I read something about the chatter in my 360 could be something to do with the engine not sitting directly straight in the truck.. ? If so, what two points should I measure from? My truck chattered a lot when I let out the clutch slowly before I rebuilt it. Now, the chatter is very minimal and I am assuming it's because we have it sitting a little better..

 

Huh?

Clutch chatter has nothing to do with whether the engine "sits straight." The clutch is in the bell housing, which is bolted to the engine. If you move the engine, you move the clutch and trans.

Clutch chatter is typically the result of a worn clutch or warped flywheel. Worn bearings on the clutch can also cause chatter. Did you replace the clutch when you rebuilt the engine? Did you replace or resurface the flywheel?

 

I must be confusing different types of " chatter " . And yes, I replaced the flywheel and the clutch. Everything's brand new but there is still a bit of chatter. It's adjusted correctly, too. The chatter is very minute to what it was doing before, but the truck never chattered until my grandfather rebuilt it about ten years ago. Ever since then it's chattered. Unfortunately, he used Napa parts and at that time, and maybe even still, they were sending out junk for parts. So, the engine wore out prematurely. Anyway, now that we rebuilt it and replaced the clutch, etc, the chatter is incredibly less, but not gone. Any ideas?

 

I'm baffled. Can you describe what you mean by "chatter"? Is it a vibration? If so, where do you feel it? Does it make noise? When does it happen?

 

Unless you let the clutch out fast the entire truck will shake,chatter,shimmy-- only for the second or two it takes to release the clutch in a normal manner. That's the only way I know how to explain it.

 

Could be a bad pilot bushing/bearing.

 

 

Hi guys,
I was planning on putting a 390 from one of my trucks into another of my trucks over the weekend. But I found out that the clutch is worn down to the rivets, the pressure plate has black and blue burn marks all over it AND the flywheel has a few cracks (small but still bad) in it. I am going to take the flywheel to a machine shop but Im still thinking im gonna have to windup buying a new one. Advance has them for $52 bux, 1 day to get here. Ill see how it goes.

But my truck used to chatter bad when I put it in reverse. Thats the only time it chattered so I thought it wasnt that bad. Wow, my clutch, pressure plate, and flywheel all look pretty much shot to hell. So Im gonna replace all of them. Now I just have to find a rod thatll fit into the pilot bearing so I can get that out. Anyone have any suggestions???

 

The chatter you refer to is not uncommon, and is ALWAYS caused by one of these things:

Warped or burned flywheel. Typically a resurface will correct this.
Worn or damaged Clutch disc.
Worn or damaged Clutch pressure plate.
Wobbly transmission input shaft. (bad bearings).
Typically a bad pilot bushing will cause/be caused by bad input shaft.

No way to diagnose without putting an eyeball on the effected parts. My project truck developed these symptoms a few years ago. When I tore it apart I discovered a wobbled out pilot bushing and worn out bearings on the input shaft.

Sorry to say, but there is nothing I can think of that relates to rebuilding the engine that would cause this type of chatter. It's all behind the engine.

-Scouder

 

Pack grease through the hole in the pilot bushing, fill it up, use an old input shaft or whatever you have available that will fit the hole. Pump it in and out, depending on the size of the cavity you may have to add grease, hydraulic action will push bushing out.

 

As to the chatter, what size tires and what gear ratio in your axle? Too big of a tire lowers the ratio (numerically), clutch slips/chatters.