I have no clue where to start here...

My car developed grinding in first and reverse today, to the point that it's impossible to get it into gear. It was light grinding once then went imediatley to heavy grinding.

My first thought is the clutch. So when coming to a stop I simply turn the car off and let the revs die off, and try to put it in gear, but if the car is moving it will grind? (I have the clutch in for this before you ask...)

However at a dead stop with engine off I can shift into the gear cleanly so it's most likely no the linkage and my bushings were all replaced within the last 3 months, so I'm fairly confident teh problem isn't there.

So I can't get into gear unless both the car isn't moving and the engine isn't running? But I can get into gear then??? I can shift thru 2,3,4,5 easilly and without any grinding so I'm assumeing that this is a problem I can't really afford seeing as I have less than $200 to my name atm, and do to other circumstances my 914 is my only car atm, so I'm kinda freaking out.

Please tell me it's something simple, an ajustment of some kind, or atleast something cheap!

clutch adjustment?

clutch cable.....adjust that....

adjust this way

1/3 way down and it starts slipping......

and you should have about 1 inch play between bottomed out and starting to grab.....

replace tranny fluid with new synthetic fluid.

Shift gently till your financials improve.

BTW, I had no first gear for quite a while, I even autocrossed without first....so it can be driven...

If reverse fails, you need to think about every parking situation, but it can be driven...

Rich

i would say your cable stretched. But that never happens...

If snugging up the clutch cable a little doesn't help, then the nylon fork pivot bushing could have finally worn out or cracked. Whe this little part is gone you'll grind first and reverse.

what year is your car?


and guy: what is the bushing you speak of??? the firewall bushing?

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Oct 1 2005, 08:57 PM)

what year is your car? and guy: what is the bushing you speak of??? the firewall bushing?

I'm referring to the plastic bushing inside the throw-out arm. These wear out, sometimes they crack and fall out. When this happens it pivots closer to the transaxle case, and the geometry is off too far to properly adjust the clutch. It looks like this:

okay...thanks guy.....


still work at IBM?

Yes, they still put up with me.

914GT... got part numbers for those?

I've never understood people saying to adjust the clutch so it engages at a given point (i.e. 1/2 way down), it is what it is. You need a little free play when the pedal is at rest, 1/2" to 3/4" is fine.

Then you adjust the stop on the pedal board so that you can shift into reverse without any grinding. Reverse has no synchro so: Depress the clutch with the engine running, allow everything to spin down, or shift into 2nd or 3d, then into Reverse. Without removing your foot from the clutch, put the shifter in neutral, sit there for a few seconds, then try to go back into reverse. If it goes in smoothly with no tick tick tick of the teeth, you've got full release. If you can hear it click a bit before it engages, move the stop on the pedal board a bit more. I usually adjust it just a little beyond the point that clash stops. When you lift the pedal the car starts moving around 1/2"-3/4" up from the stop. Note that the 1/2" or so is a function of proper adjustment, NOT the amount it is adjusted to.

If you are at the point where the pedal is touching the floor and you can't tighten the cable any more without engaging the clutch at rest, then you have a problem. It's either a broken clutch tube, a ball cup bushing, or something else that is reducing the ability to get full and correct travel.

Good Luck.

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Oct 1 2005, 07:57 PM)

what year is your car?

Tis a 76... And I'm told the numbers match so I'm hopeing at all cost not to half to replace the tranny... I will try and ajust the cable tomorrow

Mine did that when the disk was wet with Tranny gear oil. Front tranny seal was bad.

Once had a similar experience...clutch cable was almost broken,,,hanging by a few strands which allowed it to stretch. One more possibility...clutch cable tube weld broken?