Replaced the engine in the 84SE (222k mi), and installed Exedy Stage2 and RB light aluminum flywheel - all torqued to spec for the clutch cover and the clutch disk can only go in one way, so I'm certain that's all installed correctly. While the engine was out, I checked the transmission front cover (not leaking, good shape), replaced Throwout Bearing, and regreased the clutch fork. Here's where it gets interesting.

After installing the engine and mounting it up, I pushed on the clutch pedal and after getting past the 'helper' spring, it falls to the floor. When I return it with my foot and the press, it does the same - straight to the floor.

I checked the Clutch Master and fluid is clean and no leaks, checked the Clutch Slave and no leaks, but I can visually see that the clutch fork is out of alignment to the clutch slave rod which moves it. I can jimmy the top of the clutch fork to where it looks right, but as soon as I apply clutch pedal pressure, "WHACK!", and the fork moves up and out of position to actuate the clutch cover.

My guess is at some point when installing the engine and mating it up, the clutch fork lifted up from the Throwout Bearing and came loose. Is there any way to 'reset' the fork to the Throwout Bearing without pulling the trans out the bottom? Thanks,

 

You might be able to snake your hand or a tool down the top inspection plate and realign it. it's a long shot though.

 

i think you'd need to pop the work off the ball, and then the fork would play, um ball. i think i would see about removing the front engine mount, and lowering the engine, as access to the fork isn't great

 

Maybe your clutch master's piston is bottoming out in the bore. I had this happen twice in the blue car and once in the red truck caused by crappy plastic replacement pistons. The only real fix is a metal piston but I got by on the plastic ones by stretching the spring so it could push the piston back out toward the pedal.

 

All good suggeestions, guys. Thanks and I'll get to it later this week/end.

Trying to investigate all other options than putting the car up on stands and dropping the trans out the bottom to reset the clutch fork. If I can reach it from the top inspection port - even with a tool, that would be preferable. I'll report back,

 

i think if you're creative with the tools, you can get it from the top.

for instance i used a coil over wrench like the pic, to push a dent out of the B pillar on my FC

 

Quick update: pulled the trans back about 1" to get a light up in there and between that and looking up through the inspection port from below (that rubber plug), I could see the clutch fork was in the right position, the throwout bearing was mounted properly, and everything looked good.

Checked the clutch master cylinder and the fluid is black (*probably from me working the pedal back and forth trying to diagnose it - because originally the fluid was clear), with a black residue ring around the upper level - probably due to the rubber seals deteriorating and contaminating the fluid. Ordered new Master and Slave cylinders from Mazdatrix and should be in by end of the week.

For the home audience - there's no way to reset the clutch fork or the throwout bearing without removing the transmission. As it was, I had to remove the driveshaft at the 3rd member to allow the trans to come back, jack the trans up to clear the mount (which can't be removed without also removing the exhaust and shielding), and then was only able to slide the trans back about an inch. Any more than that would require disconnecting exhaust hangers, heat shielding, and would be far easier with a lift. It's been a long time since I had to change a clutch on this car, and I'd forgotten what PITA it is to remove the trans out the bottom.

Thanks for the tips, guys. It's always the simple things that hang up projects.

 

So you uh fixed it then? That's why I always pull the engine for a clutch job on these cars now a days. No way I want to wrestle a tranny under a car. Way more work than using an engine crane. And if the clutch pedal doesn't work, it's easy to pull the engine back out and check on things.

 

Thanks for the tip, Jeff - that's probably my method going forward. Hard to get the car up high enough to get any kind of leverage underneath and probably easier to borrow my friend's hoist and just pull it all out at once.

On the clutch Master/Slave - new parts coming from Mazdatrix right now. No change required inside the bell housing, and my assessment of the fork being out of position was wrong. Should be firing this engine up next weekend.