Clutch won't engage after engine drop

[NeedSpace]

I dropped my engine for a number of repairs (most of which appears to have worked...but unfortunately not all-still have some leaks). Here is my tale...

1976 911S – from garage find to on the road

Anyway, I finally got the engine completely together and in the car. It runs fairly well but I cannot get it in gear. I have a bad feeling I may have mated the transmission to the engine improperly and now the clutch won't engage.

A couple of notes:
1) Separated engine from tranny to replace flywheel seal
2) While in there replaced the flywheel
3) I did not make any other adjustments to pedals or linkage

When I first put the clutch cable on the tranny, it wasn't lining up correctly. I have done this a few times and haven't had a problem in the past, but I couldn't get any gap on the actuating lever. I have adjusted the cable all the way out (so more of the cable housing screw is toward the engine compartment). The clutch is very hard to push and it makes no difference, just grinding. It doesn't feel right at all.

So, brain trust, I am sure someone has done this before, have I mated the tranny to the engine in such a way that the release bearing fork is NOT in the center of the throw out bearing?

I would like to avoid dropping the engine again...making this number 7 I believe, so I am looking to your guidance. Thanks in advance.

[Catorce]

This has clutch fork written all over it. Somehow or another, the clutch fork is not engaging the throwout bearing.

Technically, you can remedy this by just dropping the trans, but to me, it's easier to drop the whole unit.

I think you already know that this is going to need an engine drop - there is no other way to fix a misaligned clutch fork.

[Catorce]

Also look through the starter hole with a borescope and see if everything looks normal.

[NeedSpace]

Catorce,

Yes, it just felt like this was the problem. Thanks for the help. I think tomorrow I'll remove the starter at take a peak. If only I had done that BEFORE putting it back in the car. LOL! I am hoping I didn't damage anything.

Every time I try to take a short cut, I waste time, I think I'll just drop it and do it the right way. I did do a drop and reinstall in one day, maybe I can beat my record time?

[Catorce]

Originally Posted by NeedSpace

Catorce,

Yes, it just felt like this was the problem. Thanks for the help. I think tomorrow I'll remove the starter at take a peak. If only I had done that BEFORE putting it back in the car. LOL! I am hoping I didn't damage anything.

Every time I try to take a short cut, I waste time, I think I'll just drop it and do it the right way. I did do a drop and reinstall in one day, maybe I can beat my record time?

The trick with the 915 is to double check everything with a borescope before putting the motor back in the car. You can really even check the function of the whole assembly by rigging up another disposable cable and pulling it with a vise grips or something similar to make SURE the clutch works as intended before putting the whole shmozzle back together.

Some cars its easier than others. 901 is very intuitive. So is the 997 TT clutch / throwout. 915 is finicky in my experience. Not hard, jut finicky.

[Busta Rib]

Throw out fork or the clutch mechanism under the transmission is out of whack. The omega spring needs to be installed properly so it doesn't interfere with the small rod pointing down towards the ground. If it does, it doesn't actuate through its full range of motion.

[timmy2]

Check Omega spring orientation like Busta Rib mentioned.
Been there.

[ChrisBennet]

To add to what the others said:
With the small and large arms removed from clutch shaft that sticks out the bottom, grab the shaft with your hand [1] and twist/rotate it back and forth. It should have a little play and you should hear a "click" as it reaches the limit of rotation. When you twist it back, you should hear another click when it reaches the limit of rotation in that direction. I'm just guessing but the rotation should be on the order of less than 10 degrees.

If there is no play at all, it is likely one "ear" of the throw-out fork is engaged. If you missed completely it will rotate a long ways before it hits something I think (never made that mistake so not sure).

[1] Since the shaft splines will have antiseize on them, you might want to wear gloves or trick someone else into turning the shaft. ("Hey honey, would you come here and twist my shaft?")

[Flat6pac]

A clutch fork on 915 can't be half engaged, if it is the other half fork is broken.
Measure the open points as they are 75mm, a distortion to 80mm needs to be replaced.
The distortion happens when installing the engine with the trans in the car and not engaging the fingers properly to the TOB. Buttoning up the bell housing distorts the fingers to 80mm.
Bruce

[NeedSpace]

Since my last post, I have unfortunately acquired arthritis, not even 50 yet! So dealing with some pain issues. On the plus side my other distraction is buying a new house with a 5, yes count em, 5 car garage. Despite worsening symptoms I had to push through the pain and fix it anyway.

The good news the problem with the tranny was exactly as predicted, I inspected the fork and sure enough it was against and not mated properly to the throw out bearing. Put the tranny back properly and reinstalled the engine. Now we run AND can move the car. Just have the muffler and bumper to do. And good timing as well, I have a buyer for my old house so I have to pack everything up and move to the new house. Woohoo