The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Hard Shifting, Caught clutch

Howdy fellers,

This is for my commuter car, so I'm breaking rules, but hey, I know where to come for answers...

Just replaced the clutch, and now it's hard shifting and it grinds trying to shift to reverse, so obviously the clutch is spinning some with the pedal pressed. I adjusted the clutch release lever both ways well past specs and well past the typical full engagement point on the pedal travel (about half inch or so before full let off of the pedal). This means I adjusted from the point when the clutch never quite fully disengages at the bottom of the pedal all the way through to where the clutch never quit fully engages at the top of the pedal. Nothin' doin'...
Only thing I can think of is that I must have cocked the pilot bearing when I bolted up the transmission. Any ideas is greatly appreciated!

If its a hydraulic clutch check that its bled and the master and slave cylinders are working properly.

It's a mechanical linkage and cable.

I've got to ask...did you put the clutch disc in backwards?

Mike B

All clutch plates have a wave spring between the friction materials. This allows for a slightly smoother engagement. Some also have too much wave in the spring, spreading the friction material to far apart reducing the clearance between the flywheel and the pressure plate. There is always some clutch break-in required with new clutches to get the fuzzys off. Some times just letting it set for a few days, will let things compress and it will work just fine. Hope it does not have to come back apart. Good luck.

99% sure the flat is against the flywheel and the pressure plate is flush (not to mention the "Flywheel Side" inscription). But there's always that doubt, though...

Thanks, Joe. I was curious how much clearance you have with the finger springs fully compressed. Too bad I can't get in there easily. I did burn it in pretty well now, about a month driving and riding the clutch every now and then.

If anyone's had a problem with a cocked pilot bearing (from installation) and had to pull the transmission back off, I'd be curious to know the symptoms. Mine also still squeaks for a while until it's warmed up.

Is it possible that the throwout bearing is installed backwards?

Just a thought that fits the description of problems.

Best wishes,

Les

Naw, that only goes in one way on this car; there're tangs for the fork to grab. Plus everything feels like it's a correctly installed clutch when disengaging and engaging; no rattling, smooth, typical force of a new pressure plate when pressing the pedal, smooth semi-grippy engagement of a new clutch, and no abnormal sounds (other than squeaking while cold).