Weird Transmission Problems (Clutch)
 

I recently purchased an 88 lx convt. 5.0L. The entire car was 100% stock (still has air silencer) but needed a new clutch. I bought a King Cobra Kit and, after installation, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the Bell Housing. I took it back apart and found that the pressure plate was rubbing against the Bell Housing. All of the bolts were tightened to the proper torque specs, and I even ground on the Bell Housing, but the noise is still there, but a little less extreme, and it goes away entirely when i step on the clutch. The other weird problem is that now the shifter appears to be out of place in the cab. The inerior boot and cosmetic plastic cover will not fit over the Pro 5.0 Shifter, eventhough it did after the first time i dropped the tranny. There are two issues i think could be causing this: I did not put the dust cover back on the Bell Housing during either time, and the motor mounts are shot. In addition, the second time I put the tranny back in the car I was using impact wrenches instead of hand wrenches. Any suggestions would be appreciated

I would suspect the motor mounts for your shifter alignment problem, but not matter how bad they are, they wouldnt cause the pressure plate to rub the bellhousing.

Are you sure that its hitting it and not just the throwout bearing gone bad?
If it goes away when stepping on the clutch, this wouldn't be the pressure plate then, since it does not move when the clutch pedal is pressed. Are you sure you put the clutch in the correct way with "engine side" facing the engine?

I initially installed the clutch and it was making the knocking sound. The next weekend I took it all apart again, and could see the marks on both the pressure plate (bolts to the flywheel) and Bell Housing. I initially thought it might be the throwout bearing, but it looked good when I removed the Housing the second time. That's why I now think the Dust Cover would push the bell housing back just enough to give me the clearance I need. Hell, at this point though I'm not really sure. Does anyone else run a King Cobra without the dust cover.

I never even had a dust cover on mine, i installed a kk clutch in my driveway, it ran fine until it started rubbing also, but in my case it turned out to be loose bellhousing bolts, and it would vibrate badly.

since you just assembled it, id assume they are tight?
you might have a defected clutch, might try replacing flywheel and clutch, expensive yes, but at least you'll know after that, cuz if it still does it, something is wrong with the t-5 imo, my t-5 knocked right befor the cluster shaft broke in pieces, i too thought it was my clutch, after new one, it still did it....hope this can help.

By dust cover, do you mean the block plate? The thin metal plate that goes between the bellhousing and motor? If so, then you need this back on there.

I was thinking (and probably Coupe5OH was thinking) that you meant the dust cover that goes over the end of the clutch fork at the cable end.

Which one do you mean?

The dust cover is the thin block cover with several holes in it. The Tranny shifts fine, and I can see where the clutch is hitting the bell Housing so im pretty sure its not the tranny.

yes fivohpatrol, i thought the same thing, the plate that goes on the bottom is needed.

something is out of line, you will have to check thoroughly, have someone turn the craank bolt on front, carefully, and look underneath at the pp and see if somethings wobbling, or anything that looks like it's not on right, i know you said it is, but sometimes things are'nt looked over enough.