I had my young nephew (age 8) over a couple of days before Christmas. He was hanging around the shop while i installing a new Centerforce Dual Friction clutch. Well, I go the clutch installed and pressure plate and got called to do something. While away I had him go inside. He got back to the shop and fired the motor for about 5 minutes. why? I don't know. Curious I guess. I did not know this until I took the car out to test drive a few days late and noticed the clutch was slipping on just babying the car. Boys, was I hot!!! Does anyone have any thoughts on to know if this is the cause without pulling the clutch? Everything looks good on the outside. It appears I have everything connected properly.

Who gets the bill for that one?

Looks like my nephew, after mentioning to his father.

Do you know for a fact that it worked right before your nephew started the car ?

I wouldn't think "popping the clutch" 5 times would hurt a centerforce clutch.
Hard to imagine that much damage that quick, and how did he do it 5 times before you stopped him ?

Not trying to bum you out, but these are questions you'll need to answer when you take the bill to your brother or sister.

If it were me, I'd be inclined to take it on the chin, than cause bad feelings between siblings. I know guys who haven't spoken to brothers for years.
You want that ?

Anyway good luck whatever you decide, but an 8 year old is an 8 year old.

Thad, I was going to pay for it myself. Heck, I have done alot worst things when I was eight. His Dad is making come out of his allowance. Myabe I can talk him out of it.

He did drive the car or pop the clutch. I only had the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate on. No bellhousing or tranny. He just fired the motor out of curiosity.

Next time I keep the keys with me.

By and large, I'm glad there wasn't a trans in the car could've gone through the wall or door, and been much worse.

Sounds like you're willing to be the bigger person. :thumbsup:
Let him help, and teach him right. :D

I will be interested in what you find out on this one. I can't see where just firing the engine w/o bellhousing would hurt the clutch. Maybe an opportunity to get the youngster into the hobby. Good luck

I only had the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate on. No bellhousing or tranny. He just fired the motor out of curiosity.

I don't see how this could cause any problems with the clutch...

I'm assuming this is what is causing the clutch to slip. May not be, but I have ruled everything else out, so far. Linkage looks good and etc. I plan on pulling it in the next day or two.

I'd be curious to know what was supporting the back of the engine if there was no trans while he had it running for 5 minutes? If he ran it anything much above an idle, I'd be checking engine mounts as well.

In any event, the only thing it might have done that I can see is maybe some shop debris/fluid got on the flywheel or clutch disc while running with no cover at all.

Motor is just sitting in the car. I have no idea is something got inside the clutch area. Guess I find out when taking the tranny out.

I'm assuming this is what is causing the clutch to slip. May not be, but I have ruled everything else out, so far. Linkage looks good and etc. I plan on pulling it in the next day or two.
You are assuming? On what basis? How can this cause the clutch to slip? No transmission means no resistance for the clutch so it just turns with the motor. Not trying to rip you or anything, but I just don't follow the logic here.

I have burned myself too many times assuming that I did not cause a problem, which is what you say when you blame it on someone else, only to find that it was in fact something I did. I just hate it when that happens ;)

Perhaps not the smartest thing an 8yr old boy could do... but *entirely* not out of character for boys either. They have a tendency to do things way before they think about them.

Steve, it is very possible that "I" did something wrong here. This event is the only thing I know to be different from previous installs. I'm not blaming my nephew just thought it was the only different circumstance. Hopefully is just something simple.

I don't think that what he did could cause any damage to the clutch. Just my $0.02

LK

Steve, it is very possible that "I" did something wrong here. This event is the only thing I know to be different from previous installs. I'm not blaming my nephew just thought it was the only different circumstance. Hopefully is just something simple.

Also doesn't mean that your nephew is not a bonehead...

That would be good. Maybe I'm the bone head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how the hell are you going to bash the mistake of an 8 year old? are you kidding? I'm sure you guys were geniuses at that age...

Reminds me of some of the bonehead things I did at that age. :o

I'll never forget pumping the brake pedal when dad had the drums removed, blew wheel cylinder parts everywhere.

I agree, I don't think running the engine would do anything at all to the clutch.

Hell, I would be proud of an 8 year old having the guts to fire up one of my old cars - I would be bragging about it at the same time that I would be telling the 8 year old that they can do that anytime they want as long as I'm there to make sure its safe. And that if they ever do it again when I'm not around that I will banish them from the garage or fun rides cruising and going to car shows!

Now you've made a potential young gearhead reconsider their future with old cars.

There is no way that I can believe that firing up an engine without the trans attatched would cause a slipping clutch. No way at all. Impossible.

Did you note the break in instructions for that clutch? Did you follow them? Before you drove away for the first time did you check to see that the release and engagement points were where they should be? At some point a flywheel can be surfaced too much and then it needs replacement, or a crankshaft spacer shim is okay in a low performance application. Same with the clutch fork and ball stud etc. that all need to be checked for excess wear.

Thomas

P.S. Here is how you get the young guy back on the gearhead track:
Get him back over to your place, and bring him into the garage with your car. Look at your car and say: "you really like this car don't you?" He'll probably look at you first (let out a wry smile), then he'll say "yes" when he sees that you are being cool. Then tell him to get in the driver's seat and do exactly what you tell him, then have him start it up on your okay. Let him rev it a few times and just sit there while listening to the rumble for a minute or so. Have him shut it off and spend a minute explaining to him that he is way to young to drive, safety blah blah blah, and that you really want him to enjoy the car - but only when you are there. Get him to say okay - then ask if he would like to go for a drive to pick up sodas or something. Blast off, give a tiny squeal to the tires and grin at him. You will make his day and give him a fun life-long memory.

P.P.S Tell his dad NOT to punish him, and that all your Team Chevelle buddies said there is no way his "adventure" could have caused the clutch slipping problem.

Generally, firing the engine with the clutch installed won't hurt a thing, if the pressure plate is fully tightened to spec. Let us know what you find and in my opinion, the nephew is off the hook. In 40 years of Auto Repair, I haven't ever seen the clutch spinning without the bellhousing or tranny hurt a thing.

He's eight years old. He was likely immitating something he had seen you do a hundred times. I learned a lot from my uncles. In fact, they were the ones who got taught me my basic mechanic skills at around the same age. You've got a nephew there who's probably looking up to you. Take advantage of the opportunity and be a mentor. If you're too harsh, you'll kill his curiosity and interest forever. I'm completely on board with what bomber 67 said.

The problem could be anything from linkage adjustment to the wrong throwout bearing to disc that's installed backwards. But I don't see anyway that the problem could have been caused by your nephew firing up the engine.

Be very careful how you react to the little guy. Take him under your wing, teach him things. Don't yell at him and don't go to his dad expecting him to pay for something that may not be his fault. We all have a favorite uncle. Be HIS favorite uncle.

You called an 8 year old a bonehead?

Be ashamed, be very ashamed....

I suspect you will find either the wrong throwout bearing or the need for an adjustable clutch fork pivot. I don't see anything he could have done to cause your problem. Not trying to be an a## here but who leaves a battery hooked up while working around the flywheel and starter?

OK guys, here was the problem. I'm using a truck clutch fork that has a hook to connect it to the piviot ball. Well one side had moved itself above the ball causing the clutch fork to side cocked eyed. I guess this caused the throwing out bearing to lay against the fingers of the pressure plate. All is fixed now and everything is fine.

Reguarding my nephew. I appreciate all the comments here concerning him. I did not run him off from the hobby as some here might of thought. He is just a curious little boy who likes to figure stuff out. Good sign for a gearhead. He does not even know what the dialogue has been. All he know is he is not suppose to be in the shop without an adult.

I never did get mad at him or yell or anything like that. He has a problem of doing this type of thing when visiting relatives (doing things without permission, tearing stuff up and etc.) He thinks it a big party all the time. His parents run a "tight ship." They were at the house when this happend. They asked if he had broken any thing when we got him out of the shop. I said no. Well, when I took the car out the father was with me and was very knowledge about the clutch slipping. He is no dummy, as he is a doctor. He asked was this possible done by his son. I said I did not know, but was pretty sure it wasn't.

Well, thats the story. Glad it had a happy ending.

well, all is good then... maybe you can get him to help ya build up more stuff? I mean, YOU would ROCk in his eyes.....

glad it was just a dang lil ole' fork.... I was going to ask that- but ya found out quickly enough....

ROCK ON!!

your post said you didn't have the bellhousing on at the time. so the fork malfunctiion couldn't have been you nephews fault . i think you owe him a icecream.
a job like that battery should have been disconnected. glad it was an easy fix!!!

There's an old saying: A lock is better than suspicion...

I'd suggest getting the little guy something that he can tear apart. Clean up a junk carb or something?

Yeah, treasure them at that age-it's so much fun to watch them figure stuff out!! And for the chance to be the 'cool' uncle? Priceless! Sounds like the little guy has enegy to burn, and the intellegence to really profit from some 'mentoring'. Good luck!

In late but I don't see how running the engine, flywheel and clutch assy with no trans could hurt the disc, it should have been tight between the pressure plate and flywheel and spun as an assembly. Only way it would slip it pressure plate was loose or defect that allowed to release so the discs would slip.

My comment is to give the kid a break, impulse control is real low at that age.

I always disconnect the battery when doing anything that extensive just so something doesn't get bumped and kick the car off the jack stands or blocks. When young I had one to many instances of someone screwing with the key and almost lost my hand to a fan blade, takes 5 seconds to remove the battery cable.

Wouldnt he have had to pump the carb first before starting the motor? A carbed motor wont just start with the turn of the key without pumping the pedal, unless you just had the engine running hours before of course. About the length of time it takes to pull a transmission and reinstall it would be enough.

At least your introducing a kid to muscle cars and doing your best to ignite the american muscle car flame. Other wise who knows, he could catch on to the import crowd. Now is the perfect time. Too bad he wont likely be able to afford one when he is old enough to drive.

maybe you installed the disc in backwards-its been done b4