Cluth problems

[Moneypit]

On the way to work this morning it was very hard to shift gears. I would push the clutch all the way to the floor and it wouldn't grind but was very hard to get in gear. This went on for about 5 miles and then started working perfectly again, any ideas? :headbang:

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Check your shifter linkage, as well as your tranny fluid level and condition.

 

[Moneypit]

could it be the throwout bearing, people have told me that it can stick and meak it hard to shift, Fluid is ok, don't know about the linkage yet, It is a cable shifter but a rod shifter is coming soon.

 

[Blue-By-U]

This happened to me in my former 89 SHO. The shifting became difficult and shortly thereafter (about a month) it was near impossible to get the car in gear. Turns out the TOB chewed through my PP fingers and actually tore 2 of them off.

 

[autobahnsho]

Ditto these guys- I think it's a clutch issue. I had the same thing happen, except it didn't tear up any fingers. But somehow an INNER spring from the disc came loose and was bouncing around.
It was weird, though- I pulled apart the front of the engine to change the Crank Position Sensor (CKP used to be CPS) and when I finished, the car started up fine, I drove around the block, and all of a sudden it wouldn't shift.

I turned it off and went to drive it home later- it shifted fine for about 5 minutes then got harder and harder to shift, until I couldn't at all. Turn it off for a while, an it would do the same thing. My TOB was toast, it wore a groove in the pressure plate fingers, and the disc got tore up.
see www.photoisland.com
login id = autobahnsho
pword = sho
under "sho maintenance" to see some pics.

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Maybe the clutch cable is just loose. Try tightening it- pull UP on the pedal ("w/ about 10lbs. of force"- thanx SDPatt) and you might hear a click. This means it was loose and the auto-tensioner tightened it.

Start saving for a clutch!!
I highly recommend getting the video from shonutperformance.com I would also getting their upgraded TOB. It seems to be the weak part of the clutch system.

I watched the video, ordered a kit from Autozone.com (about $300,) plus about $100 for other parts, and did it myself. It took me several days of 7hrs each but I'm still a newbie mechanic and a klutz. Should take most people less time. The real time killer is taking apart the y-pipe, axles, and subframe. The actual clutch work is quick.

Also, make sure you take the flywheel to a decent shop to have them refinish it. (Sort of like they do with brake rotors.) Shouldn't be more than $50 max.

There are a lot of good posts about clutch changes here if you do the search.

I saved $300-500 by doing it myself!!! Yay SHO Forum!!

 

[MDE3]

Similar clutch problems..questions

I have the problem right now that the throw into reverse is noisy, and the pedal goes pretty far down before disengaging the clutch. However the clutch seems to have plenty of bite left..no slippage at all. I have tried the standard clutch adjustment and get no click.

There is also a slight catch in the clutch throw near the bottom of travel, and a slight clicking under acceleration sometimes...not noticeable when revved in neutral and stationary..so I am not thinking valve lash...Does this all sound too familiar?....Like the TOB? I would hate to replace the slack adjuster ...which is not an inexpensive process, and find we didn't fix the problem.

 

[autobahnsho]

MDE3-
Unfortunately this does sound like the TOB. Even though the Disc and flywheel can be perfectly healthy, if the TOB starts to wear out it will cause disengagement issues. (I mean disengaging the tranny from the engine.)

I don't know about your other noises, though..