Dense/mushy going into gear

[SwitchSkier]

My clutch had been going out for a while, and near the end, right before I changed it, it began to get really hard to push it into 2nd and 3rd gear. It would never grind, but just feel really dense/slow/mushy pushing it into gear. Now I just finished replacing my clutch with an ACT2600, ACT flywheel, new slave, master, SS clutch line, BG synchroshift, skate bearing shift cable things, and more. Now it still has the same problem with the gears. What's wrong?

Also, with my new clutch, when driving, it sounds like something is faintly rubbing somewhere. I mainly hear it in the cabin, and can't really hear it when I stick my head out the window. It is when the clutch is engaged, and not, and increases with the rpms. It sounds like the clutch disc might be ever so lighly rubbing on something. What can it be?

 

[Black_Bullet]

Are your slave and master cylinders new and in good condition, how far from the ground does your clutch engauge, have you extended the rod on the master cylinder to increase throw for that 2600?
I had to put a nickle sized washer on the pivot ball in the bellhousing .
As far as you know was the clutch install done correctly, what yr transmission do you have and its condition. Possible tranny problems, perhaps check your shifter base, and shifter cables for excessive play. Its good that you did the skateboard bearing mod on the shifter levers, but now you need to do
the solid shifter plate bushings on the shifter base, that helped me wonders.

 

[SwitchSkier]

Are your slave and master cylinders new and in good condition, how far from the ground does your clutch engauge, have you extended the rod on the master cylinder to increase throw for that 2600?
I had to put a nickle sized washer on the pivot ball in the bellhousing .
As far as you know was the clutch install done correctly, what yr transmission do you have and its condition. Possible tranny problems, perhaps check your shifter base, and shifter cables for excessive play. Its good that you did the skateboard bearing mod on the shifter levers, but now you need to do
the solid shifter plate bushings on the shifter base, that helped me wonders.

Yeah, I said up there that I replaced the master and slave cylinders. I did not extend the rod, but I did put a nice think lock washer behind the pivot ball. I double checked everything and had no problems with the whole procedure. I am going to do the shifter plate bushing upgrade, I just need to get to home depot. My tranny is stock 96 with 103k miles, same as my car. I am still adjusting my clutch engagement height trying to get it how I want it. I think I still might raise it more.

Also, I gotta say with the 2600, ACT flywheel, SS line, the clutch engages INSTANTLY. I've stalled the car about 5 times already. I also posted this before I noticed I was a proven member, so I'll more to the tech areas from now on.

 

[SwitchSkier]

I just thought I'd post the solution. Who knows, it might help 1 person, 2 years down the road. But I found that the previous owner installed an eBay B&M shirt shifter, and (unsurprisingly, by the rest of the car) did a horrible job. He did not grind down the shoulder on the pivot part, and rather smashed it on with a hammer till it fit good enough. That led to the pivot shoulder moving sometimes when I shifted which added some "dense" movement to the gears. New short shifter=problem solved.

EDIT: Well, this fixed the shifting problem, but not the faint grinding.