No pedal resistance after clutch install?

[Dürtwagen]

Like the title says, I just finished installing an empi clutch and throwout bearing on my 1600, everything went smoothly, but when I push the clutch in it has almost no resistance, and it's not engaging. What the hell did I do wrong? The pedal does return tho, and I tried tightening the wing nut on the clutch cable, but it didn't change anything. I had Sombody push the clutch down as I watched the assembly pull the cable, and it got taught and pulled the arm maybe an inch, . Still not engaging. I was operating the arm with the engine off to watch the Throwout bearing assembly move, I also sat in it and pressed the clutch with the engine out, if that could have had any ill effect I don't know. I'm totally stumped. Anybody have any ideas?

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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D

[I Ride Sand]

there are two types of pressure plates and throw out bearings. there is the early type where the bearing is fully supported by the clutch fork, and the late style that is supported by a tube around the input shaft.

the early type requires a ring on the pressure plate like this:

and the early style throw out bearing looks like this (ignore the arrow):

then there are late style!

make 100% sure you have all the components from the same era, if you use an early style pressure plate and late style throwout bearing the clutch will not engage (car wont move). if you used a late style pressure plate with an early throwout bearing you would have issues with it not disengaging (cant get it into gear).
if everything is correct, tighten the wing nut down until there is about 1 to 3/4 inch of floppy play in the clutch pedal. if all these things are done, it should work.

[Dürtwagen]

They are in fact the same parts. The wing nut is almost all the way tight. I'm going to have to pull the motor again but if I don't see anyhting obviously wrong then I dont know what else to do this is an extremely simple job . The car drove fine before the clutch job l, the clutch want even worn out so that's another reason I'm so lost. The new cdiaphram, disk, and throwout bearing all look identical to the one I pulled out
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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D

[Dürtwagen]

Did they make different width pressure plates for this engine?
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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D

[Dürtwagen]

This is the pressure plate I pulled off the engine, it looks a bit different, possibly even thicker. I'm gunna try tightening the cable all the way, if that doesn't work the old plate is going g back on
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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D

[Dürtwagen]

I found the same style pressure plate I pulled off the engine on mofoco labeled as the "heavy duty" 1600 plate, is there a difference in height on the 2 plates?
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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D

[I Ride Sand]

no, there is no different thicknesses. however, a thicker (read 'new') clutch plate will actually hold the fingers of the pressure plate closer to the engine. the clutch cable SHOULD be tightened down nearly all of the way to be even close to disengaging the pressure plate. you can get a feel for where the throwout bearing is contacting the pressure plate by manually moving the lever without the cable on it. when it hits the pressure plate that is about the position it should be in WITHOUT the pedal pressed. tighten it down to that point and see what your pedal feels like. it sounds like you just dont have it adjusted yet.

now, if you tighten it down and you still cant get it in gear with it running then the nex thing to try is replacing the cable. old ones may start to stretch before they break, and a stretched cable and a new clutch may not disengage. but dont replace it unless you have that adjuster nut screwed all the way down first and it still doesnt work.

[Dürtwagen]

I Went home on lunch and really looked at the wing nut end, and I noticed I have alot more threads on the cable than just thought so I gave it a few turns and the pedal totally feels like the resistance is starting to climb higher up on the throw. I'm pretty sure the cable adjustment is in fact my issue. I'll find out tonight for sure when I Tighten it up more
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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D

[Dürtwagen]

I tightened the rusty wing nut down and the clutch feels perfect, just like a new clutch should. took it for a drive and clutch chatter is non existent. The car shifted fine before the new clutch, but it chattered in first & reverse easily , and the Throwout bearing made a horrible noise unless the clutch was pushed in. New clutch +cable adjustment solved all these problems.
Thanks for the help
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1974 VW baja bug
1979 Mercedes Benz 300D