I was driving home last night and at a stop light all of a sudden with it in first gear and the clutch pedal depressed the car lurches and dies. I put it in nuetral, start it up and it idles fine, I can't really get it into gear, but finally do.

I get into my neighborhood, and I come to a stop sign and the same thing happens. It wont go into gear but will idle in nuetral just fine. I actually get it into my driveway and now it definately wont go into gear. With the car off I can move freely through the gears...but if I start it, it idles fine, but if I push the clutch in, no amount of force will get it into gear.

What could be the problem?

I read through that thread but it seemed to produce no conclusions

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ht=gear+clutch

Anyone ever have this problem before? What is necessary to fix it? How hard is it to pull the tranny?

I am pretty mechanically inclined.

Thanks for any help.

 

clutch fork.

 

Will I need to pull the tranny to fix? Can I order the part from Ray @ Malloy?

Will I need a new clutch too, how about bearings?

Anyone know what causes a clutch fork to break?

 

^ Geez bud, search for info about the clutch fork! There's plenty of info here and it's a common failure.

 

I have been on the forum since 98, changed accounts a couple of years back... I rarely post because I search so much. It would be simple for someone to answer a couple of quick questions if they know the answers.

Sorry for being lazy today, I am just a little pissed at this car, and I am pressed for time.... It is ALWAYS something.

 

Yes

Yes, of course.

Probably not. But you might have tweaked your synchros if you tried to force it into gear like I did when mine broke. You probably won't know till its all back together.

Stress cracks. Its just one of those things that happens over time. No *proven* direct cause.


Do what Damon says and search if you need more info. I feel your pain though.

 

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ht=clutch+fork

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ht=clutch+fork

Searched for you. I skimmed thru these and looks similar to the problems you're having. Hope this helps, D

 

Could also be a failed clutch master or slave cylinder, or the hydraulic line in between. Given your symptoms, and the fact that it's a simpler fix, I'd inspect these first. How's the brake fluid level? IIRC, the fluid level will go down enough to cause clutch problems without affecting the brakes (safety feature).

 

Might also be a pilot bearing locked up to the tranny input shaft (most likely if you have good pedal pressure when the clutch is pushed in)

 

I'm evesdropping from the 2nd gen Section, but I am having the problem of the pivot ball for the clutch fork having broken off so I cannot get the car into gear.

However I have also read that a bad pilot bearing could cause this also. But I don't understand how the pilot bearing would prevent the clutch from releasing from the flywheel and not allow the car to be put into gear.

Can anyone explain why that would happen. I mean the pilot bearing is in the flywheel away from the clutch fork and clutch plate how does it prevent the clutch from disengaging?

 

The top thread you quoted is the exact same thread that I quoted in my original post. I did search before I posted, and yes I read the thread too.

In that thread, they couldn't come to a consensus on whether it was a pilot bearing or a clutch fork. I guess the general consensus here is that it is a clutch fork. Regardless I will have to pull the tranny...which was my main concern anyway.

I will check the fluid levels and also the Clutch Master Cylinder and Slave Cylinder before I pull everything apart.

Thanks all, for the help.

 

Hey cozmo, like others said, sounds like the ol clutch fork. If both ends broke the clutch peddle will hit the floor with no pressure. If only one end is broke, you may be able to depress the clutch but not get it into gear. If you have access under the car you can look through the transmission inspection hatch and see for yourself. Use a flashlight. Sounds like your going to be pulling the trans anyway, good luck.

 

Clutch is stuck. Probably teh spring...

 

The clutch is present so you can disengage the transmission input shaft from the engine. The nose of the input shaft is inserted into the pilot bearing which is in the back of the eccentric shaft. If that bearing were to seize and bind the eccentric and input shaft together, the input shaft would spin anytime the engine is running regardless of the clutch being disengaged or not. So even if the clutch were disengaged the input shaft of the transmission is still coupled to the eccentric through the seized pilot bearing.

 

Follow up:

Turns out with the tranny out of the car my clutch fork is fine, my pilot bearing had siezed and welded itself onto my transmission input shaft. Since the pilot bearing destroyed the bearing surface on that input shaft a new input shaft would be necessary which is a complete tranny rebuild. I just went ahead and got a whole new, used, transmission put in the car as it was probably the more cost effective route to take.

Anyone know what would cause a pilot bearing to sieze like that? Seems odd...but everything with this car is odd...

 

Improperly greased, old pilot bearing that hasn't been replaced when clutch(es) were replaced and so finally wore out or the pilot bearing was slightly damaged last time the transmission was installed.

Anytime the engine is running and the clutch is disengaged the pilot bearing is spinning.

 

A new definition of lazy is someone who doesn't reaplace a $15 bearing when the tranny is out of the car. Release bearing I can see...because it is far more expensive... but a $15 part cause me to have to either rebuild my old, or put in a new tranny.

Bummer.

 

^^Hopefully you have a pilot bearing puller, otherwise, you will know why it gets left in.

That's not to say that it should not be replaced. Should be done with every clutch job.

EDIT: I see by the earlier entries that you will not be needing to worry about that. Sorry about the tranny.

 

Damn you guys and your tranny problems. I replaced all the bearings when the new motor was installed and now I'm starting to get a noise that would sound like the throw out bearing ecept it only makes it when the engine is running and clutch is out, I can feel/hear in in all gears but 4th. so I'm pretty sure it's a main bearing on the input shaft. Does it require a total rebuild to replace this bearing and does any one have a good 5th gear syncro for sale ?

 

No. You will need to pull the tranny off of the vehicle. Remove the clutch fork assemblyand the front bell housing, and the bearing can be pried out and replaced w/o a total rebuild.

Make sure that's your problem though first as it sounds like it could be a pilot bearing. See DamonB above.

 

Cool, that's great news that it won't require a total rebuild. Can't be the pilot bearing as the clutch is engauged and tranny main shaft is spinning with the E-shaft. It makes the noise when the clutch pedal is out not when it's pushed in. Thanks for the info wasn't aware the belhousing even came off as I never looked closely at it.