big clutch mistake - quick lesson learned

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 5:12 pm

So the clutch is toast. No problem except I have no engine hoist. I'm recsourceful so I unbolted the engine from the tranny, jacked it up a bit and moved it forward. Replaced the clutch, thought I had marked it well. But now I can't get the enigine and tranny lined up to save my life. I used an alignment tool for the clutch. But I can't get it to mate with the tranny input shaft. I know I should have just waited for a hoist, pulled them both and done it right but I did'nt and now I screwed. Any tricks?

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 9:24 pm

so i finally got it. I put longer bolts in just to hold it in place, lined up my marks and shook the bastard in an uncontrolled fit of rage and what do you know, she popped right in. Lesson learned, next time pull the engine and tranny with the proper equipment just like the procedure says, and save yourself a lot of greif and a sore back. Do it right the first time and don't be me

Russell Roach · Post by **Russell Roach** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 10:50 pm

Dope,

Yep There is a great deal to be said for alignment tools, I don't use them just use my fingers to make sure the plate is evenly spaced, and then tighten the presure plate bolt down. Congrats on getting it back in.

Russell

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 3:51 am

so for round two, after getting her all back together, I go for the key and click, bind bind bind. Smoke from the starter. I quit before I fried it. In neutral the car rolls. In gear it don't. In gear with the clutch in it don't. I'm too tired to start troubleshooting. I haven't done a clutch replacement in ten years but it's pretty self explanitory. Any help would be mucho appreciato.

ambradley · Post by **ambradley** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:56 pm

It should roll an inch or two while in gear, not bind up tight like the parking brake is on. With the clutch pressed, it should roll like it was in neutral. If it's moving an inch or two like the clutch wasn't pressed, you might have air in the line (BTDT) or you might need to adjust the slave cylinder. If you just replaced the clutch, it's likely your slave cylinder isn't pressing far enough. As the clutch wears, the teeth from the pressure plate stick further out so you have to adjust the slave cylinder further back. Try adjusting the slave cylinder rod and see if the car rolls when the clutch is pressed. You should move the "stop" closer to the fork when you have a new clutch.

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 1:15 am

By stop do you mean further towards the rear or front of the vehicle? Right now its as far forward as it can possiably go, bled the piss out of it, still no dice. I also bled the master cyl. I'm stumped

ambradley · Post by **ambradley** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:53 pm

I mean towards the clutch fork, which I believe is towards the back of the car (it's been a little while since I've been under my car). Adjust it so there's like 1/8" of play (this amount may not be quite right, feel free to chime in) in the clutch fork with the spring off, then put the spring on and see if the clutch works. If not, lay under the car and have someone press the clutch and see if it moves the slave cylinder rod and pushes the fork. If all that's happening, then it sounds like the mechanics are good up to the parts inside the bell housing.

Also, what does it "feel" like when you press the clutch pedal? Does it feel like there's no action, or does it feel like it's doing something?

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:23 am

So I dreaded yanking it all back out to see how worse I made it. I knew it had to be something stupid, something simple. When I pulled the motor this time. (In half the time I might add) I was relived and a little embarassed at my findings. The clutch disk was in the proper direction. the hydraulics were fine. But, this being my first motor pull with a datsun, or any vintage for that matter. I overlooked the clip that holds the backside of the fork to the little pivot knob inside the bell housing. Not so much overlooked, more like, didn't even realize it existed. Looking back in my memory I can remember reading about this exact thing in these forums literally days before I repeated them so I took pictures
[img]http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album ... _=20624017
.[img]http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album ... _=20624017
My pedal had pressure, and the throwout bearing was in fact moving like it should. But it was just being crammed against the clutch instead of having that leverage that actually engages it. Stupid mistake, it won't happen again,

Now for the binding, take a look at this pilot bushing, the photo dosen't do it justice. Knowing that this part was litterally destroyed within a matter of minutes makes me want to vomit in terror.
[/img]http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album ... _=20624017
[img]http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album ... _=20624017

I swear i put it in straight, and I know it tapped it in farther than that. Oh, yeah all that gunk that was in the hole behind it, (A SHOCKING AMOUNT), was pushed aside by the tranny input and in turn pushed the bushing out of it's seat. Bind the happy mess together with enough pressure to crack it into several brand new, enbarrasing, shards of crap. I happen to have an extra but, while I have her apart I'd like advice on what I should check for as far as damage to the crank or what not.

PAY ATTENTION and use the right tools. This time I was able to almost snatch that engine out the car with minimal effort fast and alone without breaking a sweat. If anyone out there has fears about yanking thier motor. I promise it will completely dissapeer once you do it. I still hope she forgives me, we'll see tomarrow[/img]

Post by **ppeters914** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:31 pm

Dope,

Can we get a real name? Hate calling anyone a Dope....unless they warrant it.

Second, you did not insert the image tags correctly, so the pics do not display in your post. It should be

[img]pic%20link[/img]

Even then, it may or may not work, so you could change the image tags to url tags so we could just click the link and go to the page where the pics are.

Cheers.

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:28 pm

I guess being called a dope is accurate at times

http://home.comcast.net/~dustindelano/w ... html-.html

Dustin

Post by **ppeters914** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:50 pm

hmmmm, that link is asking me for login info.

Post by **dbrick** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:19 pm

Link worked for me fine, pilot bushing does not look happy.

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:14 am

As it should be, the starter is a no go. I say should be because, A: I knew I was hurting it by forcing a siezed turnover/ B: I didn't test it before I put my car together the second time.

So I will take it off tomarrow and check it out. On the plus side the clutch feels great, movement it nice and she rolls like everything is cool, but without actually driving it I can say.

On another note, that clip on the back of the clutch fork is so disgustingly easy to put where it belongs. All it takes is a nice push and it clicks around the pivot easy as pie. I think when I was testing the movement I let the throwout bearing move too far forward (usually there's a clutch for it to press against) and actually pried the thing off the pivot without realizing it. I can't belive I didn't notice a problem when I was adjusting the slave, the fork didn't feel quite right try to adjust freeplay, but it did move when the pedal was pressed. Still, I love my roadster and consider it a privilage to own, running or not.

DatsunBucky · Post by **DatsunBucky** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 5:53 pm

doperide wrote:...and consider it a privilage to own, running or not.

Now THAT'S the right attitude!

impinhigh · Post by **impinhigh** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:39 pm

well said Dope, I think most of us have had these trying times that test our resolve to own a Roadster... Brother, you aced the test.

Matt