cmartinp28

can you guys that have had broken clutch fork describe how it felt?

my clutch is currently soft up top and has pressure close to the floor.

i bled the clutch hydraulics, the slave didnt have visible leaks, and the clutch master is brand new.

thanks

Railgun

You push the clutch in and nothing happens?

cmartinp28

is it possible to partially break it?

cuz my clutch pedal pressure is progressively getting worse

SpeedKing

iTrader: (4)

If you're driving when it breaks, you'll come to an abrupt stop. The clutch pedal will be on the floor and won't come up.

atihun

Yes it is.

My fork broke but just one of the fingers. So it would still try to push in the clutch but it wasn't fully effective. I thought my clutch went out because it wouldn't go into gear and the pedal felt somewhat soft but I sometimes could get it in gear.

I opened the little service hatch on the trans, looked inside and didn't see anything broken; both fingers on the fork looked attached, so I thought it was the clutch.

When I took out the trans I found that the top finger on the fork was broken, it was just hanging there.

Hope that helps.

cmartinp28

would it help if i tell you guys that the clutch is completely functional? gears dont grind when the clutch is fully depressed.

hotrodrx7

Did you adjust the pushrod?

cmartinp28

nope,

DamonB

That is what happened when mine broke. In my case I could still operate the clutch but I was getting all sorts of bad noises and vibration out of the bell housing when I did so Since only one finger broke the release bearing is not pulled evenly, it's just pulled hard from one side. This makes the bearing try and jam on the input shaft rather than slide freely and you don't get full travel. I could drive the car and some shifts were just fine, others you could feel the release bearing binding.

Typically when the fork breaks you can still actuate the clutch somewhat, but since you don't get complete movement of the release bearing you may not be able to fully release the clutch when stopped. The bad noises and vibration through the clutch pedal will tip you off as well.

The forks always break in the same place: where the locating pin passes through. You have to look very closely through the inspection cover to spot it. You'll need a bright light.

It's enough for the fork to merely crack as that allows one finger on the fork to flex and it will cause these problems. Soon after that the finger will break completely.



The area circled below is what you want to inspect. Look VERY closely around the pin and you should see a crack in the fork. Somebody operating the clutch while you do so will make the crack more easily visible if there is one present.

cmartinp28

thanks!!!

alberto_mg

The symptoms you have sound exactly like my car felt before the clutch fork broke. First the clutch started feeling stiffer than normal. Then the clutch felt like it was engaging further down and the pressure wasn't consistent.

Then one day while at a light the car just jerked forward like the clutch engaged by itself (which it did) and I couldn't shift gears while the car was running. I could shift when the car was off though. Wound up getting towed home from the West Side Hwy. That was an expensive tow...

cmartinp28

hmmmm... this is getting me scared...

well the pedal pressure is consistent and the engagement point is pretty clear, just really low , im trying to find excuses so its not the clutch fork.. lol

alberto_mg

just be careful you don't **** up a synchro when it goes. i didn't wtf was going on when mine broke and tried to shift. tweaked a syncrho in the process.

Jesuscookies

iTrader: (1)

As Damon said, vibration in the pedal is a big tip off. Just place your foot on the pedal with the car on. If you are feeling vibration on that pedal the culprit is probably the fork. Also when mine went, the car would vibrate when I down shifted, and first gear from a stop chattered horribly.

the_saint

Yes, it gradually goes completely though.

Mine was acting stupid for a few days, before it finally snapped.

cmartinp28

ill take the slave out tomorrow, i found my replacement, and report to you guys again.

shoudl i try to poke the the clutch fork where it is pressed by the slave and see if its soft?

no vibrations btw.