1974 Bay Westie clutch wont engage

[Gumboguy]

Folks:

I have new clutch cable, new bowden tube (bent down 1-1.5 inches, new throw out bearing, clutch plate with 5000 miles, pressure plate unknown miles or date.

I pulled the motor to address a tranny issue. Now that its all bolted back up, the pedal pushes real soft to the floor like its not grabbing anything and barely rises back up. While an assistant pumped the clutch pedal, I observed the lever on the tranny travel about normal distance corresponding to the clutch pedal. Yet very soft as if it was not moving anything at all inside the bell housing. Just the lever moved as normal

The tranny issue started when shifting into first or second became more and more difficult and then stuck in reverse eventually. I evidently shoved the stick shift so hard that the hockey stick arm popped off and had to be popped back onto the correct spot in the nose cone. There was also a shift coupler with about 5000 miles on it and I was going to change it for good measure anyway.

So now im sitting the the driveway and the clutch wont engage enough to shift gears with the clutch pedal to the floor. its adjusted to a inch below top.

The pressure plate looked fine with no broken teeth, but perhaps its was worn out and I could not see it with my eye while I had the motor out.

Could the pressure plate be worn out and thats why all this mess started? Anything stuck in there? Other ideas?

Please advise.

Brad

[busdaddy]

Won't engage?, or won't disengage? When you say "1" from the top" is that freeplay until it gets hard to push with one finger? How does it shift with the engine off?, if you put it in gear and try starting it while holding the clutch pedal down what happens?
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[Gumboguy]

[Gumboguy]

[timvw7476]

when I ran a '74 bus, I recall there are at least two different lengths of
cable for clutch cables, I'd start there, then I would question/ maybe
dismantle the housing to see if the T/O bearing is properly located.
There should also be a washer stack providing the 'sag' in the bowden
cable.

[Gumboguy]

[timvw7476]

usually requires whole palm to press the pedal against the pressure plate.
is it possible your new cable is already fraying? that would explain what you've
got there.

[aeromech]

Face it Brad. Pull the engine again and check the clutch plate. Also, could something have happened regarding the Subaru adapter? I assume it uses one.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
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VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
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[Gumboguy]

Here's what we got inside:

[aeromech]

Nothing apparent. Have you removed the plate from the flywheel?
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Gumboguy]

[aeromech]

Occasionally that fork that the T/O bearing mounts to can fail
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Gumboguy]

Hee are some picts of the pressure plate and the disc. How bad are the cracks? The scoring? How do those springs look?3

[aeromech]

Pretty bad. Buy yourself a Sachs clutch kit. Question is why did this happen after 2500 miles? You could also get a KEP clutch because of your HP. Ask Skills what he suggests.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Gumboguy]

[Gumboguy]

[Gumboguy]

I'm starting to think that the lever arm is just not getting enough travel to engage. I've got the cable adjusted with the pedal at the top with no inch play as ive seen recommened. So perhaps the t/o is simply not getting pulled far enough out to push on the fingers. Even this crappy plate could theoretically work with enough pressure on it? I'm replacing it, btw. I just want to know if its kosher to adjust the cable differently to compensate for the lack of lever travel when the pedal is depressed.

[Gumboguy]

Update:

All is well. New stage 2 Kennedy pressure plate, TO bearing, bowden tube, clutch cable, clovis pin, shifter bushings. My gut tells me the biggest offender was the pressure plate. It is 3 mm shorter than the new one at the spring fingers and definitely softer to the touch. Not to mention how ground up it was at the rotor.

Thanks for all the suggestions!