"Both visualy looked good" (disk and flywheel). was the working car OK when hot? If so one might think that the clutch disk or flywheel is the problem considering that you re-usd yours and not the one from the donor car. I'm thinking more that something is wrong with the disk that makes the corks in the disk swell up from the heat.

As you have stated you have done all the other need fixes. Good Luck! Interested in the final fix.

Jim Spencer
WNY Chapter

Thibault,

Are you back on the road? Did you finally solve this shifting issue?? I went through the same exact problem with my '54

Thibault, do you have any pictures you could show me the parts?. It definately sounds like you have mis-matched parts. Mis-matched parts will cause the problem you are experiencing! If the fingers are not set at the correct height, which is described in detail in the Hudson Mechanical procedures manual, it can cause nothing but trouble. Unfortunately, you are going to have to remove the trans again to fix the problem :woohoo: . The Hudson shop manual also says that .160 is discard thickness. The problem you are having is probably why the last person sold the car, same problem. I don't know how you accurately checked the height of the fingers, tough to do without a complete understanding of " how it works' . We have most of the Monmouth Clutch rebuilding equipment here to do this. There is some good info in this thread though, and even a few that have posted here, have had the same problem. When you take it back out, you need to check the thickness of the disc, and how true the face is radial/lateral. If - when you remove the flywheel, make sure that you clean both mating faces between the flywheel and crankshaft and apply sealer as directed in the shop manual. We do sell the right parts and usually have all of them in stock. Good luck, Hudsonly Doug

[quote="Thibault Klijkens" post=5629]Stacy and Frank, thanks.
What you said about clutching in 2nd/3rd make sense. Anyway after a long time at idle trying to figure what happens my clutch couldn't release enough even in those gears.

I have nothing against Mr Wildrick at all, really 🙂 I would have bought the clutch pedal shaft and its frame mount if he was carrying it. I ended doing it myself for a good result. In the case of the cross shaft kit, 140$ is 120$ more than what I needed.

I'm 100% ok with your way of thinking Stacy. This is common sense !
Fact is I bought the Hudson because it was running/braking/steering to enjoy it while I'm occupied by a bigger restoration (Buick '50 hardtop). This was a very bad idea since I already poured lots of money and time into the Hornet.

Anyway, time doesn't cost me anything. Buying parts that I may not need does.

When you talk about rebuilding the pressure plate, do you mean having it resurfaced or new springs ? Looks like it's the last thing to check. I'm probably going to send it over Wildrick.

I just got in touch with someone who owns a donor Hornet. I may try the clutch assembly from that car to see if it works better.

We'll see. For now I'm about to give up -_-

Hello Everyone.
I'm still not back on the road. I did not worked on the Hudson during last winter and I'm about to move in a new warehouse for my cars.
Here is what I did so far:
- put new cross shaft bushings
- repaired the egg-shaped hole from cross shaft frame mount
- replaced engine mounts
- flushed with acetone, poured the right amount of dexron III then dexron II (mineral)
- used the pressure plate, trans and clutch bearing from a donor car, I kept the original bellhousing, clutch disc and flywheel

Here is what I plan to do
- since the clutch disc surface is more worn around its center I will buy a new remanufactured one (Hey Doug :))
- change the transmission mount
- repair the clutch pedal shaft (there is some play at the base of clutch pedal linkage. Same shaft as brake pedal)

If you check the following pictures, you'll see the worn clutch disc and The OG input shaft trans is scored.
Actually the problem doesn't occurs more when it's hot. It occurs after multiple take offs, cold or hot. I can clutch/declutch a lot of times at idle and without charges with no problems. Then if block the rear wheels and try to start, the engine will need more and more RPM to keep running then dies. Then the clutch won't release from it's position.

Can it be caused by a faulty clutch disc ?

Thibault, what is the thickness of the disc?, this measurement is cridical. Also, did you check the height of the fingers before you dis-assembled it ?. The shop manual states very clear what the allowable tolerances, are .No less than 1.250 to 1.500 maximum depth installed height of the fingers. If they are more than that, it can over-travel the clutch fingers, letting them go against the disc and can cause it not to release, harsh engagement,, not at all,clag-banging,

Doug, I did not checked disc thickness or finger height.
I had recently the original pressure plate checked by my local clutch specialist. Trueness was beyond factory tolerance but he didn't checked finger height.

I should pull everything out - again - next week. I will let you know what I find.

Thanks,
Thib