First Ride of Spring...CLUTCH LET GO...UGH!

    After almost getting creamed on the highway on my Harley I decided to get the K out for the 1st drive of the spring. Wanted to take it to work tomorrow for all the gearheads to see it (and one possibly wants to buy it).


    But as luck would have it, 3 miles into my drive it wouldn't come out of gear. Had to nurse it home and park it. To po'd to diagnois it tonight. It feels like either some friction material came off the disc or a finger broke on the NOS Pressure Plate. Everything still is attached, nothing is bent, and all the linkage is moving full travel up, but not all the way down, so the clutch isn't releasing.


    So...time for a modern technology upgrade to a diaphragm clutch. I've had it with the 3 finger. I get in my wife's 2007 GT California Special and stall it every time since I am used to the old stuff.


    I wasn't even driving it hard, just putt putt'ing around. Well, watch for a COBRA scattershield on ebay. May as well put the stock bellhousing back in, if I decide to sell it I won't get that money out of it, or the tri-power cost. So that will be the next thing changed back to stock.


    And to think I didn't know what I was going to do with my long weekend <img src=images/icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle>

    I feel your pain. I took the car out the other day and gave it the first real wash of the season (thinking at the time that it had been running pretty problem free for a while). After drying it, I decided to take a quick ride to get all the water out of the hard to reach places.


    After a pleasant drive I was about a half mile from home I smelled anti-freeze which I thought might be related to the long winter storage in my unheated garage. As I slowed for a traffic light steam started coming out from under the hood, then I noticed anti-freeze coming out between the hood and the fender. I figured this could not be good news.


    Luckily the temp gage was still low so I drove straight home. When I opened the hood there was anti-freeze dripping from everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The upper heater line had split (about a 3 inch split right at the bend where it attaches to the engine) and had emptied most of the contents of the radiator into the engine compartment. Also since it was coming out between the fender and the hood it sprayed all over the car from the hood to the back bumper.


    Good news is the engine never even got to mid temp (luckily I was that close to home or I would have ended up sitting on the side of the road for a while) and the engine is fine, but what a mess to clean up. Plus I get the fun of changing both heater lines from the heater box out to the engine.


    All in all I was fortunate to be so close to home and although it is great fun to drive, it is still good to get the hands dirty once in a while while working on it.


    Mark

    WOW Mark! Your mess is much worse than mine. Yours can ruin the underhood paint quickly.


    Mine's back on the road...new Center Force Clutch, machined the flywheel, also installed new axle bearings since it was up in the air.


    Left the Cobra Scattershield off to sell and putting For Sale signs in the Kar this Sunday at the Shelby Show at Ford WHQ.

    I washed down the car and under the hood as best as I could being careful not to spray on the hot engine. Once it completely cooled I shrubbed under the hood and throughly rinsed in all the corners. It was a mess. I have been needing to pull the engine and clean and paint everything and now it looks like next winter is as good a time as any.


    Sorry to hear that you are selling your car. I know that it could not have been an easy decision for you. I will keep my ears open for anyone looking for a great car. Hopefully this forum will continue to have access to your experience and knowledge after you sell.


    Mark

    <BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

    ...putting For Sale signs in the Kar this Sunday at the Shelby Show at Ford WHQ.

    <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

    Ugghhhh!

    I remember that you were considering a sale about a year ago, but this surprises me now.

    In all honesty I get no pleasure from the Kar. It's slow (by today's standards), hot and I have to constantly worry about the idiots on the road when I drive it.


    If it wasn't a K I wouldn't care so much. But it's not like I can run out and buy NOS body parts if it got smashed. I am not going to let it sit in the garage except for the occasional 5 mile ride. I have car show burn out, and I sold the enclosed trailer and the F250 two vehicle.


    My interests have changed. I want to find a used up 2005 or 2006 Mustang and give it 600 rwhp. Tear it completely apart and start from scratch. My employer manufactuers one of the best 4.6L Supercharger kits, and the cost is right for me. Then I can go 10.5 in the 1/4, with a CD player and A/C. Get 22 mpg and not worry if I get hit by a ding bat on a cell phone.


    I also put my 2006 Harley on ebay tonight. I am having a reverse mid-life crisis. I have sold EVERYTHING I had. Down to a 2001 Mountaineer and my wife's 07 GT. Funny, when I sold everything last fall I didn't know I'd lose my job in November and not find work until March. So it all worked out.


    I haven't "officially" listed the Kar anywhere yet. I want to talk to my father and give him a chance to buy it first. I surely can't sell it for what I got it for after the thousands I put into it, but I can give him a break even deal.

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