Clutch Won’t Engage Post Engine Drop

[sigchuck]

Hi guys, I thought I had my clutch linkage sorted and was ready to go for the first drive after reinstalling engine - unfortunately, the clutch will not engage!

I never had the transmission separated from the engine - I thought I understood it was nearly impossible to screw up TOB/fork if the engine was never decoupled from the transmission.

The first time I attempted to start the car several weeks ago I did so before reconnecting the clutch cable/helper arm/omega spring. The car effect was the same as starting the car in gear without clutch in, so I think this is a good sign my TOB and clutch fork are where they should be, right?

I’ll plan to re-evaluate the clutch cable installation again, but hoping that someone could confirm there’s a slim to nine chance there’s a fork/TOB issue.

Also, I could have swore I correctly set preload and then final gap on the small arm - do I need to do anything pedal side? I didn’t remove the cable, just disconnected for engine/trans drop.

[Zuffenwerker]

What year 911 do you have? You mentioned an over center spring so I am assuming maybe an SC?

Do you mean the clutch won’t disengage…?

If you didn’t separate the engine and trans the release fork should still be in its slot.

Have a helper work the clutch pedal while you watch the clutch linkage. See if something’s up.

Daniel

[sigchuck]

I just uploaded a video of spring and arm in action. Any thoughts? I have nothing to compare it to, but kind of looks like it’s not rotating all that much???

https://youtu.be/c_mVJH5K2pg

[sigchuck]

Should have also addressed engage vs disengage - the engine starts fine in neutral and gear with current clutch arm set up - I can shift into gear, release clutch, and no effect. Set up correctly, the engine should stall - so I guess maybe disengage is the right term

[walt]

Under the car the distance between the lock nut and the end of the cable should change by .98 inches as the pedal is depressed. Hard to tell from the video but worth a quick check.

[proporsche]

remove the little finger with the spring....of course 1st the clip...
after loosen the clutch cable on the outer 15mm nut...
you have to pull back the clutch arm with the omega spring with large screwdriver or bar so it goes way back(your is not traveling much at all...
after the you reach the back max instal the little finger and adjust the clutch cable and once you have that adjust the 1..space between the little finger and clutch arm

Ivan

[sigchuck]

Thanks, Ivan - when you say “pull back” on the arm and spring, do you mean pull back until it “pops” further into place, or will I need to keep tension on it?

My recollection is that to get it off, I pulled the arm forward, then was reverse on installation. I do remember thinking installation was relatively easy, but there was a distinct “pop” that accompanied the spring going back.

[proporsche]

ok,when you connect the cable to the clutch arm ,it has to be pulled back over the tension of the pedal and the Omega spring.The Omega spring should end near the oil line...only after you install the little finger.
How many threads you put into the clutch clevis up front?It should about 1cm through the clevis..
But one thing at a time,1st try what i have suggested...
Ivan

[sigchuck]

Not sure on the pedal side/clevis - does this need to be reset after disconnecting the cable from the transmission side?

[proporsche]

like i said let`s try 1st pull back the clutch arm with the cable-loosen on the 15mm wrench nut so you have a play in the tension on the clutch cable-for later adjustment..you should be able to do that- if not lift the pedal by hand and make sure it stays up............
Ivan

[Dpmulvan]

[Dpmulvan]

[sigchuck]

Well, I thought I had it adjust great - lots more rotation as you can see in video.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6cHbLsSBPiQ?feature=share

Same result, unfortunately. The clutch pedal seems to sit higher - I did have my wife hold it up when I was attaching cable. Not sure where to go from here.

Can anyone confirm there’s no way that the clutch arm/TO bearing could be the issue since I didn’t disconnect the transmission from engine?

What’s the best term for the phenomenon I have going on? Clutch not disengaging, I assume? I can row through gears with engine on with no issue whatsoever. I can do the same with the engine off, but I’m thinking maybe that’s normal?

Thanks for the help!

[john walker's workshop]

Release forks crack sometimes....

[sigchuck]

Any stupid moves I could have made that would have caused it to break, either in disconnecting clutch cable/arm to drop, or in reinstalling? I had no issues before taking out. I’ll jack it back up and check through the inspection port.

EDIT - checked inspection port with endoscopic camera with video link below. My wife was depressing the clutch very slowly via hand with the car in the air, but I think generally this established fork is where it should be, right? So back to readjusting the cable? Anything else to look for?

Inspection port video - https://youtube.com/shorts/KL-jy82EDC0?feature=share

[proporsche]

from what i can see you do not have the cable with the clutch arm+omega spring all the way back towards the oil line.As you can see on the 1st pic from DP.. the little finger must bes paralel (right angle )with the transmission.Your is in the angle that is because your clutch cable is not stretched all the way.....
Ivan

[mikedsilva]

When the clutch pedal is out, ie, fully disengaged, how much of a gap do you have between the aduster bolt and the release arm? From the last video, it looks like a LOT.

Screw the bolt all the way till it touches the short arm, (to remove any freeplay) and then report back.

Also, in the car, does the pedal come all the way to the top, level with the brake pedal?

Another thing that sometimes happens under the car, is the clutch cable housing pulls out away from the guide in the firewall of the car. I'm not sure I know how to explain it properly, but go back under the car, and make sure you didn't accidentally pull the cable sheath off the little guide tube...

When adjusting clutch, I always use a strap, to pull the pedal all the way to the top. I wrap it around the steering wheel to make sure the pedal does not depress at all while making adjustments.

[sigchuck]

Thanks, guys - I’ll disconnect and give it another shot. Maybe remove and reinstall omega spring as well. I did attempt to push it back some more but it didn’t seem there was any way that was going to happen.

This time around the clutch pedal Is actually sitting higher than the brake pedal and I was still barely able to get the cable into the boss on the transmission/hooked onto the omega spring.

[proporsche]

you have to loosen the 15mm nut ,the one towards to front of the car, to have more play on the cable.After you hook the cable to the arm and with a bar or big screwdriver pull back towards the oil line .It should come way back then you have it now.Also what is it on the cable for a nut?The one which is to secure the cable to the bracket-towards the back of the car..looks funny on the video...
Ivan

[sigchuck]

Thanks, Ivan - they are both 15mm nuts. It may just be camera angle. I actually had to screw the forward but out as far as possible to get the cable into the boss - this was with my wife pulling up on the pedal. And now the pedal sits higher than the brake pedal. Really stumped.