It was the 12" Con-O. I don't think I would have had center problems with a 13" clutch, but I cheaped out when I bought this one. I think in your case I'd go with a Sachs, which is what was in these from the factory. They are very tough clutches, but they won't hold a lot more than 300 HP.

OK, now everyone repeat after me:

"No 12" clutch is an upgrade."

 

I was doubtful when Dave suggested it'd be better to re-use my 420k stocker than to 'upgrade' to a stock replacement 12'' while I had my tranny down, recently. Well, since my super-duper IC install, I can use all the fuel my maxed pump and tired old non-ic injectors can put out, which is actually pretty impressive for a daily driver truck--I've been having nasty traction problems in 3rd gear. So, today, with about 5800lbs behind me, I raced some silly compact up a dandy of a hill...but I didn't get into it untill mid-hill...at 55mph, and didn't shift out of 5th. Just leaned into it hard and pulled away from the poor sap. I accelerated hard from 1600rpms in OD and that tired old stock clutch never whimpered Just barely broke 900 pre turbo at the top of the hill...man it's rough having cool air

 

Please elaborate on this IC install; or, point me in the direction of your step-by-step write-up, with pictures.

Thanks.

 

Here you go: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=124982

I plan to tear the whole mess down to clean up all of the rough edges of the install (both figuratively and literally) and I'll do my best to take lots of pictures, but like I said in the thread, having to cut the frame makes the '03-'06 intercooler a questionalble candidate for someone with a nice truck. Anyway, happy reading. Hijack completed

 

Dave, Glad to hear it wasn't the gutba... I mean getrag I hope you can now get the ponys to the pavement.

Michael

 

Should be up and running tomorrow.

 

Is your shop a South Bend dealer? That was some fast service! What's the break-in time on that FE? Will it deal with 3 pedal/2 foot shuffle 20psi burnouts?

 

Nope. The clutch is supposed to be there tomorrow morning and my truck has been tying up a bay since Tuesday. They are extremely motivated to get it put back together ASAP.

The guy at SBC told me that a couple weeks of my commute (all local traffic, about 120 miles a week) would have it broken in. It should be fine with 3rd gear launches, but it's not a pulling clutch. Building boost on the line would be a no-no. SBC says I'll find it a little grabby until I make some more power.

 

So, what's next in line to break? maybe a custom driveshaft...

 

Probably the u-joints. That's why I haven't tried to do burnouts with the truck, and why I don't stand on it in 3rd very often.

I really do try to take it easy on the driveline. I won't get on it if the road is rough, and I try not to spin the tires too much in the rain.

 

Glad it didn't do that when I got behind the wheel, . Thats what the look on my face would have been.

 

It's home! I was grinning like this little smilie guy all the way home. I am happy as a hog in horse manure!

The Con-FE is pretty smooth on takeoff, we'll see if it gets more aggressive as it breaks in.

One thing that was immediately obvious was the much better vibration damping of the 13" clutch. No more gear rattle in neutral, and the trans is quiet at the bottom of 4th for the first time ever. It's like a totally different trans with this clutch. The 12" Con-O was noisy from day 1, I just thought it was the trans.

I'll say it again: No 12" clutch is an upgrade. I don't care who made it.

As bgilbert would say: Gassser Trasssh!

 

Well, here it is. It looks fine - except for the fact that the input hub is off center.



Here's where the center broke. That doesn't seem like a lot of metal there, it's no wonder they don't recommend towing with this clutch.



It's a real shame, the clutch was holding the power fine, and the friction material could have gone another 100k easily.

 

So do ya think the tranny, and the clutch will get along now?

Is the tranny quit now?

 

I don't think I can slip or break a Con-FE. It's rated for 550 HP/1100 ft.lb. with heavy towing. The trans was nice and tight on the bench, no free play in the input or output.

The trans is very quiet compared to how it used to be, it's even quieter than it was with the Sachs clutch (there were some center bearing issues back then though). There's no gear rattle at idle, and the bottom of 4th is quiet, at least under light acceleration. Those were the real noisy times before. I can't get on it hard yet, the clutch has to be broken in for a couple hundred miles of local driving. Slipping it before it's broken in will glaze it pretty bad and it won't ever hold well, so I gotta be careful.