Clutch Won't Disengage

TwoToneHatch · Sep 2, 2010

I know these questions are asked alot but I'm in a bind I got 4 days to get the car figuered out. I have a brand new Ram HD clutch,adjustable Ford clutch cable,BBK quadrent/FWA along with a new fork and throwout bearing. No matter what I do I cannot get the clutch to act right. The clutch will not start to disengage until the pedal is alittle more than 3/4 of the way down and even with the pedal all the way down it feels like it could use alittle more disengagement.

Any sugesstions? everything bolt torqued to spec and all the parts are new. I wanna say it's an adjustment issue. If it sounds like it is to one of you where should I start?

S&B · Sep 2, 2010

i would start down by the clutch fork, i set the clutch with the nuts on the cable and use my firewall adjuster for fine adjustment and when the cable streches for readjustment.

TwoToneHatch · Sep 2, 2010

I adjusted it multiple times. The pedal has alittle free play,as with the fork as it's supposed to but still no dice. I don't see why no matter what way its adjusted it wont disengage to much.

S&B · Sep 2, 2010

you screwed the nuts all the way to the base and adjusted the firewall all the way and you still can not disengage?

HISSIN50 · Sep 2, 2010

For testing, try setting the cable so you remove all the slack (don't preload it however).

TwoToneHatch · Sep 2, 2010

S&B said:
you screwed the nuts all the way to the base and adjusted the firewall all the way and you still can not disengage?

yes,and it will disengage but barely.

TwoToneHatch · Sep 2, 2010

HISSIN50 said:
For testing, try setting the cable so you remove all the slack (don't preload it however).

That was the first thing I tried. Took all slack out of everything but didnt pre load it and still the same thing. clutch wont start to disengage until the pedal is about 3/4 of the way down.

HISSIN50 · Sep 3, 2010

Is the pedal assembly from a 5.0?

Do you happen to have a spare stock-style cable you can throw on there?

TwoToneHatch · Sep 3, 2010

HISSIN50 said:
Is the pedal assembly from a 5.0?

Do you happen to have a spare stock-style cable you can throw on there?

Yes it's a 5.0 pedal assembly and no I don't have a stock style cable around just a ford racing and a BBK adjustable .

89stang1 · Sep 3, 2010

if the clutch lets out at the top of pedal release sounds like cable is too short. If the cable was too short determined after putting cable on quadrant hook closes to your firewall then adj your firewall adj all the way in so no threads are showing and adj nut looset position on clutch fork. One time i think we put threaded firewall adj together backwards that made cable too short also........dont know if that helps

TwoToneHatch · Sep 4, 2010

TTT

tried yesterday to adjust everything from scratch. I had the fire wall adjuster in multiple spots,as with the cable and results didn't change. I even used RAM's method that they recommended and still nothing changed. Could this be a problem with the clutch itself.

HISSIN50 · Sep 4, 2010

So what happens if you preload the cable (for testing purposes only)?

Joey7508 · Sep 4, 2010

Just a thought, Clutch it self maybe. I have been doing some clutch research latley and alot of companys want you to use and adjustable pivot ball to get the right spacing so that the clutch will disengage and so that the TB will not put pressure in the clutch fingers when it is engaged. Big problem on twin disc setups, but also on some singles. I have a mcleod rst sitting on my bech right now and the thought of pulling the transmission multiple time is keeping me for putting it in this weekend. I have been there and done that once already. I don't have a lift either so it is done the hard way.

One other thing very very unlikely, but I did have a similar problem. With a clutch that would not disengage and put a new clutch in the same thing. It also had a very hard pedal, put a new fork, cable, the works. Finally got it to disengage and every time I would push it my accessory belt would squeak! Yeah the thrust bearing in the motor was gone and every time I pushed the clutch the crank would move forward about 1/4 inch making it hard to get the clutch to release and moving enough to make my belt squeek! Took that engine apart right away, and it was fubar. The crank had literally eaten into the mains on the block. The thrust bearing was completley gone. I was amazed that the engine was running that way and had not just seized and broke the crank in two. I had just bought the car 2 weeks prior. So needless to say I was real happy. LikeI say highly unlikely but just throwing it out there. So people will know it can happen.

TwoToneHatch · Sep 4, 2010

Joey7508 said:
Just a thought, Clutch it self maybe. I have been doing some clutch research latley and alot of companys want you to use and adjustable pivot ball to get the right spacing so that the clutch will disengage and so that the TB will not put pressure in the clutch fingers when it is engaged. Big problem on twin disc setups, but also on some singles. I have a mcleod rst sitting on my bech right now and the thought of pulling the transmission multiple time is keeping me for putting it in this weekend. I have been there and done that once already. I don't have a lift either so it is done the hard way.

One other thing very very unlikely, but I did have a similar problem. With a clutch that would not disengage and put a new clutch in the same thing. It also had a very hard pedal, put a new fork, cable, the works. Finally got it to disengage and every time I would push it my accessory belt would squeak! Yeah the thrust bearing in the motor was gone and every time I pushed the clutch the crank would move forward about 1/4 inch making it hard to get the clutch to release and moving enough to make my belt squeek! Took that engine apart right away, and it was fubar. The crank had literally eaten into the mains on the block. The thrust bearing was completley gone. I was amazed that the engine was running that way and had not just seized and broke the crank in two. I had just bought the car 2 weeks prior. So needless to say I was real happy. LikeI say highly unlikely but just throwing it out there. So people will know it can happen.

That sounds scary but my old clutch I took out of the car was fine and I had that clutch in the car for a year ,only reason I pullled it was because I needed to go 26 spline for my new trans so I'm leaning towards the clutch. But for curiosity would the crank move when you hit the clutch with the motor off enough to see it move?

Joey7508 · Sep 5, 2010

I don't know if you could see it if it was not running. You would have to push back on the balancer then push the clutch to see it move? The crank kinda centered it self while it was punning so after it went forward when the clutch was pushed it would go right back to the middle. You are supposed to have some back and forth play in the crank, but very very little. My bet is gonna be you need a adjustable pivot ball for that clutch. Do a search for pivot ball and your particular clutch and see if any one has had the same problem.

jdstang87 · Apr 23, 2011

I just joined the mustang community and have an 87 LX, and it has been getting harder and harder to get it into 1st, 2nd, and R and the other day I backed all the way up my driveway with the clutch all the way disengaged...anybody know if this is a cable adjustment problem maybe?? The guy told me he just replaced the cable but he didn't put an adjustable one on it...Thanks in advance!

HISSIN50 · Apr 24, 2011

jdstang87 said:
I just joined the mustang community and have an 87 LX, and it has been getting harder and harder to get it into 1st, 2nd, and R and the other day I backed all the way up my driveway with the clutch all the way disengaged...anybody know if this is a cable adjustment problem maybe?? The guy told me he just replaced the cable but he didn't put an adjustable one on it...Thanks in advance!

Where is the point of engagement in the other gears?

You might need to tighten the cable.

jrichker · Apr 24, 2011

Two things:
1.) When you installed the clutch disc, did you install it with the the springs in the center hub facing the engine or facing the transmission. The correct way is facing the trasmission.

2.) The Mustang throwout bearing/cable assembly is designed to operate with no slack it the cable. It is supposed to have a preload to keep the throwout bearing in constant contact with the pressure plate fingers. If there was slack in the cable, it could come off the quadrant.

Clutch pedal adjustment with aftermarket quadrant and cable: I like to have the clutch completely disengaged and still have about 1.5” travel left before the pedal hits the floor. This means that I have only about 1” of free play at the top before the pedal starts to disengage the clutch. Keep in mind that these figures are all approximate. When properly adjusted, there will not be any slack in the clutch cable. You will have 4-15 lbs preload on the clutch cable.

The binding common to adjustable cables is often due to misplacement of the adjusting nuts on the fork end of the cable. This will also cause the cable to wear and fray. Both nuts should be on the back side of the fork so that the domed nut faces the fork and the other nut serves as jam or locknut to the domed nut.

jdstang87 · May 19, 2011

HISSIN50 said:
Where is the point of engagement in the other gears?

You might need to tighten the cable.

Haven't really paid attention to the point of engagement, but I ended up getting a Ford racing adjustable cable and quadrant...but the adjustment it had wasn't enough...I had to add several nuts to get the cable tight enough to fully disengage the clutch in order to put it in gear.
If the cable isn't tight enough the clutch fork rattles real loud and there's a loud squealing anytime I'm not on the clutch pedal but I don't want to have it OVERtightened! Thoughts??

HISSIN50 · May 19, 2011

Establishing the point of engagement and the amount of freeplay would be helpful regarding your concerns. If there's freeplay, it should not be overtightened.

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