I've got a friend with a F350 that has the Powerstroke engine. He said it's been sitting for a while because the clutch or flywheel or something along those lines went out. He said it's the third time and this time he's letting it sit for a while.

He said something about there being plastic on the flywheel that breaks.

I'm not really sure what he's talking about, but I told him I'd check to see if there's a more permanent solution than to replace it with another stock one.

So here I am. Anybody know what I'm talking about?

 

lyonsd,
i had to replace the clutch in the 550 at 90,000 miles because of a vibration that had developed form a broken spring on the pressure plate. Ford helped with the repair so i didn,t get to keep the old parts but i don't remember there being anything made of plastic in the clutch assembly. some of the psd,s had a "dual mass fly wheel" that had some issues but were resolved by replacement with an updated flywheel. this probably hasn't been much help but most of the people i have talked to haven't had problems with the 6 speed trans. or clutch assm.

good luck, conner

 

I talked to him again and asked specificaly what the part was called that he needed to replace (and has replaced twice already). He called it a "torque converting flywheel".

Does this sound familiar to anybody?

 

Ask this question over at www.dieselstop.com

They will surely have an answer for you

 

lyonsd

let us know what you find out on this one--really curios how this turns out.

thanks, conner

 

7.3L Powerstroke (also known as direct injection) engines in Ford chassis F250/F350 and F450 utilize a dual mass flywheel. The actual flywheel has springs in it to absorb the torsional output of the engine and smooth it out. After dis-engaging the clutch and when re-engaging the clutch--the flywheel friction surface will free-travel approx. 1/3 of a rotation, enabling the massive springs in the f/w to absorb any and all torsional vibrations from the engine output. E-series fords with Powerstroke; same is true. The OEM clutch for this application has plastic encapsulated aroung the steel hub (where the trans. input shaft passes through the clutch disc). I have yet to see this plastic fail! I sold about 100 dual mass clutches when I worked in the retail truck parts industry.

F-550 uses a 13" single clutch with massive springs in the disc. The trans. input shaft is alot larger in diameter that 250/350 and F-450.

Sachs (brandname) makes an excellant clutch for 6.9L, 7.3L (IDI) and 7.3L Powerstroke turbo engines. I personally feel they are better than OEM (no plastic in discs).

Very important: don't play application games. Spec/ the correct matched clutch that your vehicle was designed to use. If your vehicle came with a dual mass 12"---put the 12" dual mass back in it. There are companies out there selling conversion kits to replace the dual mass clutch with a non-dual mass f/w--good luck if you use one. They are noisy and transmit the torsional vibrations and shock directly to your trans. and driveline.

Also, don't ever rebuild 6.9L or 7.3L and grind (1) or (2) journals on the crankshaft--grind them all. I ran across one of these in my career and it was hell--transmitted vibrations everywhere in the drivetrain.

 

Excellent info on the dual mass clutch setup!!!!

 

If anyone comes up with an answer to this one please let me know. I am on my 3rd clutch set with my 99 f350 like the one above. Less than 80000 easy miles on the 3 combined clutches and now they are lasting less than 15000 miles. I don't overload or heavy tow and all the dealer can say is "hmmm" some trucks are just bad on clutches I guess". I drove my 93 f350 diesel 115000 before I sold it with the original clutch still in it.

 

Rafterg,
Do You have any mods to your truck? Are you experiencing any other problems like driveline vibration, rough idling or anything? Do you know what is failing in the clutch? Springs in the disc? Release bearing? Pressure Plate? Are the springs breaking in the dual-mass flywheel?

Try to get us some answers so we can help prevent this ugly problem from happening again. gearman.

 

gearman,

My truck is a bone stock 1999 (1998-March) with diesel 5 speed. The first failure was at 24000 miles when it refused to shift into gear after completing a 2000 mile trip. Always been a bit noisy but of course the dealer says "normal" I should have been suspicious when the dealer replaced the complete clutch unit to include the pedal assembly without the first question. When I asked if there had been a recall they said no but there had been an updated parts kit issued.

The second failure occurred without warning at about 68000 miles while my wife was on the road out of state in Georgia and left her sitting beside the road with the same catastophic failure as before. The dealer there once again replaced it all for about $1200.00. Of course he failed to reattach the wiring harness so it wrapped itself around the driveshaft as my wife drove home.

Now just 6 months and 12000 miles later the scene is replaying itself again as after a 3000 mile trip the clutch is not allowing the shifting of gears without extreme difficulty. When new the clutch engaged much further out in the pedal travel, now there is little or no travel before it engages.

I am certainly open for suggestions before I trade it for a new Dodge...

 

rafterg,
Problem you are describing sounds more like a problem with the hydraullic clutch release bearing. Do this: with truck on a flat & level surface, shut-off the engine and see if you can manually shift the transmission from different gears.

If engine off test will let you shift thru the gears then problem should be related to only clutch release mechanism (at one time the firewall would break at a clutch lingage or lever pivot point on Ford trucks with hydraullic actuated clutch and problem would be exactly what you are describing) or to clutch release bearing assembly.

I would try a fluid change and re-bleed on the clutch hydraulic system before I would remove the transmission.

I worked in the retail truck parts & repair industry for 23 years. The ratio of New Venture transmission failures (Dodge & GM) was about four to one Z/F (Ford) five speed.

 

Just an update on my last post. The dealer replaced the clutch and flywheel under warranty sine the last one was less than 12000 miles old. Said the hydraulics were fine. Had no explaination for the failure and no promises it would last any longer than the last three. What a disappointment when you pay that kind of money for a truck that can't stay out of the shop for more than 11000 miles.

 

Hey, I have a Ford 250 Diesel and just recently had the clutch go out-on a 2000. The mechanic that repaired it said the Plastic piece in the clutch broke and ruined my clutch-he said the piece was faulty & that I sould contact Ford Motor Co. I wonder how many other owners have had this happen?? Patty

 

On these clutch systems, there are two main failures, hydraulic system and the actual clutch friction system...

His sounded like the hydraulics, where there is a problem shifting or releasing the clutch mechanism....

Then there are the mechanical failures where there is not enough clutch friction mechanism to pull the truck.

I have had great success with the LUK clutches...

Usually the hydraulics(which are plastic) have problems, but they are cheap and easy to replace...

The pilot brg has always had a problem and I like to use the Kevlar ones...if you use the needle brg, lube it, before install...

Of course, I have done ones where the customer 'rides the clutch'..where you pull the trans and the brgs from the release brg fall out...

You can tell if someone rides the clutch, as the release brg will go and the friction surtface still has plenty..

the factories rarely go over 100000, and the LUK will usually go 200000....

Good Luck...