Hey guys. Lately ive been having a few problems with my truck. Over the past 2 months ive noticed my truck acting up. A few times while i was sitting at a stop light with the truck in neutral i could feel a very noticeable vibration on the floor of the truck on the drivers side. But as soon as i let off the brake and let the truck roll a inch in neutral the vibration went away. I figured it was either the tranny or tcase since they are right under the truck in the area of the vibrations. Then sometimes when i was shutting my truck off, or starting it i could feel a thud in the same area of the floor on the truck.

It was one of those things that i kept in the back of my head but i had no idea what it was and it only happened occassionally so i left it alone.

But yesterday on my way home from school I noticed my clutch was engaging at the very end of the pedal. I usually feather the clutch and the gas as the clutch is engaging. But i started fully releasing the clutch without giving it any gas so i could feel the clutch engaging and sometimes it feels like the clutch doesnt engage until i fully release the pedal and once i give it some gas and i then feel like the clutch is engaging as the truck sort of lurches forward.

From the few people ive talked to they say i need a new clutch. I bought my truck is august/2007 and the PO claimed the truck had the original clutch and DMF. But people have told me that it very unlikely on a truck with 325,000 km.

Im just wondering if there is some way i can check my clutch and see if it is worn out, or if i absolutely need to replace it?. Also what can you guys tell me about DMF and option of swaping it for a SMF?

The truck is a 1993 Ford F250 with a 7.3 diesel non turbo. The truck is sort of a performance truck. The injection pump is turned up a bit for a little more power and in the near future i plan on turboing the motor or swappig it for a high performance 12V cummins. So if there is something i should do to beef up the tranny or clutch now would be a good time to do it.

 

Have you checked the hydraulics for any leaks? You could have air in the line. I'm not sure what 325k km is when converted to miles, but some people drive gingerly enough to make them last. My friend had 190k miles on the original clutch in his truck, he replaced it because his motor lost oil pressure so he had to put a new engine in it.

 

yeah ive checked all the hydraulics and they all are fine. it looks like its just time for a new clutch...and 325,000 kms is approx. 200k miles

i talked to a few shops today about getting my clutch done. one said it will be $1700 for a DMF but they might be able to use my original flywheel and it then will cost only $900. but the guys recommended i go with a SMF and he said it will be $1400 for a SMF setup from luk. but he also recommended i go with the upgraded 12"setup from luk for $1600.

im still undecided about the whole SMF and DMF thing. i was hoping some of you guys on here could give me some ideas of what i should do and maybe explain the whole DMF vs. SMF thing to me

 

Sorry I cant help with the flywheel issue, I have yet to own a diesel.

If a 12" clutch is an upgrade, what size clutch do you have now? My 460 has a 12" clutch stock. I thought for a sure a diesel would have that or bigger.

 

If you do replace the clutch I'd recommend having a tranny shop look over the tranny while it's out of the truck. New seals at the very least. It would be a total bummer to change the clutch and find out the tranny needed work too, then paying for the labor twice.

The diesel uses an external slave? My gas ZF has a cover you can remove to check the movement of the concentric. You could see if any of the clutch fingers are mangled too.

 

A bit late maybe. Get a smf kit from South Bend Clutches. The Dual Mass Flywheel gets worn and then you hear the springs clunking around. They're designed to take up the harmonics from the diesel. Very pricey compared to the SMF. The SMF is your conventional flywheel and clutch deal. South Bend makes several grades, stock, feramic/organic, and feramic. Which grade you go with depends on your truck usage. I see you say that you're doing performance upgrades. I'd recommend the South Bend FE to prevent slipping. Good luck.