Is my clutch missing a return spring?

There is no return spring on the clutch fork like the older Mustangs. These clutches have a diaphragm spring. The diaphragm spring is the "fingers" that you are talking about that the throwout bearing and clutch fork pushes on to disengage the clutch. The pressure plate itself does not have any spring fingers. The pressure plate (clutch cover) is "pinned" or riveted to the diaphragm spring.

When you push in on the clutch, the clutch fork pushes the T/O bearing up against the diaphragm spring fingers and the outermost portion of teh diaphragm spring actually bends back and this pressure forces the clutch disk to be pulled away from the flywheel. When you let go of the clutch pedal, that diaphragm spring will also return the pedal.

An OEM clutch quadrant has a return spring, but that goes into the trash with a aftermarket quad. The OEM setup is self adjusting (but honestly, mine never worked as advertised). So the question is, do you have the OEM (plastic) quadrant or an aftermarket (aluminum) one? With an aftermarket quad and firewall adjuster, you can fine tune the cable length and fix your issue.

Yes, when you pull the junk plastic quadrant out from under the dash, it has some retention springs. The aftermarket billet quadrants will not use springs, and there will not be a spring on the clutch fork like there was before 1982.

For what it's worth, I am using the Ford Racing double hook billet aluminum quadrant and it works very well. It really made the shifts much more precise and smoother. Well worth the money.

Have you tried adjusting via the Firewall Adjuster? Dial it out, counterclockwise...

4.6andSlicks said:

Well, along with the stage 2 clutch, I installed a Fiore clutch quadrant and firewall adjuster. Without the spring from the junk plastic quadrant, does this make my "no spring" issue worse or better? As I said, older stangs TOB's wouldn't touch the pressure plate when not in use. Makes me nervous to be using up bearing when I don't need to be.

Click to expand...

Don't sweat the spring, the aftermarket clutches/quadrants don't use them. The T/O bearing doesn't engage the diaphragm spring/pressure plate until you press on the clutch.

I used the Ford Racing heavy duty T/O bearing and so far it has been very quiet and durable.

Ford Racing HD T/O Bearing Part # 7548