Adjusted rod so engagement is near middle point on pedal, sometimes when coming to light it doesn't fully disengage, very difficult to get into gear, intermittent problem... any suggestions?

i can hear somethin vaguely spinning when it's not disengaged (neutral or what have you), when it's giving me shifting trouble i still have that spinning noise even though the clutch is disengaged/pushed all the way in... bad slave cylinder?

 

I have that **** on my current beater, my (under)achieva.

The clutch slave cylinder has this plastic ball (acting as a bushing) where it pushes into the clutch fork. Well, GOGO GM BUILD QUALITY, it shattered, and I cant find a replacement. I'll probably need to get a new slave cylinder! ARGH!

Anyway, It wouldnt disengage AT ALL like that, so I had to find a small socket and stick it on the tip of the slave cylinder, and the way it is now, it engages about an inch off the floor, and doesnt ride as high as it used to. Buuut... it wore in eventually.

Basically, what is happening is SOMETHING isnt pushing the clutch all the way from the flywheel. It could be some issue with the adjustment so you dont acutally push enough, or air in your clutch hydraulics.

Whast gonna happen is the clutch is just gonna (eventually...) wear down enough so that it will totally disengage with teh clutch in the way it is adjusted, BUT, its going to beat the crap out of your transmissions syncros - and it grinds into reverse, right? The dog teeth for engaging reverse are probably getting an *** whooping too.

I'd look at the adjustment and try to adjust it back out, and see if you might need to bleed your clutch hydraulics. And I woudlnt wait... if its shifting hard, its beating the **** out of your syncros! The best stop-gap for this for now is to learn how to double clutch and put it into 1st when you come to a stop and are able to rev match so at least your syncro is spared the wear.

 

Bleed the clutch and adjust the pedal distance from the firewall per Mazda's instrutions. Check the flexible clutch line for swelling/leaking. The best mod I have done was the steel braided clutch line from RP. Made the clutch feel of my ACT EXTREAME so much smoother and lighter.

Open clucth access window and watch as someone operates the clutch. Clutch forks on FDs are known to crack and bend on our cars. Happened to me.

 

Maybe pilot bearing going out?

 

I installed a new pilot bearing and greased it when i changed the clutch 300 miles ago

also, this only occurs from a stop, rowing through the gears and gear changes while moving is not a problem

 

just stop with it in a gear, and then quickly put it from that gear in to 1st, for now.

And check the adjustment and if there is air in the cylinders or lines.

 

it seems now when i push the clutch in i hear rumble/grumble down there or like a bassy tap tap tap

 

also appears if i have the clutch disengaged and push the shifter into 3rd firmly and hold it (while shifter is operating normally) the grumble gets louder

 

Most of that noise sounds like it's the throwout bearing.


Also make sure to check that your clutch master cylinder (cylinder on fire wall) has a full range of movement. Mine froze up once and I have to take it apart, and hone it out, because it had a little rust... but it caused it to stick in some, not giving the clutch a full range of motion....

 

well most of the time the clutch is functioning normally, but these noises are what i'm concerned about right now

 

If the noises happen when the clutch is dissengaged (just noticed that ) It is probably the pilot bearing..... If someone forced the transmission nipple into the pilot bearing they could have nocked a couple or all of the needle bearings out of it.... I know when I was installing a pilot bearing I screwed one up, when using a hammer to put it in. Half of the acctual bearings just fell out....

 

hmm it was fine for 300 miles, then all of a sudden disengagement and disengaged noise issues, wtf

 

it's shifting fine now but clutch in sounds like a piston engine knocking slightly, although it's not super loud, kinda quiet... any ideas?

 

All in all, sounds like the pilot bearing went - if you continue to drive it with a bad pilot bearing, the input shaft bearing will eventually go too. The noise you're describing sounds like the input shaft bearing is on its way out...

 

How do you replace the input shaft bearing? Where is it? huh

 

The input shaft is the one that spins inside the pilot bearing - it's the input shaft to the transmission. Replacing the bearing requires opening the trans case.

It might not be too bad yet, but if the pilot bearing is bad, it will eventually take the input shaft bearing with it. Normally, the pilot bearing allows the input shaft to rotate independently from the eccentric shaft when the clutch is disengaged. When a pilot bearing goes bad (lubrication problem, improper installation or defect), it eventually jams the two shafts together such that disengaging the clutch no longer allows the two shafts to spin at different rates. What's more, this problem can come and go, or can be permanent when it gets bad enough. It's not hard to visualize if you're familiar with the components involved.

 

When a pilot bearing disintegrates enough, the input shaft can move around inside the remains of the bearing. This movement is what kills the input shaft bearing.

 

This sounds like a classic case of clutch fork failure. Does the new setup have a higher torque rating than stock? Did you replace the clutch fork? How many miles on the car (and likely the fork)?

 

63k miles, OEM clutch, inspected clutch fork and no damage

how do i verify input shaft bearing is ok when trans is back out?

 

First check for deflection of the shaft - see if you can move it side-to-side by hand. If it moves, the bearing definitely needs to be replaced. If it doesn't move, turn the shaft and make sure it is smooth. It will be pretty obvious if it needs to be replaced.

Usually you can feel the vibration through the shifter if the input shaft bearing is going bad.

The input shaft bearing may be okay, but I'd bet the pilot bearing needs to be replaced.

 

Also I've been told to make sure the flywheel isn't loose, weird the noise ONLY occurs when the clutch is depressed though hmm

 

Well, when the clutch is disengaged, the pilot bearing comes into play. When the clutch is engaged, the bearing isn't doing anything because the shafts are spinning at the same rate.

It's good that you only hear the noise when the clutch is in - the input shaft bearing is likely still okay. When it gets really bad, it does it all the time.

 

Here's some good info on pilot bearing replacement, and why they fail:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...11#post4203811

 

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/stuck-neutral-checked-usual-suspects-need-suggestions-372045/

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/replace-your-clutch-fork-324028/

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

 

oh man, looks like it's gotta come out ASAP this still doesn't explain my disengagement problems saturdya though no? (which this noise didn't appear until those problems)