DISCLAIMER: Prior to the work I list below I'd never worked on a car before. My mechanical experience ended at changing the oil on a motorcycle once so please, forgive my ignorance. I've done a lot of homework recently, but clutches/transmissions are very new to me.

Greetings!

My name is Brandon. I've been lurking around here for a while, but now I finally need a little insight that I don't think the search bar and google can quite cover.

Here's the deal:

My 1975 914 1.8 has sat for the last 8-9 months. Fired it up a couple weeks ago and it wont shift into any gear. It grinds really bad when trying to put it into ANY gear while the engine is running. However, when it's shut down I can negotiate each gear just fine OR when it's up in the air and running I can shift through the gears (modulating the throttle) without the clutch as long as I'm not applying the brakes.

Clutch won't disengage?

So far I've replaced the shift rod bushings at the firewall, fork, coupler housing and ball joint as well as respective set/cone screws followed by a brand new clutch cable, but no resolution.

I was praying it was just adjusting the clutch cable, but I took a brand new cable (not terry, factory length) down til it was out of threads at the throw arm and still got nothing.

Clutch tube seems to be fine as well.

*watch/listen in HD*

In this video I show the play in the throwout arm with the car shut down, clutch cable removed. This look normal? Should I be feeling any resistance from the diaphragm springs on the pressure plate?

VIDEO 1

Here you can see it shifting in the first scene. I'm actuating the clutch, but I don't think it's actually doing anything. Second scene shows the travel at the throwout arm with the cable very tight. Third scene shows me trying to shift with the car running, brakes applied (I think I get it in gear once in this shot, but only after releasing the brakes.) Last scene shows shifting without touching the clutch, brakes released.

VIDEO 2

Is there ANYTHING else I can troubleshoot before dropping the transmission? Did I miss something? My new love affair with google tells me the clutch disc could be stuck to the pressure plate, but it'll be quite a setback for me to dive into that and I'm not in much of a position to purchase a new clutch kit.

Any and all help is appreciated!


-B.

I doubt its a transmission issue, more like pressure plate or throw out bearing.
A friend of mine had a similar issue last year , after replacing his transmission and pressure plate . We went crazy trying to fugure it out. We dropped the transmission 3 times.

At the end it was the pressure plate he purchased years ago. It was a wrong one but fits perfect.

You might check to see if there is a spacer under the nut on the clutch cable. As I recall there is! This would allow you to get more adjustment . . . however the proper adjustment is measured at the pedal. You should adjust it down until there is just a bit of play.

Get a short (1/2"?) piece of pipe, or a couple-three oversize nuts, between the "clevis" and the two M7 adjuster nuts on the cable. That is something that is very frequently needed on our cars. See if that helps.

--DD

If it worked 8-9 months ago when you parked it, it could be the clutch disc stuck to the flywheel. You could try pushing the clutch pedal all the down and see if you can start it in 1st gear with the handbrake set and/or the wheels on the ground and the brakes on.
It the disc is stuck it may pop lose.

Jim

PS, since your local I have PM'd you my number, give me a call I might be able to come by and give you a hand.

Thanks for the input guys. Unfortunately I don't think it's as simple as adjusting the clutch cable. Thank you, Jim for the PM. I'll try your suggestion next. If I have to I'll be dropping the tranny next week.