MASSIVE clutch assembly problem

[EvhCo]

Hi everyone!
About two weeks ago I bought a second-hand DeAgostini F2014 with a Kyosho GX15 under the hood. It had no body and no receiver, only the engine (with the air filter and all) and the servos. After 3 days of work (including adjusting the carburetor), I managed to integrate an Arduino on the engine and control it via Bluetooth using a module.
It worked like a champ. I couldn't be prouder, but this very morning, the clutch effectively got stuck in the "engaged" position, in such way that the wheels would spin even when pulling the pullstart.
We pulled it a little bit and it seemed to work well. The clutch is a little loose (and by "a little" I mean almost dangling on its axis) but the car worked like before. And then, MASSIVE smoke starting coming out from the clutch assembly. It looks like the flywheel was actually tearing and grinding on the clutch wheel. I wanted to take the clutch apart, but since I don't actually know how, I decided to stay low and ask for guidance before I make it even worse.
Here is a photo of the clutch wheel:

https://imgur.com/a/dyvfS

What looks like hair down there is actually tinder. I tried to put some around the clutch to prevent it from grinding, to no avail. I will proceed to clean it the next morning.

 

[DXtreme1]

Did you try taking apart the clutch bell and clutch assembly yet? What kind of clutch is it?

 

[EvhCo]

Not sure what type of clutch it is, I'm actually new into the RC world.
I tried taking it apart but I don't know how to do it. No screws to unscrew or such. I can take the drive wheel (the big black gear, I think it's called that) with ease, but the clutch gear itself seems to be holding up good.

Edit: Seems to be a 3-shoe clutch as it appears to be by looking in the small gap between the gear and the flywheel.

 

[griff7373]

Looks like the clutchbell should have an e clip to hold it on the crankshaft which is missing you can see the groove in the end of the shaft. You may want to remove the engine so you can pull the clutchbell off it looks like it is smashed up against the inside of the spur gear by the photo. You have an alignment off judging by how tight the bell sits on the spur gear. Which could cause excessive heat on the bell which will trash the bearings in it and then the clutch shoes will go. So currently without seeing it in pieces I would say you will need new shoes and bearings for the clutch bell.

 

[DXtreme1]

New clutchbell, new clutch shoes and spring, bearings, new c-clip and possibly new spur gear. I would not reuse the clutchbell but if you don't have a choice you will have to remove as much contaminants(remains of the melted clutch material on the inside of the clutch bell). I would use a xacto type of blade then use a wire wheel attachment on a Dremel Tool. If you don't have a Dremel tool you will have to use a rough grit sand paper, then go to a finer one to smooth out the inside of the clutch bell. With this kind of condition it's hard to determine if it was misaligned mesh between the clutch bell and the spur gear however the missing c-clip may be the main culprit here.

 

[EvhCo]

Thank you all for your help. I was getting kinda stressed there.
I managed to pull out the clutch bell:

https://imgur.com/dxgiiyS

It had a few very very tiny bits of metal in there. Not much more, but I can't figure out what I have to do just by the looks of it.
The gear itself has no trouble, it spins the drive wheel without effort, and the flywheel looks like new. The first thing that popped up in our minds was that it is missing a gasket of some kind.

Edit: I will also clean it while I'm at it. The whole chassis looks like it's been pulled out of the sewers.

 

[EvhCo]

It also recurred to me that I could place a fiber washer behind the clutch wheel. I'll see what I can do.

 

[cbaker65]

It also recurred to me that I could place a fiber washer behind the clutch wheel. I'll see what I can do.

Its a good idea to buy a clutch shim kit in which includes several thin washers!
Heres a pic of what they are ,you wont need the screws ,but the shims is a must!...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OFNA-SHIM-K...717426&hash=item4b0c37c35a:g:ntEAAOSwcLxYKQWG

 

[EvhCo]

To conclude, I just bought new HPI racing clutch shoes and a new spring. Works like a charm

 

[DXtreme1]

I'm glad your Clutch issues are sorted out. I personally never had any of my Clutch assembly do that even on my high RPM on road Novarossi .12 turbo head outlaw motor and that thing was a beast for its size keeping up with 1/8 scale .21 motors during practice runs.