Tremec not going into gear

[Grn92LX]

My tremec will not go into gear with the car running. I tried adjusting it and it doesn't help. I tried a brand new cable and it didn't help either. It seems that the clutch is not disengaging. I try putting it in gear and the car trys to roll a little. If I try starting it up with the trans in gear, the car moves as I crank it.


The set up is a tremec tko with gm syncromesh fluid, mcleod DF clutch disk/fms hd pressure plate modified/blueprinted by promotion, mcleod scattersheild, extended fork, fms quad, cable and firewall adjuster. Absolutely no junk. The trans has appx 2k miles on it and the clutch has about 1000 on it. I put a new clutch in with my new motor. This problem has been happening since a few weeks ago but by playing with the adjustment it worked. Now adjusting it doesn't help. WTF?!

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

I have a couple ideas, but both are a PITA, so I hope neither of these are the case...

First one is that the bellhousing may have come out of alignment from the block. Since the pilot bearing would've been binding on the input shaft, it could now have enough friction to have somewhat locked the input shaft into rotating with the engine all the time. The other idea is that the pivot ball may need adjustment in the bellhousing, and it's not allowing the clutch fork to completely release the clutch. These are worst case scenarios, but I hope you don't have to pull the trans, and re-index the bellhousing or anything.

 

[Grn92LX]

Update: I went outside and had my dad step on the clutch pedal as I got under the car and shined a flashlight in the fork hole. The fork and t/o bearing are doing their job and I can see the t/o bearing push into the pressure plate fingers and I see them push in. Seems to me the clutch is stuck somehow and not disengaging.

I tried starting the car up in reverse and the car flew backwards. I saw a post where a guy had his clutch weld itself to the flywheel and he said try and start it up in gear to break it free.

Do you guys agree that its a clutch problem? What would cause this? This seems to happen when the car sits. This problem started happening a month or so ago and a simple tightening of the cable seemed to fix it.

 

[urban96]

i had the same exact problem but it was because my cable wasnt adjusted properly (had to get a firewall adjuster to take up the extra slack)

but yours seems to be adjusted properly so i dunno

maybe try rolling the car with the engine off and in gear with the clutch pressed to see if u can break it loose that way

 

[94 Cobra 5.0]

if the clutch isnt disengaging then what clutch quadrant are you using. i have a triple hook in mine and have it on the middle hook. if you have a multiple hook quadrant i would try the highest setting and then adjust the cable from there.

i remember seening that post about the welded clutch also. hope thats not it cause i know the clutch you have isnt cheap. did you do any type of driving that would cause it to weld itself? i would think if you just put everything together you would be babying the car.

what did you torque the pressure plate to? if you overtorqued the pressure plate that might be the problem. hope everything works out for ya.

 

[ddr1stang]

I had this exact same problem, What I did was put the car up on jackstands put it in 5th gear and started it up and it broke loose (go figure) I tried 1st gear once and then 5th gear and it worked. Not sure why the clutch stuck to the flywheel in the first place but I have had stranger things happen!

 

[Grn92LX]

I tried pushing it in the street and starting it up in geaar to see if I coudl unstick the clutch and it didn't help. Looks like I have to pull it out.

94 cobra, I have a motorsport quad, cable and a steed FW adjuster. The clutch has over 1000 miles on it. It was new along with the new motor. I torqued the pp to 22 ft/lbs I think which is with in spec.

 

[a50sn95]

All of the above.
Or, Bellhousing bolts to engine are loose, causing thebellhousing to seperate from the engine block when you push in the clutch instead of the clutch releasing.
Or, Pressure Plate to flywheel bolts have loosened up, causing the pressure plate to not release completely. Not all of the bolts would have to come loose for this. A couple would be enough. If it was all working fine for 100 miles and then this started happening, then something has loosened up. My clutch pedal is all the way to the top, and completely releases by 1/2 way down.

 

[a50sn95]

Or, the Extended fork is bending.....

 

[Grn92LX]

I had my father step on the clutch as I shined a light in the bellhousing hole and watched the t/o bearing push into the pressure plate fingers. Everything seems to be working as normal. I believe the problem is somehow the pressure plate 'welded' itself to the flywheel hence why it won't disengage. The pressure plate was torqued down to spec with loctite.

 

[Joes95GT]

Mike - so is the clutch stuck to the plate?

If it is stuck to the plate, the only thing I've seen work is to let the motor get VERY hot and usually once it gets hot enough, have someone rock the car back and forth (two people on a flat surface) while you're inside screwing with the clutch trying to get it in gear...

Joe

 

[ddr1stang]

I had my father step on the clutch as I shined a light in the bellhousing hole and watched the t/o bearing push into the pressure plate fingers. Everything seems to be working as normal. I believe the problem is somehow the pressure plate 'welded' itself to the flywheel hence why it won't disengage. The pressure plate was torqued down to spec with loctite.

All of these things you are describing are exactly what happened to me(after a head swap,go fiqure). I did the flashlight in the inspection hole and everything. I started the car in gear (almost ran into the garage) and it didn't work. The next morning I went to the garage pissed because I have to tear the tranny out again. Jack the car up, got the tools out to start taking the exhaust off and thought I'm going to try it one more time. So I put it in 5th gear this time,started the car (on jack stands) and bang it broke loose. Why? I have no idea but I'm sure glad I tried it one last time!

 

[Grn92LX]

I started the car in gear (almost ran into the garage)

LOL I almost ran up my neighbors front lawn last night starting it up in the street in reverse I got out of the car and started flipping out

I'll try your suggestion and jack the back wheels up and try starting it in 5th.

 

[Grn92LX]

So I put it in 5th gear this time,started the car (on jack stands) and bang it broke loose. Why? I have no idea but I'm sure glad I tried it one last time!

Dude, I want to THANK YOU for your advice. I just went out and did exactly what you suggested and it worked like a charm the first shot. All it cost me was a $15 set of jackstands from walmart today I took it for a quick spin and it seems fine!

 

[a50sn95]

I'm at a loss. I don't get it. I'm glad for you, but I really don't understand how this could have happened, Nor how this could have fixed it. Oh well....
Again, I'm really happy this fixed it for you! I wouldn't want to pull it apart either....

 

[urban96]

nice! glad you got it figured out

 

[Grn92LX]

I'm at a loss. I don't get it. I'm glad for you, but I really don't understand how this could have happened, Nor how this could have fixed it. Oh well....
Again, I'm really happy this fixed it for you! I wouldn't want to pull it apart either....

Believe it or not theres a bunch of guys having this problem now. My thread wasn't the only thread on this issue. Weird.

I drove it around tonight and all seems well. Hope it doesn't happen anymore!!

 

[ddr1stang]

Dude, I want to THANK YOU for your advice. I just went out and did exactly what you suggested and it worked like a charm the first shot. All it cost me was a $15 set of jackstands from walmart today I took it for a quick spin and it seems fine!

No problem, I'm just glad you tried it, I couldn't believe it either when it worked for me.

Good luck