Clutch chatter on take off

P Martin · #1 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 12:29 PM

Does anyone have this problem? I get alot of chatter in 1st gear when starting from a dead stop. I have a 288 rear with a Richmond 5 speed. brand new flywheel and clutch.

REDSC400 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 01:36 PM

What do you mean by "chatter"?
Is this a sound/noise or a feeling/sensation?

Reason I ask is that I have a RAM racing clutch and I get a pluse or throbbing in my clutch if I try to let out the clutch sloooowly. It is a racing clutch and likes to be either IN or OUT with nothing in between.

But that is a known "feature" of that type of clutch. Some day, I will replace that clutch but not before it needs work, if you know what I mean. Otherwise it is just super.

Archrms · #3 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 01:40 PM

Pat,

If it only occurs from a dead stop in 1st gear, it sounds like it could be the pilot bushing. Before pulling the trans and clutch assembly, verify that this is the only time it occurs. It may be somthing else, but two of my cars had the same symptoms, and it was the pilot bushings on both. Easy fix, just a pain because you have to pull the trans to get at it. Good luck.

Ron

392cobra · #4 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 01:51 PM

Make sure your motor and trans mounts are good too.

DAVID GAGNARD · #5 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 02:26 PM

I use to have the same problem, only did it in 1st. gear when you let out the clutch for a second or two..............I forgot to put in the pilot bushing in the rear of the crank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

strictlypersonl · #6 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P Martin

Does anyone have this problem? I get alot of chatter in 1st gear when starting from a dead stop. I have a 288 rear with a Richmond 5 speed. brand new flywheel and clutch.

Was the bell housing concentricity checked when it was installed?

Any possibility that the driven disk was bent when the transmission was installed?

Oil contamination on the driven disk?

Zoom This · #7 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 02:51 PM

Glazing on the flywheel and clutch are great contributors to clutch chatter. This is usually caused by abuse, such as slipping the clutch a lot on a hill to get going. Heat can warp the flywheel causing the chatter.

edmonds007 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-30-2006, 03:47 PM

If you're talking about a hopping sort of sensation but not necessarily a noise then I have the same issue with mine. I just bought the car and am still learning the nuances of it but for me I have even more problems with reverse. In general 1st or reverse on a tight turn are not plesant. I guess this won't help you fix a problem but there's a chance that some of this is normal with racing setups. I have a TKO-2 trans and some sort of a racing clutch.

P Martin · #9 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 04:58 AM

The chatter makes the whole rear of the car shake. The only way to have it not happen is to ride the clutch and get the revs up. My mechanics thought was that the gear ratio might be too high, that's why I was wondering if anyone else has the same set up with the same problem,

Tim Brewer · #10 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 07:41 AM

Do you have a Hyd. T/O bearing? If you do have one and if it was leaking on the disc, that would cause chatter. If your bellhousing is out of alignment,that also would cause chatter. Also, your mechanic is right about your rear end being high, a 288 is WAY too high in my opinion. You car would be much happier with at least a 3:50 or even beter a 3:73. Right now you're geared to top out something like 210 or so. Is it kind of tough to cruise across a parking lot in 1st without the car wanting to buck and jerk?
Good luck,
Tim

P Martin · #11 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 07:45 AM

I have no problem cruising in 1st. In fact I can probably run 1st gear between traffic lights. I would hate to lose the low RPM higher speed highway driving by putting in a lower rear.

Seaman · #12 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 08:04 AM

I had a similar problem years ago with an Olds Cutlass, and reverse was much worse than forward. Turned out the U-joints were out and the drive shaft would settle when stopped. Take off and it was off center and a horrible shake. No issues after replacement.

Dave

DAVID GAGNARD · #13 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 08:06 AM

Pat;

What you are describing is the exact same thing I felt when I left the pilot bushing out of my crank........

David

pmfranke · #14 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 09:25 AM

i have a ram 5 puck racing clutch and it does the same thing ,it said on the box that it would(chatter).I also had a 3.0 rear and switched to a 3.5 made a world of difference.I have a t-5 so the ratios are different,find some one with a trans-rear like yours that likes their set up and see if you like it before changing rear ratios.

CJ428CJ · #15 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Also, your mechanic is right about your rear end being high, a 288 is WAY too high in my opinion. You car would be much happier with at least a 3:50 or even beter a 3:73.

There is nothing wrong with 2.88 gears if you're running a Richmond 5 speed. In fact, it's pretty much a perfect combination. The Richmond is designed to be run with tall gears like 2.88's or 3.08's. It has a very low first gear and 5th gear is 1:1 instead of an overdrive like the TKOs. So, if you're running a TKO or toploader, go with shorter gears like 3.50 or 3.73 but since you're running the Richmond, stick with tall gears like the 2.88 or 3.08.

I'm also running the Richmond 5spd and 2.88's and I have no chattering at all. Sounds like a pilot bushing problem or perhaps a bellhousing that needs dialed in.

Chris

Gilby · #16 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 06:09 PM

I had what felt like the chatter you are describing. At low RPM in first gear under a load (like starting off on an incline) the whole back of the car would shake and the rear end would jiggle violently. It turned out to be a sticky posi unit. When I changed over to Moroso climbing lube with two tubes of GM limited slip addative the shake instantly went away. I was just about to get into pulling the clutch. This had me and two racecar builder types fooled for over a year. We were all sure it was the clutch. Think about it.

Good Luck,

Gilby