montgom

I have some suggestions for folks who want to make sure that their installation is a smooth as possible. Some of the advice is old news and some is new. Here is the sequence I follow. I hope it helps someone.

First, check to make sure if your slave cylinder needs a shim. The Tick performance guidelines work well. Keep in mind that Tick has not updated their guidelines. When doing the A-B measurement, look to be between 0.1250" and 0.200 " The previous measurements of being between 0.0625" and 0.1250" are wrong. I have spoken with Tick directly by phone and via email.

Second, bleed the system clean of any air. Use your method of choice. Take your time, do it right. I use a Motive power bleeder. Why? I love having a constant 12 PSI in the system. As I bleed the clutch, no possibility of air being sucked into the system. And it is easy to keep it full of DOT fluid.

Third, adjust the clutch push rod. As a starting point, adjust the rod so that the clutch and brake pedal are at the same level. You can fine tune from there. It is just a starting point, not necessarily the final position.

Fourth, pray you have an inspection hole/port opening on your bell housing. My T56 has one from the factory. If you don't have one, make one. Just take a hole saw and cut one into the bottom of the bell housing so that you can see the air gap between the flywheel and the clutch disc. Make sure that metal shavings do not ruin anything. Don't drill a hole in your bell housing if you don't know what you are doing. Do it with the bell housing off the car. Get help if you need it. There maybe other ways to make the hole. Just be careful about ruining your clutch disk, pressure plate and flywheel.

Fifth, measure the air gap between the clutch disk and pressure plate while viewing the gap via the bell housing inspection port. Have someone depress the clutch all the way, the slip your feeler gauge in between the clutch disk and the flywheel or pressure plate. The gap should measure anywhere from 0.025" and 0.040". Now, this works if the shimming is done correctly per the Tick instructions (see above). If the air gap is too small (less than 0.025") lengthen the clutch push rod. If greater than 0.040", then shorten the length of the rod.

Here are a few photos of the inspection port and feeler gauges.

I hope this helps. If I have made an error, please let me know.

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

Robert,

Great work. For the life of me I can't figure out why GM did not incorporate a clutch inspection cover in the bottom of the bell housing. Life would be much easier.

Andrew

montgom

I too wish that GM put in an inspection hole for so many reasons. Not just for measuring the clutch air gap, but for inspecting and working on the slave cylinder.
Robert

montgom

Here is a picture of the feeler gauge checking the air gap. The gap is 0.030" (between the suggested 0.025" and 0.040")

superskaterxes

I have a question about this process. I understand the whole A/B measurements but i am using a Tick T56 with an LQ block, McLeod RXT, and i have an american powertrain hydraulic slave all going into my foxbody. I dont know what the exact specs that american powertrain give for the air gap but im pretty sure it was different then both McLeod and the tick specs. Which one do i go by?

montgom

Good question. I don't have an exact answer for you. I would assume that the air gap will be the same. I would suggest you use the air gap as one of many tools you use to adjust the clutch. Check the air gap. Clearly the air gap is needed no matter what clutch you are using. Use 0.025" to 0.040" as a starting point.

Love to hear what you learn!

montgom

FWIW, Tick does not provide an air gap data. Tick uses A/B gap, which is for the slave cylinder / pressure plate fingers and not the air gap which is for the air gap between clutch, and pressure plate or flywheel.

Think of the clutch disk as the meat in a sandwich and the pressure plate and flywheel as the two pieces of bread. The air gap measures the gap between the clutch and either the flywheel or pressure plate.

Hope this helps.

vetteboy2k

iTrader: (5)

Do you mean .125?

montgom

I corrected the error. Thanks!