How many times before clutch burnout?

[hmwave]

I've slipped my clutch to the point of smelling it maybe three times in the last six months.
Tonight I was attempting to break the tires loose to test a dealer 'fix' for the wheel hop but the new roadway I tried it on had too much grip and I ended up overheating the clutch to the point of a very strong clutch burn smell in the 'cockpit'. It slipped for maybe five seconds at 4000rpm.
Afterwards the clutch felt a little spongy at the point of engagement.

The clutch doesn't appear to be slipping when fully engaged under high boost from low speeds but I'm wondering if its slipping too much when engaging it.

How strong are the stock clutches? Mine has seen 17,000 miles so far and, other than the few unintentional 'slips', has been treated gently with very few clutch 'dumps' or high rpm launches.

How much damage am I likely to have done?

 

[hmwave]

One other thing is the shift into first seems to be getting notchier month by month.

 

[03_Sonic Blur]

Have you a quadrant and an adjuster?

I got 25K+ miles out of mine without, I probably would have got twice that if i had bought the stuff the day after I got the car.

You will notice in the coming months that the shifts will get notchier, and occasional grinding will occur. When the clutch gets burnt, it warps the plate a little, and stops disengaging completely. If not completely disengaged, the T-56 does not like to shift smoothly. Most noticeable will be returning to first pulling up to a stop. After that, third will grind every now and then.

UPR quadrant and adjuster will save you a lot of problems. Wish I had done it on day two.

 

[hmwave]

Thanks.

How much work is it to fit an adjuster and quadrant?
How long does it take?

 

[03_Sonic Blur]

A couple of hours, it's not bad. I had mine done by a shop, because I was pressed for time. I had the car in the shop for a few days diagnosing the problems with the tranny (clutch was fried) and then getting the Spec II clutch and flywheel

 

[hmwave]

So what's involved?

Disconnect the clutch cable (at the tranny end?), push it through the firewall, install the adjuster, remove old quadrant and replace with new, and reconnect the cable?

Does the driver seat need to be removed?

 

[03_Sonic Blur]

clutch cable can be removed at the clutch pedal, since your taking out the stock quadrant anyway.

Drivers seat removal not necessary, but makes stuff easier if your not svelte

 

[03_Sonic Blur]

Steeda instructions. Reuse the stock cable. I erred about removing the cable from the tranny end. I think the guy who did mine had extraordinary strength, and didn't bother.

1994-2003 MUSTANG USING STOCK CABLE:
At the bellhousing, remove the plastic splash shield. Use a prybar to slacken the clutch cable and disconnect it from the fork. Disconnect the cable from the firewall.


Pry the metal flange which bolts to the firewall off of the cable. Unhook the plastic coupler and pull it off the cable sheath. Cut through the coupler to remove it from the cable. Pull the rubber bushing (which was under the coupler) off of the cable. Place the bronze adapter bushing into the Cable Adjuster. Insert the clutch cable into the Cable Adjuster.

Install the cable and Adjuster into the firewall and connect the cable to the Clutch Quadrant. Attach the cable to the hook closest to the firewall. Use a small screw to attach the Cable Adjuster to the firewall.

Reconnect the clutch cable to the clutch fork.

Adjust the clutch by turning the Cable Adjuster. Be sure the clutch fully releases when the pedal is depressed, and the clutch is fully engaged with light tension on the cable when the pedal is released.

 

[03_Sonic Blur]

Try this page for pics and stuff

Quad Install