2G New Clutch/Flywheel - Cant get into gear

[jshuman]

Hey everyone,
I have been reading to try to find out what is going on with my setup, but I'm a little lost. I have installed a new competition clutches stage 5 kit (2900lb pressure plate w/ 4 puck spring disc) and a fidanza lightened flywheel. My problem is when the car is running I can not shift into any gear. It shifts smoothly with the engine off though, so it is not a shifter cable adjustment issue. It has a new slave cylinder and the master cylinder does not leak. The clutch pedal assembly is not worn. We also adjusted the master rod as per the jacks transmissions video.

I am starting to think the issue is with the clutch fork. It isnt new, but does not have high miles. Same with the pivot ball.

Does anyone know a way of determining what the issue is before I drop the trans again?


Thanks for the help!

 

[LiquidX]

I would be led to believe it's the clutch fork assembly. A worn out fork can sit much lower on the ball and not allow for full throw. Where does the clutch fork currently sit in the opening? Did you shim the pivot ball at all or not? A picture would be excellent for the clutch fork.

You can shift gears with the car off?
Made sure you fully bled the line?
Dowel pins were still in place when you installed the transmission?

 

[koryto2012]

Did you replace the tob as well?

 

[jshuman]

Yes I can shift easily through all the gears when the car isnt running. But with the engine running and clutch pushed completely in, it will not even start to go into gear. Not even a grind. This is my 92 gsx btw. Not my 2g.

The pivot ball is not shimmed.
The clutch has been thoroughly bled 3 seperate times... at this point I am confident there is no air in the lines.
The dowels were in place.
The TOB is new as well.

I've also read a lot about the fingers on the pressure plate pointing straight instead of out. I think that is happening on my setup. I luckily took a picture before we put the trans on and dropped the motor in. I really don't know what it means if the fingers are not pointing out though.

 

[jpdsm92]

i'm battling this SAME problem. pull the boot on your master. I bet it's bye bye.. thats what was with mine, didn't leak out the boot just leaked inside the boot.

Also is your fork WHEN NOT depressed towards passenger,center or driver side?

you can OVEREXTEND the clutch also a thought. I noticed the more i backed the master off the more it would start to wanna go in gear?

 

[jshuman]

I'm going to try to stop and take a picture of the fork tonight. I was under the car yesterday before we started it up and cleaned up the fluid from where we bled the clutch. If I remember correctly, the fork was slightly towards the passenger side.

 

[jpdsm92]

if thats the case then you need to put a NEW PIVOT BALL in as yours is worn down to where you'd have to shim it.

 

[my dreamt dsm]

I don't believe that is the case, but this is base on my experience. I replaced EVERYTHING dealing with my clutch and I had the exact same problem. New piviot, new tob, new fork, new pressure plate, new disc, new ss clutch line, new master, new slave.
I never really found out what the problem was. I had no choice but to redo the whole job.
I'm thinking it's something pressure related. After doing everything over carefully it just worked for some reason.

 

[Lou98GSX]

try adjusting the rod until you have some play in it at the top. it sounds like your not getting enough throw on the rod to release the clutch . if the clutch doesn't release you won't get it into gear . you can also follow the procedure from jacks transmission on how to adjust the rod

 

[jshuman]

The rod is adjusted all the way out. It's as far as it can go without being disconnected. I took a picture of the clutch fork tonight. I'll try to upload it. It is way over toward the passenger side.

 

[bjmauck]

I just bought a 99 gsx with the same problem.

 

[jpdsm92]

then you got problems. back the rod off to about half way in.

 

[jshuman]

Here is the picture of the clutch fork. The fluid you see on the boot is from bleeding, not a leak.
Tonight I am going to remove the boot and try to video the clutch being pushed in. Hopefully I can see how the TOB is contacting the fingers on the pressure plate. I am starting to think it just isnt moving the finders in enough to separate the pressure plate from the disc. Or maybe its over extending and shoving the fingers into the disc? I am also wondering if I forgot to grease the input shaft of the tranny. I remember doing it on the first tranny I bolted up to this setup (switched because the other one was a 90 and decided I didn't want to switch everything else to run it) before the motor was in the car, but I really can't remember either way when I switched to this one. Could the disc be stuck on the shaft?

I will be the first to admit I am not the most experienced with clutch issues so any advice is appreciated.

 

[LiquidX]

That ball needs major shimming. The fork should be on the driver half of the opening.

You'll need to drop the transmission, put in a NEW ball and fork, temp install to see where the fork sits then shim if needed.

 

[jshuman]

Thanks for the input. I am going to start dropping the trans tonight. Also, would it help if I took a video of the TOB engaging the pressure plate?

 

[jpdsm92]

i've never personally greased the input shaft on the transmission just made sure they were always stupid clean or a freshly rebuilt transmission.

But that clutch isn't sitting right at all..

 

[jshuman]

Here is a video of the TOB movement to the pressure plate.
Clutch engagement issues - YouTube

 

[jpdsm92]

you can see your maxing out of the INSIDE of the transmission

 

[jshuman]

Sorry I am not sure what you mean. Are you saying the fork is hitting on the transmission?

 

[jpdsm92]

Yes, order a new fork and pivot ball should, Your fork could be bent and the pivot ball worn stupid low.

 

[jshuman]

I am trying to find a place local right now that carries them so I can swap it out tomorrow. No luck so far.

 

[jpdsm92]

Oem only!

 

[jshuman]

Today I dropped the trans and swapped out the pivot ball and clutch fork. I still had to shim the ball 2mm to get the fork to rest at or before the center of the window. I got it all back together and it will now shift into gear when running.

The only issue I'm have now is it wants to pop out of 1st and I'm having a hard time getting 4th and 5th even with the engine off. I believe the cables need to be adjusted again since the trans was removed. Is there a procedure for fine tuning the cables? Like which one to adjust in which direction to resolve the issues?

 

[LiquidX]

Only 1g cables are adjustable. Does everything shift easily at the transmission or is it rough there too?

 

[jshuman]

I adjusted the cables today, as well as the cruise switch. I'm going to bleed the clutch again tomorrow and order shifter plate bushings. I think it's going to be fine though.