Back From Shop Update + Questions

[HiFiGuy66]

Hi All,

I really feel like I'm taking advantage of y'all here. I can't wait until I learn enough to help someone else.

Got the car back from my mechanic today.. Good news, he says it's a nice tight car. He found and fixed/adjusted a few things..$330 bill. Life is good.

He did have to replace the thermo switch on the radiator. He said it wasn't switching into high speed. The temp still goes higher than I would like. I think I'm going to need to replace the switch again (and keep the new one for a spare.) I think I want the switch with the lowest temerature rating. Pelican shows one with an 85 degree celcuis rating. This should make the fan come on at a lower coolant temperature. Is that correct?

Y'all are right about the clutch. It's the original one, as best he can tell. Oh well. I told Dennis I will be getting the aluminum flywheel. He said to get a high performance clutch if I was gojng that direction. I've found the Centerline Dual Friction clutch at a couple of places. Are there any other choices? Is the performance clutch going to give me a hard pedal? Years ago I drove a 5.0L Mustang (Fox Body) that had a super hard clutch. I don't want this. Am I OK to do the Centerline or just get the Sachs?

Thanks again. I hope to not continue being a pest, but y'all know what you are doing...a wealth of information, and greatly appreciated.

[Techno Duck]

You are correct, the lower temperatur fan switch will make the cooling fan cycle on at lower temperatures. In my opinion good for someone that lives in a hotter climate and who may do alot of city driving.

I wouldnt worry about the clutch just yet, you do hear the horror stories of the rubber center blowing up, but i know of a few people still on original clutches, one fellow has over 150k (i actually think its 200k) on his original rubber center clutch.

I cannot say much about what you should and should not get inregards to a clutch disc. I have only done light research on the area. A lightweight aluminum flywheel really makes a nice difference i have read.

[Razorback1980]

Don't worry about asking questions here....I may be asking you next time. What goes around comes around and we are here to help each other. I have personally borrowed more than I have returned too but hopefully I can pay it back over time.

I think Techno already answered your questions for the most part. I got over 200,000 on my clutch as well but I never drove mine hard with the exception of one track day. I kept my clutch stock, so I don't know how much of a difference a higher performance clutch will make. Did you find out what the clanking noise you were having was?

[Zero10]

A lower temp fan switch will do virtually nothing with the stock thermostat. You should either leave both stock, or change both to low-temp.
I had the low-temp thermostat and fan switch on my 86 N/A, and it sat just above the second white line (just shy of the middle) almost all the time, even in heavy traffic.

As far as the clutch goes, there is almost no reason to upgrade. The N/A clutch will hold over 150hp, which is all your engine is producing. The N/A clutch has relatively low pedal force as well, which should make it nicer to drive.

That said, wait until either yours fails, or you're already in there to replace it.

[bryanthompson]

I have 250k on an original clutch, and it is just barely starting to feel like it's going away. Start putting a little $$ away for the day when it does fail, but it probably has some more life in it.

[McFly944]

Great news on the car!

As far as a stiff pedal with a performance clutch, well there is a ajustment on the clutch pedal(little spring, with bolt). The only other clutch plate I have seen with little research is the centerforce.

I Think everyone got the others questions covered well.

[SoCal Driver]

Stock clutch. The rubber centers are not sold any more. You will get a spring center disk. Not worth the money to go to an aluminum flywheel and performance disk and plate for street driving.

Use a flatbed truck to take your car to the shop when the current clutch fails. Other wise you will have body damage.

[Razorback1980]

Zero has a good point I had never thought of. If you lower the temperature that the fans come on but the thermostat keeps the temperature at the higher setting, all you are doing is wearing out your fans and alternator and your engine temperature won't go down much if any. Change the thermostat to match.

[AA_Ezra]

I went with the low temp fan switch.. I think there is only one kind. And as far as the thermostats. I belive there is three Stock. lil below stock and one lower then that. I went with the lowest temp b/c i thougth i had overheating probs. Turns out it was just a lose ground that made my guage read realy high. In the part of california i live in temps can get into 110+ but usualy stays upper 90's -100's And My vehicle currently stays at the first temp mark and rarely goes to the middle mark. And when it does it goes right back down. BTW you can put the stat in, Takes a while the first time to do it. or send it to the mechanic.

And i think i got my realy low low temp stat from parago they got all 3 t-stats

J

[Zero10]

In your area of the world, you will be just fine with the lowest temperature range thermostat (IIRC 72*C), and a low temp fan switch. Mine generated lots of heat even in -40*C weather with that setup.

Thermostat and thermoswitch act as a pair really. You need them correctly matched for the system to work it's best

[HiFiGuy66]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the info. I'll be buying a low temp thermostat and fan switch.

Razor, the clanking is some kind of worn flex disc in the clutch assembly. Maybe the rubber disc, I'm not exactly sure. My mechanic said not to worry and to run the car until the clutch starts to slip. The reason I'm not exactly sure is my mechanic is fom Barbados, with de heavy accent, mon, not de easiest to understand at times, mon. But he does good work, is honest, and prices his work fairly.

So Cal Driver: I already knew about flatbedding the car if I need to get towed. Saw it in a FAQ somewhere, thanks.

The thing with the A/C turned out to be the "trader valve" not sure...Dennis translation, mon, and a recharge. Dennis recommended against converting the system to R134, turned down $600 for the job, and recommended me to a local A/C specialist that still deals in R12. Getting that done on Monday.

Y'all might get a kick out of a sutuation I had with Dennis years ago with my ex-wife's BMW 735il. It was running a bit warm.

Me: Dennis, did you figure out what was wrong with it running warm?

Dennis: Yes, it's de fine clutch, mon.

Me: The fine clutch? Dennis, it's an automatic, and the problem is overheating with the engine, not the transmission.

Dennis: Yup, it's de fine clutch mon.

Me: What's a fine clutch and what does that have to do with anything?

Dennis: De fine clutch is attached to de engine fine, keep de engine cool, mon.

Me: Oh, the FAN clutch!!!

Dennis: That's what I be saying, mon.

I don't ask too many questions anymore.

[nynor]

that is priceless!!!

[Razorback1980]

Pretty funny.

I would start saving for the clutch though. Usually waiting until they slip is what you do with a clutch...and when it starts to slip have it replaced. With this car however, what will probably happen is one day it will probably just fly apart. Of course you can get it replaced at that point, but I just hate walking home from work...especially in a hot rainy climate like Orlando....or Houston.

Got me on the trader valve....don't know what that is! Educate me when you find out!

[nynor]

schrader valve was probably leaking on A/C system.

[pokey]

Seconded.

[Zero10]

I would take it to an A/C shop, have them replace the leaking valve, then fill the system with refrigerant/oil and a leak detecting dye. Come back in a week or two and have them look over it with their U.V. light. Make sure it's not leaking elsewhere.