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I recently did a successful engine swap, but the when it got it running I was unable to get the car into gear. I replaced the clutch, throwout bearing, and whatever else came in the full clutch kit. I tried bleeding the clutch but nothing was working. The clutch pedal felt a little different after the rebuild but I credited that to the new clutch kit (the difference was the pedal used to go about all the way to the floor now it won't go all the way in. I thought it was a broken clutch fork pivot bushing or something in there so I pulled the transmission but after all that it was fine. Nothing seems out of order when I pulled it nothing bent or broken. I have never had transmission issues before and "supposedly" the guy before me replaced the trans a few years back. (side note I did take the pivot fork in the image off and checked everything)
if the pedal won't go to the floor then your throwout mechanism is likely not moving at all, so something with your clutch is installed improperly or your pressure plate is not compressing, like your clutch disc is on backwards or something similar. if you put the clutch disc on backwards the disc will compress concave and the throwout bearing will hit the splined adapter through the pressure plate fingers.
you'd be surprised how many times i've seen people put a clutch disc on backwards, even though it's pretty obvious it's not right. the disc will sit proud of the flywheel by about a quarter of an inch or so when you lay it in place, the fact the pressure plate bolts can still begin to thread in gives people a false sense of security.
if that's the case it's not great for the clutch disc but usually they will survive flipping it right ways out and reassembling.
also be sure the fork is snapped onto the ball pivot, tugging the fork it should have a spring back feel if you pull on it lightly. it is possible to put the fork retaining spring on wrong and it not snap into place properly.
Last edited by notanymore; May 15, 2025 at 08:35 AM.
if the pedal won't go to the floor then your throwout mechanism is likely not moving at all, so something with your clutch is installed improperly or your pressure plate is not compressing, like your clutch disc is on backwards or something similar. if you put the clutch disc on backwards the disc will compress concave and the throwout bearing will hit the splined adapter through the pressure plate fingers.
you'd be surprised how many times i've seen people put a clutch disc on backwards, even though it's pretty obvious it's not right. the disc will sit proud of the flywheel by about a quarter of an inch or so when you lay it in place, the fact the pressure plate bolts can still begin to thread in gives people a false sense of security.
if that's the case it's not great for the clutch disc but usually they will survive flipping it right ways out and reassembling.
also be sure the fork is snapped onto the ball pivot, tugging the fork it should have a spring back feel if you pull on it lightly. it is possible to put the fork retaining spring on wrong and it not snap into place properly.
it seems like the clutch disk is put in correctly because I can see the disk says Tm side. But not 100% sure. This photo is from the back side where the trans connects. I can’t seem to figure out any problems with the throw out bearing mechanism.
you can kind of see what's going on through the inspection plug in the bottom of the transmission, have you had someone activate the clutch while you watch if the fork is moving? could just be the slave or master are seized up.
