Need a clutch kit for 198

Newbee here, I just picked up a 57 wagon with a 198 installed. The clutch pressure plate (9.125") is no longer made according to my parts guy. I read here the 198 is not very friendly as far a parts go. Can I use a later model flywheel to upgrade?

 

i have a 215 v8 thats going into my jeep. i picked up a 198 parts motor and it uses the same bellhousing, flywheel, clutch disc, and pressure plate as the 215. these parts are specific only to these two motors (from what I've read and experienced - not saying thats a 100% correct statement, but I believe it to be true). These motors were produced only from '61-'63. I tried local searches for these parts also and came up empty. After 6 months of looking, I found a new clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing on ebay.

If you are in a hurry and dont mind spending the money, this is the only place I know of for parts for these rare motors. He deals only with 215 stuff, but from the flywheel back its the same as the 198.
http://www.aluminumv8.com/

 

BTW - I would have guessed that the flywheels will be different between the 198 and 215. Isn't the 198 an odd fire? I would expect the 198 would then be detroit (externally) balanced like the 225, and have a big lump on the backside of the flywheel for balance (like the 225). Then the 215 could be either detroit or zero balanced - and in both cases the flywheel would be different from the 198.

 

Tim, can you post a pic illustrating this "big lump" you are referring to? i've never seen a 225 flywheel, and i don't recall any "big lumps" on the 2 198 flywheels I have.

 

Hmm. Well, no, I don't personally have a pic. One was posted here a while back - maybe I can find it. As I recall, the balance weight is on the back side of the flywheel, cast in, like a 2" square platform near the outer edge. The casting provides the majority of the balance, and the rest is done by mill marks (extra round holes) you usually see near the hub.

 

There is no lump on the flywheel of my 198. The clutch side of the flywheel is recessed or counterbored so only the 9.125" clutch assembly will fit unless I were to machine it flat and drill/tap for a 10 or 10.5".
Warloch do you have a good clutch you want to sell off a 198?

UPDATE: I found a website www.mcleodind.com, they list a 9.5" clutch for the Buick 198 model years 62-63. I will be contacting them. I noticed their chart shows the same pressure plate part number for the 198 as some of the 225, 231 and 250 engines. Some of these listed engines are 9.125 clutchs so I'm going to need to do somemore checking when I get home to see if the 9.5" fits.

 

yeah, i got all that stuff from warloch for my 215, then 2 months later found a complete 198 for sale locally and picked that up for dirt cheap. So I have 2 used clutch discs. I can size them both up and compare them with the one new disc i found on ebay and i'll let you know how much life they have left.

and if anyone can post a pic of a 225 flywheel showing the lump that tim is talking about i would appreciate it.

 

See my edited post above.

 

There is no big lump on the back of the 225 flywheel, There are several small pockets milled into the flywheel and several small holes for balance but the flywheel is basically flat. I would guess that both engines could use the same flywheel, they would just have to be balanced to the particular engine.

 

willyjam, what transmission is your 198 mated to? I'm assuming it's a T90? Is it a long shaft or short shaft T90? The long shaft is a 10 spline, 1 1/8" diameter, which is the same spline count/diameter shaft as what buick used from the factory with a manual equipped 198. All of my 198 clutches are 9.5" diameter discs which accept a 10 spline, 1 1/8" input shaft. I went to several parts stores with the disc and searched by both application and size and no one showed a listing for the clutch I needed. But you say your clutch is a 9 1/8" diameter and that your flywheel will only accept that size clutch? Are you sure your flywheel will not accept a 9 1/2" disc?

 

Not much help here, but when I needed an oddball clutch spline/hub diameter, I called a clutch manufacturer directly. They had what I needed and got it to me for what I thought was a normal clutch price.

 

Florida brake and clutch in St Pete florida will remanufacture your clutch and do it just as cheap and probably better than buying a new one. I had them remanufacture my original clutch in there shop when I was down there about 8 years ago to see my brother, they also religned my parking brake shoes about 12 years ago before the net and finding them was made easy, they charged me $21 including shipping from St Pete to Alabama for the brake shoes. My clutch cost me around $120 including pilot tool, throw out bearing religning the disk and rebuilding the pressure plate. They make some of the best racing clutches you can buy.
Florida Brake & Clutch phone # (727) 323-5011

 

Thanks fellas, I found a clutch manufacture here in California, www.mcleodind.com that has, so they say, what I need for my 198/T90 setup. My next question to you is, should I stay with the three finger type B&B pressure plate or use a diaphragm type?, they offer both.

 

See my edit to #8, and check the chart on the site I posted, there is some compatability according to their chart between 9.125 and 9.5" seems they share pressure plates (the friction for the 9.5" is 9.25"??), I'm sure mine will accept the 9.5" I will be talking to their tech guy tomorrow to clear up some ? and get the bolt circle dia for the plate.