Clutch/ transmission problem

[SL#63]

1987 Shelby Lancer/ A520 trans.

I just installed a new clutch (McCleod "street" setup from FWDP). It took a while to get the tranny lined up, but once I did it all slid together with relative ease! Flywheel was resurfaced and all other parts are new from the boxes.

Now to the problem: When the engine is off, the trans feels like it is shifting fine through all gears. With the engine running, shift effort is slightly higher, but all forward gears engage and the wheels turn (car is still on stands). The wierd thing is that with the clutch pedal in or out, the wheels start turning as soon as I push the shifter near any given gate. Car is still in the air and if I move the shifter to the bottom of the gate near 1st gear, the wheels begin to spin.

Reverse however is a different story...There is severe grinding when the engine is running (again, it 'seems' to go into reverse when the engine is off) and there is no way I can get it into reverse. The clutch cable does not do any self adjustment and the adjuster is pulled down about as far as it will go on the backside of the pedal. I tried to shim the cable and now have zero slack, but still cannot get the trans into reverse. I also noticed that with the brakes holding the wheels from spinning, shift effort goes way up for any gear selection

[Chris W]

1987 Shelby Lancer/ A520 trans.

I just installed a new clutch (McCleod "street" setup from FWDP). It took a while to get the tranny lined up, but once I did it all slid together with relative ease! Flywheel was resurfaced and all other parts are new from the boxes.

Now to the problem: When the engine is off, the trans feels like it is shifting fine through all gears. With the engine running, shift effort is slightly higher, but all forward gears engage and the wheels turn (car is still on stands). The wierd thing is that with the clutch pedal in or out, the wheels start turning as soon as I push the shifter near any given gate. Car is still in the air and if I move the shifter to the bottom of the gate near 1st gear, the wheels begin to spin.

Reverse however is a different story...There is severe grinding when the engine is running (again, it 'seems' to go into reverse when the engine is off) and there is no way I can get it into reverse. The clutch cable does not do any self adjustment and the adjuster is pulled down about as far as it will go on the backside of the pedal. I tried to shim the cable and now have zero slack, but still cannot get the trans into reverse. I also noticed that with the brakes holding the wheels from spinning, shift effort goes way up for any gear selection

Check the teeth on the white and black plastic clutch adjusting components. Sometimes they can strip and need to be replaced. Replacing only one may cause the old one to strip the new one. Don't take chances and replace them both at the same time. Also, place the vehicle on the ground while attempting to shift. The tires may spin when the car is up and in neutral. This could cause the vehicle to not shift properly.

Chris-TU

[SL#63]

Check the teeth on the white and black plastic clutch adjusting components. Sometimes they can strip and need to be replaced. Replacing only one may cause the old one to strip the new one. Don't take chances and replace them both at the same time. Also, place the vehicle on the ground while attempting to shift. The tires may spin when the car is up and in neutral. This could cause the vehicle to not shift properly.

Chris-TU

Chris, Thanks for responding!
I believe they are stripped! This is why I tried shimming the other end to take out any slop in the cable. If I am looking at this mechanism correctly, a new clutch with normal cable and adjusting mechanism would have the black component engaging the white component near the bottom, correct (spring in stretched position)? I will happily replace those components once I figure out this mystery! I have also tried shifting with the brakes engaged (to simulate car on the ground) and shift effort becomes quite hard!

What would cause the disk to be engaged all of the time yet not fully release? I have taken all of the slop out of the cable using shims at the trans end of the cable...pedal is at regular height, clutch arm is at highest point before T.O. bearing contacts PP fingers (I can hear it tap the fingers of the pressure plate).

Should there be some deflection of the PP fingers at the normal pedal position, or should the T.O. bearing be just bearly riding the fingers causing no deflection?