400 clutch, I installed new steel discs when I replaced the clutch shoes. As I recall I set the spring to length to 4", it was at 4.25". I have Kevlar bands. I did not try loosening the bands, in case they are a little over tight.

Side note, I have had the car for 15 years???. It has always felt tight hand cranking it, so I always assumed the clutch spring was too tight. I never ventured in to adjust it. But it always had a free neutral.

Thanks for your help

If you have any high spots on your kevlar bands you will have drag. Same if you installed the bands thru the inspection cover or didnt ensure their roundness. Back em off to loose. To test.
Adjust low with the engine running. Tighten until you hear the tripple gears start changing tone. Back off 1/2 turn & lock down. If your band is dragging from misshape, you wont have enough pedal travel to fully engage low pedal. Never to tight. If you have to ask, they are too tight. Respect the kevlar.

There is no normal situation where correctly installed 400 clutches will not make for a "true" & complete neutral.
Did you follow the clutch installation instructions? Did you soak with motor oil(30 wt)? No grease.
The service manual calls for a clearance of 13/16" for the throw out collar. Instructions suggest another 1/2 turn for a stronger pressure.

If the fingers can be slightly wiggled, you have a neutral. Pulling the collar back further doesnt give more neutral.

Get the manual out & recheck all your linkage settings.

Back to the beginning.
You said it seemed a little tight when hand cranking before you installed the new parts in the transmission. But did you check the cams that the pedal shafts go through for wear? When removing the transmission cover always check them out. If the low speed cam or if the cam on the pedal is worn to much you won’t ever get an accurate free neutral because they throw the rest of the linkage out an adjustment.
It could be a few more things besides whaI I mentioned. You probably already know but if the car in on level ground and warmed up it should have a free neutral when the hand brake is in straight up position. If it didn’t do that before you repaired the transmission there was an issue already.

Cold thick oil will have the car creep forward.

Do you get a free neutral with the pedal about half way down? If not, you have a problem with the clutch fingers inside the transmission or the length of the rod between the bottom of the pedal and the clutch lever at the side of the transmission. Possibly dragging bands.
If it is free with the pedal half way down, check the bolt. When the parking brake lever is straight up, the bolt should ride at the top of the flat area on the cam which is attached to the brake shaft. Sometimes the shaft is bent or the cam is bent to one side so that the bolt does not ride on the cam. You can sometimes make it work better if you install the bolt with the head at the bottom so the head rides on the cam.
I have had several cars with the clutch lever cam and notch so worn that you can only get the clutch adjusted to get a neutral if the pedal bottoms out below the floorboard. Try removing the floorboard and then loosening the adjustment of the low pedal. If that fixes the problem, you need to replace the notch and the cam.
If your bands are dragging, it could be the way the lining was installed. The bands are cut to the right length as received from the supplier. You should place the rivets at each end with just about 1/16 inch past the end of the band. Then work the band material into the band so it lays flat against the band all the way around. And install the other rivets. See the diagram, "adjusting free neutral" attached.
Norm