is my clutch going out?

[t3sters]

I have a 72 1600cc engine, today i hopped in it after a few weeks of not running, started right up, tried to shift in reverse and it grinded and wouldnt go in. So, i do what i normally do hopped out and tried to flip that wingnut on around back a couple of times. I got it around once and out of thread. so i thought maybe that one flip got it. I left it in gear while off to keep from rolling. (somehow it went into first that time) I pushed clutch all the way in and went to start it. It acted like the clutch wasnt in at all. Popped it out of gear started right up. Went into reverse fine, went to shift in first, no go second, nope third just fine. went down the road to get a feel of what was going on and will slide easily from third to fourth vise versa but it acts like its not kicking into fourth until im down the road a ways. HELP!!! if its the clutch what is a good performance clutch?

[wythac]

Probably your cable. Buggies have to have the clutch cable shortened. Its rare to see one done that doesn't have a failure point. Try looking at that before you go tearing the motor out.

[t3sters]

will check it out thanks

[AkioOhtori]

Hmmm... my reverse gives me a grind (but goes in) the first (and only the first) time I put it in after starting. After that we're A-OK. 1st is always a little crunchy and very tight. I'd always written it off as a old car thing.

Not to thread hijack, but should I check my cable as well?

[BL3Manx]

That sounds more like the clutch cable guide tube has broken free from one or more of its anchors. When that happens you can press the clutch pedal down all the way but the arm on the throw out shaft is hardly moving and not fully disengaging the clutch. What is happening is the guide tube is moving and flexing inside the tunnel. The guide tube needs to be rigidly anchored at its front end, inside the tunnel and where it exits the tunnel in back.

In the back you can reach the tube an check its security. You can also pull off the shift coupling access cover and check the weld there. In front, the only way to tell for sure is to remove the pedals and reach your fingers through the hole in the tunnel and see if the tube is anchored or is loose.

[lil-jinx]

Have someone depress the clutch pedal while looking at the clutch arm on the transmission to get an idea of how far the arm moves,I think it should move about an inch to 1 and a half inch.if it moves as expected then the cable is good.