Kind of strange clutch question...

[racerat]

Let's say you run over a large rodent and you know you hit it pretty good. Next day, car gets hard to shift...few days later, car won't go into gear.
Dropped the tranny and found many large chunks of the animal wrapped around the driveshaft, on top of the tranny etc. Now the weird part...there were parts of it around the throwout bearing. Is this likely the cause of my problem?
When it rains it pours...got a PO401 code trying to coax the car home last night too.
P0401 - Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow Insufficient Detected
How would that be related or is it just a weird coincidence??

 

[cydewaze]

Whoa! Bizarre...

 

[PhillyCobra]

Wow!!

Weird stuff in Texas!!!


Your rodent could have got in the clutch housing through the release lever opening if the cover was off or loose. There's also a small opening at the bottom of the clutch housing (I think it's for venitlation). Can't imagine how it could have gotten from driveshaft area into clutch.

EGR very weird? Imagine your car is heavily modded with headers. Where's your EGR tube leave the headers to go up to the EGR valve? Stock it's up high near the end of the cast iron manifold. Maybe it got knocked loose???


Was it one of those weird armadillos??

 

[StreetSnake]

Tracy no Idea here but if it werent for bad luck you wouldnt have any luck at all with that car. :beer:

 

[racerat]

Originally posted by PhillyCobra
Can't imagine how it could have gotten from driveshaft area into clutch.

EGR very weird? Imagine your car is heavily modded with headers. Where's your EGR tube leave the headers to go up to the EGR valve? Stock it's up high near the end of the cast iron manifold. Maybe it got knocked loose???


Was it one of those weird armadillos??

Not sure what kind of animal it was. There are weird quill-like hairs and goo from the front k-member to the rear axle...and I mean a lot of it! The car stunk really bad for two days till it burnt off the exhaust. It's my GT, not the Cobra and the only mods are Bullitt intake and a few other little things.

 

[Dana]

Tracy,
When you say the car won't go into gear, do you mean the shift lever won't move or do you mean that when you try to put it in gear, the transmission just grinds?
Anyway, I doubt you actually damaged the trans if there is still oil in it.
The bellhousing has openings around it and some of that animal got in there and is probably messing with the T/O bearing movement.
It may have bent the bearing release fork also, but it is pretty strong.
As long as the cable still moves freely and the release fork looks and moves ok, I would just disassemble and wash everything off thoroughly. Probably some of that animal sticking up the T/O brearing movement on the tube. That would be the most likely thing. If you have already dropped the trans out, you would have noticed any loose or torn wiring to the switches on the trans, so I guess that's out, huh?

As far as the code goes, I would guess it's related. You most likely damaged a tube or line or wiring on the rear or bottom of the motor with the flying parts. Thoroughly check the lines and tubes for exhaust or vacuum leaks and the wires for cuts and/or shorts.

The following is from the Ford Manual about the code P0401:
The EGR system is monitored during steady state driving conditions while the EGR is commanded on. The test fails when the signal from the DPF EGR sensor indicates that EGR flow is less than the desired minimum.
Vacuum supply
EGR valve stuck closed
EGR valve leaks vacuum
EGR flow path restricted
EGRVR circuit shorted to PWR
VREF open to D.P.F. EGR sensor
D.P.F. EGR sensor downstream hose off or plugged
EGRVR circuit open to PCM
VPWR open to EGRVR solenoid
D.P.F. EGR sensor hoses both off
D.P.F. EGR sensor hoses reversed
Damaged EGR orifice tube
Damaged EGRVR solenoid
Damaged PCM

Hope this helps,
Dana

 

[PhillyCobra]

Man, you'd think those Texas rodents would stick with their own kind and choose to attack a Rat or Mouse motor, not a Ford!!!!

 

[racerat]

Originally posted by Dana
Tracy,
When you say the car won't go into gear, do you mean the shift lever won't move or do you mean that when you try to put it in gear, the transmission just grinds?

Dana, thanks a ton for the info. The problem was the shift lever...it didn't grind or anything...just wouldn't go into position unless you really forced it.
It's weird because for about 2 days, the car shifted normally again..then last night it got so bad trying to force it into gear I actually hurt my hand.
Bought a new clutch today and compared the throwout bearings. The old one spun freely but the new one doesn't spin as easily. Which is normal? They're both Motorsport heavy duty clutches.

Just to amuse you folks some more...we rounded off the bolt on the top of tranny and had to lift the motor to get it out. The last clutch was installed by the Ford dealer and they must have used some super duty loc-tite to put that bolt in. Broke one of the exhaust manifold bolts and two of the dowel pins on the flywheel too. My garage looks like a Mustang salvage yard. :nonono:

 

[L3thal 324]

now THAT is some shitty luck... nice "kill story" though i bet you wont get too many rodents challenging you any time soon... sorry couldnt resist but seriously shouldnt this be in the ummmmm road kill section..... j/k hope all goes well!!!

 

[CobraBob]

Hmmm. Think it was a hedgehog Tracy? They have quills I believe. Whatever it was, it was NOT a small rodent, that's for sure. And I thought the pictures of the engine chock full of boa pieces was bad. Yours sounds even worse. Glad it wasn't any worse. Around here the deer can connect with cars and they can do some heavy damage.

 

[Dana]

Tracy,
Both bearings are probably ok. The new one is stiff because it is packed tight with grease. I would go with the new one anyway.
Did you install a new pilot bearing as long as everyting is apart?

Have you determined why the lever wouldn't move or it wouldn't shift? Debris around the shift tower?

Dana

 

[racerat]

Originally posted by CobraBob
Hmmm. Think it was a hedgehog Tracy? They have quills I believe. Whatever it was, it was NOT a small rodent, that's for sure.

I didn't give it much thought at the time, but it may have been one of those wild pigs they have down here. Texas has some freaky animals!

Originally posted by Dana

Have you determined why the lever wouldn't move or it wouldn't shift? Debris around the shift tower?

Dana

No new pilot bearing. We have to wait till Monday now to get the other parts that broke.
We're cruising to a Texas park tomorrow with the local SVTOA chapter...in the Jeep.
:lol: