Throw out bearing woes

Here's one maybe someone can answer. Just replaced my transmission. Was
a 65 swingaxle, now is a semi-modified swing axle. I switched the
throwout fork and kept the older style using my orig. throwout bearing
to match my pressure plate (which has the collar). Everything lines up
A OK, bearing matches the plate so no problems there. Now.... with the
clutch fully adjusted, engine running clutch fully depressed I cant get
into any gear. Throw out making no noise whatsoever, engine is not
under any load with clutch depressed. I am sure the thing is in there
correctly and on the forks. I cant think of any reason why the bearing
isn't hitting the plate. I switched the return spring on the throwout
arm but i cant believe there's that much tension as to not fully extend
the throwout arm. Anyone have any ideas? I rue the idea of pulling this
engine....again. Thanks.

jtbartlett wrote:

> Here's one maybe someone can answer. Just replaced my transmission. Was
> a 65 swingaxle, now is a semi-modified swing axle. I switched the
> throwout fork and kept the older style using my orig. throwout bearing
> to match my pressure plate (which has the collar). Everything lines up
> A OK, bearing matches the plate so no problems there. Now.... with the
> clutch fully adjusted, engine running clutch fully depressed I cant get
> into any gear. Throw out making no noise whatsoever, engine is not
> under any load with clutch depressed. I am sure the thing is in there
> correctly and on the forks. I cant think of any reason why the bearing
> isn't hitting the plate. I switched the return spring on the throwout
> arm but i cant believe there's that much tension as to not fully extend
> the throwout arm. Anyone have any ideas? I rue the idea of pulling this
> engine....again. Thanks.
>

OK. Let's assume that all is right inside the bellhousing.

Have a helper push pedal to floor.
You get underneath with the big wrench. I don't know what
you will use, but it will be strong. <g>
Put the tool on the clutch lever and attempt to turn it further
than the pedal will pull it.

If the lever *will* turn more, then the problem is probably
that the cable isn't pulling it far enough. For whatever reason.
Bowden tube gets in the way.
Conduit in tunnel has broken a weld and is flexing.
Pedal travel restricted.

If you're brave enough at that point, maybe idle engine
and have helper engage a gear (while you tug on the lever).

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

jtbartlett wrote:

> Thanks for the quick response Jim. Here's what's up: I pulled the
> engine and everything out back checked out OK. Bearing is sitting
> nicely on forks, clips attatched. The tranny shifts just fine when
> engine is out of car. No problems. Engine installed it seems difficult
> getting it into gear with clutch depressed. I can't believe the
> throwout bearing is torqueing the input shaft because I can feel it
> engage the pressure plate. Maybe I am over adjusting the clutch
> pedal???? Dunno. a bit frustrating at this point. I even removed the
> pressure plate to make sure it wasn't frozen in place or anything like
> that but it checked out ok too.
>

Here's a test with engine back in:

Engine idling.
Pedal to floor.
Very, very slowly, try to engage Reverse gear.
If it grinds, the clutch is dragging/not releasing fully.

Jim

"Speedy Jim" > wrote in message
. net...
> jtbartlett wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the quick response Jim. Here's what's up: I pulled the
>> engine and everything out back checked out OK. Bearing is sitting
>> nicely on forks, clips attatched. The tranny shifts just fine when
>> engine is out of car. No problems. Engine installed it seems difficult
>> getting it into gear with clutch depressed. I can't believe the
>> throwout bearing is torqueing the input shaft because I can feel it
>> engage the pressure plate. Maybe I am over adjusting the clutch
>> pedal???? Dunno. a bit frustrating at this point. I even removed the
>> pressure plate to make sure it wasn't frozen in place or anything like
>> that but it checked out ok too.
>>
>
> Here's a test with engine back in:
>
> Engine idling.
> Pedal to floor.
> Very, very slowly, try to engage Reverse gear.
> If it grinds, the clutch is dragging/not releasing fully.
>
> Jim

i recently solved a similar problem that had plagued my 68 for some time
now.....only it was really odd....but heck, so am i..... anyway....starting
out on a journey in the car was fine....but as you progressed, almost seemed
that as things "heated up" it got worse, the clutch would begin to act
wierd....by wierd i mean when starting out the clutch had nice
freeplay....but as you drove a bit, it suddenly had NO freeplay....and would
drag, as if not releasing all the way....really odd, since usually if you
have no freeplay you are dealing with it not engaging completely....it took
a really swift yank to get it into gear without grinding....this always
puzzled me and i learned to *deal* with it...hehe...anyway, to make a long
story longer, i recently removed my engine....i found some broken parts in
the bellhousing... the pressureplate was a kennedy stage 1 and was an older
model(called the 1700psi model) and was of the three finger design.....used
in a later model trans it didn't use the center ring....one of the
springtype clips that hold the fingers in tight to the springs had
broken....so the arm was all over the place....had drug on the bellhousing
too....so anyway, i have had pressureplate problems before that would cause
a no disengage problem, but not like this..... If the PO can't find his
problem its possible his pressure plate is "collapsing" and not allowing it
to release all the way.....been there too...

In article <bsjrg.95459$IZ2.87695@dukeread07>,
"Joey Tribiani" > wrote:

> "Speedy Jim" > wrote in message
> . net...
> > jtbartlett wrote:
> >
> >> Thanks for the quick response Jim. Here's what's up: I pulled the
> >> engine and everything out back checked out OK. Bearing is sitting
> >> nicely on forks, clips attatched. The tranny shifts just fine when
> >> engine is out of car. No problems. Engine installed it seems difficult
> >> getting it into gear with clutch depressed. I can't believe the
> >> throwout bearing is torqueing the input shaft because I can feel it
> >> engage the pressure plate. Maybe I am over adjusting the clutch
> >> pedal???? Dunno. a bit frustrating at this point. I even removed the
> >> pressure plate to make sure it wasn't frozen in place or anything like
> >> that but it checked out ok too.
> >>
> >
> > Here's a test with engine back in:
> >
> > Engine idling.
> > Pedal to floor.
> > Very, very slowly, try to engage Reverse gear.
> > If it grinds, the clutch is dragging/not releasing fully.
> >
> > Jim
>
> i recently solved a similar problem that had plagued my 68 for some time
> now.....only it was really odd....but heck, so am i..... anyway....starting
> out on a journey in the car was fine....but as you progressed, almost seemed
> that as things "heated up" it got worse, the clutch would begin to act
> wierd....by wierd i mean when starting out the clutch had nice
> freeplay....but as you drove a bit, it suddenly had NO freeplay....and would
> drag, as if not releasing all the way....really odd, since usually if you
> have no freeplay you are dealing with it not engaging completely....it took
> a really swift yank to get it into gear without grinding....this always
> puzzled me and i learned to *deal* with it...hehe...anyway, to make a long
> story longer, i recently removed my engine....i found some broken parts in
> the bellhousing... the pressureplate was a kennedy stage 1 and was an older
> model(called the 1700psi model) and was of the three finger design.....used
> in a later model trans it didn't use the center ring....one of the
> springtype clips that hold the fingers in tight to the springs had
> broken....so the arm was all over the place....had drug on the bellhousing
> too....so anyway, i have had pressureplate problems before that would cause
> a no disengage problem, but not like this..... If the PO can't find his
> problem its possible his pressure plate is "collapsing" and not allowing it
> to release all the way.....been there too...

yes, i had a similiar problem.
replace the pressure plate. hey, the whole clutch.
good luck!

--
"In the future you may be here, but will your dreams?"

did you grease the pilot bearing?
did you clean and grease the clutch disc splines or trans mainshaft splines?
The clutch disc needs to be able to slide freely over the mainshaft. If it
does not fully slide over then that might be your problem! ;-)

--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)



"jtbartlett" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Thanks for the quick response Jim. Here's what's up: I pulled the
> engine and everything out back checked out OK. Bearing is sitting
> nicely on forks, clips attatched. The tranny shifts just fine when
> engine is out of car. No problems. Engine installed it seems difficult
> getting it into gear with clutch depressed. I can't believe the
> throwout bearing is torqueing the input shaft because I can feel it
> engage the pressure plate. Maybe I am over adjusting the clutch
> pedal???? Dunno. a bit frustrating at this point. I even removed the
> pressure plate to make sure it wasn't frozen in place or anything like
> that but it checked out ok too.
>
>

Hauled everything out....again There's now a bright polish on the
input shaft and clutch slides nicely onto it. Just got the mother back
in. I'll bolt it up when it cools off here, maybe tonight. I replaced
the throw out shaft and bearing, had one laying around the shop so I
really had nothing to lose. I had to SAW through the brass bushing that
was in there. I actually like the brass bushing more than the
steel/aluminum sleeve replacement. Oh well. It's out now. The wierd
thing is that all these parts are new, transmission, clutch and plate,
maybe 300 miles on the clutch assembly. I'm thinking the clutch was
hanging on the corroded input shaft. I didn't grease it but it slides
ok now.

Hauled everything out....again There's now a bright polish on the
input shaft and clutch slides nicely onto it. Just got the mother back
in. I'll bolt it up when it cools off here, maybe tonight. I replaced
the throw out shaft and bearing, had one laying around the shop so I
really had nothing to lose. I had to SAW through the brass bushing that
was in there. I actually like the brass bushing more than the
steel/aluminum sleeve replacement. Oh well. It's out now. The wierd
thing is that all these parts are new, transmission, clutch and plate,
maybe 300 miles on the clutch assembly. I'm thinking the clutch was
hanging on the corroded input shaft. I didn't grease it but it slides
ok now.

fingers crossed! :-)
if that input shaft was corroded and the disc was not freely sliding on it,
then that should have been the problem.

"jtbartlett" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Hauled everything out....again There's now a bright polish on the
> input shaft and clutch slides nicely onto it. Just got the mother back
> in. I'll bolt it up when it cools off here, maybe tonight. I replaced
> the throw out shaft and bearing, had one laying around the shop so I
> really had nothing to lose. I had to SAW through the brass bushing that
> was in there. I actually like the brass bushing more than the
> steel/aluminum sleeve replacement. Oh well. It's out now. The wierd
> thing is that all these parts are new, transmission, clutch and plate,
> maybe 300 miles on the clutch assembly. I'm thinking the clutch was
> hanging on the corroded input shaft. I didn't grease it but it slides
> ok now.
>