4-speed clutch not disengaging? Help!

[Hankohop]

Ok so I've been tinkering around with a Dodge Charger 383 4 speed. I go to take it for a test drive and I cant get any gear to move the car. I do get a rattle from the throw out bearing when the clutch is depressed and an occasional gear grind. Would a bad throw out bearing stop the clutch from disengaging all together?

 

[Hankohop]

Ok so I've been tinkering around with a Dodge Charger 383 4 speed. I go to take it for a test drive and I cant get any gear to move the car. I do get a rattle from the throw out bearing when the clutch is depressed and an occasional gear grind. Would a bad throw out bearing stop the clutch from disengaging all together?

ALSO I would like to note that I have the adjustment rod tightened to the point where I have no more thread to work with. As in the clutch fork is on by only a few threads. This is my first time so don't grill me too hard if this is just me shooting myself in the foot.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Yes, if the throwout bearing broke into pieces and/or the release levers of the pressure plate are broken then the car could not be put into any gear. The easiest way to diagnose the problem is to just look. Put the front of the car on jack-stands, emergency brake on and block the wheels. Leave engine off. Remove the 4-5 bolts on the clutch inspection cover. Have a buddy push the clutch pedal and look inside. The problem should be obvious. If not, post here and we will walk you through it.

 

[mopar 3 B]

The clutch have any free play left. A over centered clutch will not release.

 

[oldbee]

Maybe a couple springs broken on pressure plate?

 

[WileE]

The answer is yes, and it probably is the release bearing. We had a few where they actually separated & caused the symptom you describe.

 

[Daves69]

..............I go to take it for a test drive and I cant get any gear to move the car............

Let's clarify this. You can't get the trans into "any gear"?

Has this just been assembled and you're having issues?

Can you get it into a gear with the engine off then back to neutral?

Shift rods way out of adjustment?

Loose / worn components from pressure plate all the way back to the clutch pedal bushing will eat up your adjustment window.
Broken / bent / incorrect parts or assembly can cause the clutch to not disengage. Loose trans to bell bolts can contribute also.

Some things I'd look at inside the bell for failure to disengage and not allowing trans to go into a gear while engine running.........
fork installed on the release bearing top and bottom
fork pivot correct and not bent / broke
fork into the pivot all the way
front bearing retainer tube intact
release bearing contacts fingers of pressure plate evenly

 

[Hankohop]

Let's clarify this. You can't get the trans into "any gear"?

Has this just been assembled and you're having issues?

Can you get it into a gear with the engine off then back to neutral?

Shift rods way out of adjustment?

Loose / worn components from pressure plate all the way back to the clutch pedal bushing will eat up your adjustment window.
Broken / bent / incorrect parts or assembly can cause the clutch to not disengage. Loose trans to bell bolts can contribute also.

Some things I'd look at inside the bell for failure to disengage and not allowing trans to go into a gear while engine running.........
fork installed on the release bearing top and bottom
fork pivot correct and not bent / broke
fork into the pivot all the way
front bearing retainer tube intact
release bearing contacts fingers of pressure plate evenly

It has just been assembled yes. I did not move any of the shift rods for adjustment. I did have to reinforce the z bars ball stud mount on the frame side as the metal there was a bit weak. i'm at work now so i haven't been able to crawl underneath and look up into the bellhousing. You mention the throwout bearing and how it's mounted and i really am second guessing myself now. I know i installed the top and bottom but i didn't double check it. I'll have to let you know on that one. I mean most everyone i've talked to states that the throwout bearing is likely my headache.

 

[dryheat]

Did you put your clutch disk in backwards? Don't ask me how I learned this.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Did you put your clutch disk in backwards? Don't ask me how I learned this.

Actually, I did that once too, but the car was "always in gear" as long as the shifter was in 1/2/3/4/R.... darn thing started to move when I tried to start it (& clutch pedal all the way down).

 

[PurpleBeeper]

It has just been assembled yes. I did not move any of the shift rods for adjustment. I did have to reinforce the z bars ball stud mount on the frame side as the metal there was a bit weak. i'm at work now so i haven't been able to crawl underneath and look up into the bellhousing. You mention the throwout bearing and how it's mounted and i really am second guessing myself now. I know i installed the top and bottom but i didn't double check it. I'll have to let you know on that one. I mean most everyone i've talked to states that the throwout bearing is likely my headache.

My "guess" is that maybe the throwout bearing slipped off the clutch release fork when you put the trans in....just a guess... you should take a look inside that inspection cover. IF that is the problem, then I suggest you get some 10"-12" long bolts the same size as the trans/bellhousing bolts (7/16"???) and replace the bottom two trans/bellhousing bolts with those long ones. Take out the top two trans/bellhousing bolts and slide the trans back on those really long bottom bolts. It makes it a heck of a lot easier to get the trans back in that way. Hopefully you cans slide the trans back enough to get your hands up in there without completely removing it.

 

[Hankohop]

My "guess" is that maybe the throwout bearing slipped off the clutch release fork when you put the trans in....just a guess... you should take a look inside that inspection cover. IF that is the problem, then I suggest you get some 10"-12" long bolts the same size as the trans/bellhousing bolts (7/16"???) and replace the bottom two trans/bellhousing bolts with those long ones. Take out the top two trans/bellhousing bolts and slide the trans back on those really long bottom bolts. It makes it a heck of a lot easier to get the trans back in that way. Hopefully you cans slide the trans back enough to get your hands up in there without completely removing it.

yeah, this is pretty genius...im so happy you brought this up actually. i guess the only thing is for me to get home and start poking around and taking it apart. id rather not but id also rather drive my car rather than wonder what's wrong with it haha. I really hope it just popped off and i can just snap it back on and get back to it. with my luck i'll have miraculously butchered something.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

yeah, this is pretty genius...im so happy you brought this up actually. i guess the only thing is for me to get home and start poking around and taking it apart. id rather not but id also rather drive my car rather than wonder what's wrong with it haha. I really hope it just popped off and i can just snap it back on and get back to it. with my luck i'll have miraculously butchered something.

May the force be with you

 

[Hankohop]

May the force be with you

Dude....

 

[Hankohop]

May the force be with you

 

[Daves69]

Aw,............... fork!

 

[440+6]

Aw,............... fork!

Or, Fork off

 

[kiwigtx]

probably not the problem, but a few years ago I bought a couple of spare clutch release bearings from Summit, and when I tried to install them, they were wrong. On closer inspection they turned out to be total junk, and came apart in my hands. I ended up buying from Brewer's (should have done that to start with) and problem solved.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

View attachment 538153 View attachment 538154

Was this picture taken with someone pushing down the clutch pedal or not? At a glance, it "looks" like the throwout bearing has slipped off of one side of the clutch fork, so maybe the clutch for "holding tang" (looks like an old beer can punch) slipped off of the "pivot" on the bellhousing. You might have gotten lucky.

With nobody's foot on the clutch pedal, that throwout bearing should be back off of the pressure plate fingers...maybe 1/4" or so? At all times, those little "loop spring wire ears" on the throwout bearing should be clipped over both "tines" (fingers) of the clutch fork. It sort of looks like the fork "tine" that's behind the throwout bearing in your picture has slipped off. Since the throwout bearing is installed (transmission input shaft going through it), it can't get cocked sideways itself, so it looks like the fork is what's crooked....aka... slipped off the pivot in the bellhousing during installation.

 

[Fran Blacker]

What the FORK!