65 Monza Convertible

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jrherch97
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Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:06 pm

65 Monza Convertible

Post by jrherch97 »

Hello I have a 65 Corvair Monza Convertible and am having problems with the clutch. I know I have to replace something with it but I am unsure what. It burns when driving and is hard to push out and into the different gears. It is just sitting in my garage and I would love to get it up and running again. If anyone has some helpful info that would be amazing. I am also located in the IE in Southern California so if anyone knows of somewhere that might do clutch repair for this car that would be amazing as well.

Thanks!!
Jerry Whitt
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Re: 65 Monza Convertible

Post by Jerry Whitt »

Sounds like the clutch is not releasing as you try to shift. It “burns” is confusing. Do you smell something or do you see smoke?


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Jerry Whitt
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65 Monza, purchased new
65 Corsa convertible
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bbodie52
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Re: 65 Monza Convertible

Post by bbodie52 »

Is there any sign of oil accumulation on the underside of the clutch housing? An oil leak from the engine or transaxle that can cause an accumulation of lubricant on the friction surfaces of the clutch can promote slippage and burning, which would likely become worse with time as damage to the clutch disc increases. Other possibilities that can cause slippage could be an improperly adjusted clutch that never fully engages if the clutch mechanism never fully removes pressure from the throw out bearing against the clutch pressure plate diaphragm spring. A broken or damaged diaphragm spring within the pressure plate might also cause slippage if it has failed and does not provide adequate spring pressure to form positive engagement of the clutch mechanism to lock up the drive system between the engine and the transaxle.

In any case, no matter what the fault is within the clutch housing, removal of the powertrain from the vehicle and separation of the engine from the transaxle is the only way to permit clutch disassembly and evaluation. This is a major job that requires raising the car on jack stands, disconnecting all wiring, linkages, heater ducts, fuel lines, etc. between the vehicle and the powertrain, and then lowering the powertrain carefully using a hydraulic floor jack so that the engine can be separated from the transaxle. This can be done at home if you have a garage to work in an adequate tools and moderate mechanical skills to complete the job.

The link below will provide you with a list of useful websites that are Corvair-related. Some of the links will lead you to an extensive technical library that will allow you to download shop manuals and other technical references in Adobe Reader format at no cost. There is also a link that will help you to locate nearby CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapters. While the Corvair Forum can be very helpful as you work on your Corvair, having local friends and contacts in your region who are knowledgeable about the Corvair can also be very helpful. These family-friendly CORSA chapters often offer picnics, group scenic drives, technical training and assistance, car shows, and competition events that can greatly enhance your enjoyment of Corvair ownership. You will also find a list of essential Corvair parts suppliers. Clark's Corvair Parts is the biggest and oldest Corvair supplier in the world. You will find a link that can provide you with a series of videos that amount to a tour of the Clark's Corvair Parts facilities. I think you will be amazed at the quality of the reproduction components they offer — particularly the interior carpeting and re-upholstery items. Parts suppliers such as this truly make our Corvair hobby possible.

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

:link: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

There are 14 CORSA club chapters in California, and many of them are in Southern California. The above link will lead you to a CORSA computer list of those club chapters. If you bring up the list on your screen and click on the column title "STATE" with your mouse, the listings will be sorted in alphabetical order by state. I would recommend selecting the nearest CORSA club chapter. Click on the website link for that club to obtain information about the club and contact information. Joining such a club would be helpful to you as a Corvair owner, and club members can likely advise you concerning Corvair-qualified local mechanics in your area. They can certainly help to confirm your trouble diagnosis of a faulty clutch before you tackle any job, or seek a professional mechanic to get an estimate. If you wish to tackle the job yourself you may be able to find members who would be willing to offer advice and assistance to help you get the job done. Further guidance will certainly come your way from the Corvair Forum. I was able to teach myself to remove the Corvair powertrain for the first time during my high school summer vacation in 1969, when I was only 16 years old. But it is a big job and it would certainly be better to tackle such a job with experienced assistance from CORSA club members who might be willing to volunteer to assist you. Alternately I am sure they can suggest professional support if you choose that direction.

:dontknow: I would like to encourage you to expand on your earlier posts and tell us more about yourself. If you can describe your personal assessment of your mechanical skills and abilities, that would help a lot. Members of the Corvair Forum love to be helpful in assisting other Corvair owners with technical support and advice, but it helps a lot if we have some understanding of your technical background and mechanical abilities, Corvair-related knowledge, etc. Also, do you have a garage to work in and hand tools, jack stands and a floor jack, etc. to support Corvair maintenance and restoration projects? Helping us to know more about you will help us to write comments to you that are tailored to your needs and experience. Knowing your location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities.
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
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bbodie52
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Re: 65 Monza Convertible

Post by bbodie52 »

jrherch97 wrote:Thu Dec 17, 2015 2:49 pm

I just got my 65 Monza's engine back in and installed, but now it won't start...
I was reading back through some of your previous posts that began around November 2015. There are bits and pieces of information covering a span of about two years, a period in which the engine was apparently removed and reinstalled and then you had difficulty getting the engine to start, and then you started writing about smoke and the horrid smell when you put the transmission in first gear and try to drive the car. That was in the spring of 2016. A year and a half later we still seem to be talking about difficulties with the clutch that apparently surfaced shortly after reinstalling the engine in late 2015.

I'm trying to visualize the timeline of these events and what exactly happened in-between. Why was the engine removed and reinstalled back in 2015? What was ultimately done to get the engine started? And did the problem with this clutch and the smoke and odor first appear when you tried to start driving the car after getting the engine reinstalled? Was there any apparent problem with the clutch prior to removing and reinstalling the engine?

All of this past history would seem to bring about the possibility of an improper or incorrect clutch assembly or clutch adjustment that may have occurred when the engine was reinstalled back in 2015. The illustrations below show a cross-section of the clutch assembly and some of the steps involved in reassembling the clutch. Was the clutch mechanism disassembled and reassembled when the engine was removed and reinstalled back in 2015? Did the clutch appear to be working properly prior to the removal of the engine from the car, and did the apparent problem with clutch slippage and burning and improper clutch operation only surface after the engine was reinstalled and the problem with getting the engine started was resolved?

Knowing when, why, and how this work was performed and the sequence of events that followed may help to reveal possibilities that could have caused your current problems. In most cases correcting the fault may in-fact require the removal of the powertrain to access the clutch mechanism so that you can find out what is wrong. But you might start with checking the clutch linkage and cable mechanism to determine if the clutch mechanism that releases and engages the clutch when you press the clutch pedal is functioning properly and is adjusted properly. The throw out bearing should only come into contact with the pressure plate diaphragm spring when you begin depressing the clutch pedal. When there is no pressure on the clutch pedal there should be a small gap between the throw out bearing and the pressure plate diaphragm spring. This ensures that the clutch mechanism is fully engaged to allow it to "lock up" when there is no pressure on the clutch pedal. If the linkage or cable is binding or if the linkage is not properly adjusted it is conceivable that the throw out bearing may always be in contact with the clutch diaphragm spring, which would never allow the clutch to fully lock up and would effectively be the same as slipping the clutch with the clutch pedal partially depressed. A problem with the clutch linkage is external and potentially correctable without the necessity of removing the powertrain from the car. If there has not been excessive burning or smoke caused by improper clutch engagement, the clutch disc and friction surfaces may not have suffered excessive damage. But if you check the operation of the clutch pedal, clutch cable, and clutch linkage at the transaxle and find that everything is functioning properly and is adjusted in accordance with the shop manual instructions, the problem may be inside the clutch housing and correcting it may require removal of the engine and powertrain.

So please try to describe the sequence of events that have occurred with your Corvair since 2015. What was the reason for removing the engine in the first place? And was the clutch mechanism disassembled and reassembled as a part of the job? And finally was the clutch functioning properly before that work was done and did the apparent clutch failure only surface after the engine was reinstalled and running?

:dontknow:
Attachments
Clutch Cross-Section.jpg
Clutch Disc Installation.jpg
Clutch Release Bearing Assembly.jpg
Corvair Clutch Cross-Section.jpg
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
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