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problems with clutch pedal after installing transmission

980 Views 29 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  tb65m66
just finished installing my engine and transmission and i went to hookup the z bar linkage. new bushings on both sides. car is a 66 FB, 302 from a 68, with a 4 speed toploader from a 64 fairlane.

i’m having 2 problems.
1. when i fully depress the clutch i can’t put it into gear. car is in the air on stands. car is obviously off but i don’t know why it won’t go into gear. i thought maybe it wasn’t in neutral when i bolted the shifter back on but it rocks side to side like it is. i also have yet to put fluid into the transmission but i don’t see how that would affect it while the gears aren’t spinning. i have 2 qts of 75w-90 that’ll be going in.

2. when i attached my clutch return spring it pulled the clutch pedal further up and it sits about 5 inches above the break pedal. when i depress the clutch with the spring on it drops about 3 inches and then i can feel it engage the pressure plate. when i remove the clutch return spring the pedal sits about 2 inches above the brake pedal and feels more natural, but there’s no return spring.

i have a feeling both of these are related. would adjusting the rod that goes into the fork further out be a solution? i don't know if this means if the spring i have on there is too stiff if it’s pulling the fork all the way back. or if i need to adjust the z bar. the clutch worked fine before i pulled everything apart, same z bar, same transmission.

my thought was if i adjust the nut further out and lengthen it, my pedal would sit lower and i might get a little more length out of my pedal travel. but i’m giving up for the night so i figured i’d ask the pros and get y’all’s input.
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yes it’s GL5 and labeled as full synthetic. it’s all they have at the parts store anymore
Find another parts store. Even the FORD Dealer should have it in their parts department. If all else fails, go to your closest NISSAN dealer and pick up 2 quarts of 999MP-MTF00NP, 75W-85 Manual Transmission Fluid or go to the Chevy Dealer and pick up some #88900399 GM Syncromesh.
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Problem #1 seems to say you can't can't get the shifter into gear. At all. With the engine off what you are doing with the clutch pedal should have zero effect on this. If you have had the transmission rebuilt it will be "dry" inside and thus a bit hard to get into gears, but not impossible. Often a transmission builder might put the transmission into different gears on the workbench with no oil in it nor even the added leverage benefit of having a shifter installed. (I've done it.) If it has just been out of the car and drained then it is still "wet" inside and there should be no issue with putting in any gear you like with the engine off. So I think you have two different problems.
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Ck your shift linkage adjustment
if the throw out bearing is against the pressure plate you could hurt the thrust bearing in the motor

ken
i got an update for y’all. as for the shifter not going into gear, i put about 1.75 quarts into the tranny of GL-4 75w-90 (i spilled some. will probably get another quart to top it off later, pretty annoying) and i found the the reverse lever on the outside was moved into reverse. i turned it counterclockwise and bolted the shifter up and violà! the shifter moves into all 4 gears and reverse. i will say that i did have to give it a little force then once it popped into third i was able to shift it into all gears.

i don’t know if it matters but it’s worth noting, it did feel a little tough to get it into some of the gears, as i was going through them all, but i’m guessing that’s because the car is off.. i’m just happy i got the shifter right now.

i have the pedal stop ordered and the correct lower spring so once that goes in i’ll adjust the linkage and see how it all feels. thanks for all the help. i’m just a 20 year old kid building his first engine/car. i’ll probably have more questions to come
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there is no assist spring, when the previous owners swapped the manual in im guessing they didn’t install that spring. the only spring in the clutch setup is the return spring from the shock tower to the clutch fork.
Wow, that's a problem. What else is missing?
from factory i believe they do but this one does not
ALL 65-73 Mustangs had an assist spring. The 65-68 had a tension spring, 69-73 had a compression spring.
ALL 65-73 Mustangs had an assist spring. The 65-68 had a tension spring, 69-73 had a compression spring.
after talking to some people on the forum they said that with a diaphragm style clutch you don’t need the assist spring under the dash.

but the pedal stop on the clutch was also missing, and the wrong return spring from shock tower to clutch fork was on there. i ordered the proper lower spring, the 14 1/4” long one.

fun note not related to the clutch: the dust plate was missing on the old bell housing and my differential didn’t have the copper crush washers. can’t wait to find out what surprises the old owners left for me
while some say that spring is not needed. I left mine on and have found no issues with it.
I also put ball bearings on the pedal shaft and rod ends on the linkage. Also bearings on the z bar.


ken
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One common problem is people have lost, or fail to install, the nylon bushings at each end of the assist spring. They are vital to proper tension and geometry.
Thanks, was about ready to put my pedal box in and I see I don’t have those. Will grab a couple at NPD tomorrow.
fun note not related to the clutch: the dust plate was missing on the old bell housing and my differential didn’t have the copper crush washers. can’t wait to find out what surprises the old owners left for me
I find the PO often leaves you POed.
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