924Board.org

mgatlag · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 647 Location: Avon, IN

hey boys. Well I've been silent for a while, been busy finishing all my fire certs. Let me tell you where I'm at with the car now...

Pulled the motor and put new gaskets and seals on everything except the head. Painted the block and reinstalled with a new clutch. Did a torque tube rebuild (will do a how-to with lots of pics soon) and reinstalled the TT.

Ok here's where I'm stuck. Got everything back in and the motor sounds great, everything buttoned up on that end. BUT when I now push in the clutch, I can't get it into gear. It just grinds, bad. I've adjusted the play at the end of the cable where it has the 2 adjusting nuts and I've also tried adjusting the lever arm that attaches to the rod that pushes the throwout bearing. I looked in the Haynes book and did it just like they say but it's not working!!

What is going on here????? I've been in the garage for about 2 weeks and getting excited to put it back on the road and now this...

On a side note.. HUGE thanks to Vaughan and Chris for the TT bearing carriers and Dan for the goodies.
_________________
Michael
'77 1/2 924 N/A- 5 speed Audi box
'04 Ford Taurus - gone!!
'92 Jeep Cherokee Laredo - gone!!

Porsche... better than tea with Miss McGill
(Slap Shot)

Mike924 · Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 2601 Location: IoW UK

Hi Mike.

The method for doing the clutch cable adjustments in the Haynes manual are confusing, to say the least, particularly as regards the order of doing things.

The way to do it is this:

1) Before fitting the cable, adjust the release lever arm: Take out all the play in the thrust bearing by pressing the fork arm and bearing against the clutch plate through the little access hatch in the bell housing. With things in this position, adjust the lever arm so that the hook that the cable engages in is 138 mm (IIRC) below the cable bracket.

2) Then, fit the cable and adjust the cable length to get the 20 mm free play at the pedal.

Do not use the cable adjustment to set the 138 mm dimension.

Hope this is clear and good luck!
_________________
1985 Porsche 924 'Lux', Kalahari Beige (my ex)
1993 Porsche 968 Coupe, Midnight Blue, 6 spd

'There is no substitute for a little grease under your fingernails.' - Chrenan, 924board.org

mgatlag · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 647 Location: Avon, IN

thanks for the reply Mike924, I did do it just that way and the damn thing still won't engage fully and let me put it in gear. I've done several clutches and never had this problem before. I REALLY don't wanna have to pull it again but it looks like I may not have a choice. Any other ideas?
_________________
Michael
'77 1/2 924 N/A- 5 speed Audi box
'04 Ford Taurus - gone!!
'92 Jeep Cherokee Laredo - gone!!

Porsche... better than tea with Miss McGill
(Slap Shot)

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Won't avoid having to pull the motor if this is the case, but is there any chance you got the clutch disc installed the wrong way around?
_________________
erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Chrenan · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 3903 Location: Canada

Did you replace the pilot (needle) bearing? The one that is pressed into the back of the crank?
_________________
1987 951 - M193 Version for Japan

mgatlag · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 647 Location: Avon, IN

Well I think you can only put the clutch in one way, I don't think the pressure plate will go on if it's backwards. And yes I did put a new needle bearing. Could I have damaged it when I pushed the drive shaft in?
_________________
Michael
'77 1/2 924 N/A- 5 speed Audi box
'04 Ford Taurus - gone!!
'92 Jeep Cherokee Laredo - gone!!

Porsche... better than tea with Miss McGill
(Slap Shot)

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

!tom · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 2:27 am Post subject:

I would start by trying to diagnose if the pressure plate is releasing the clutch disk.

With the engine off and car in gear (4th or 5th), see if you can get it to roll with the clutch pedal depressed.

If you can, then I would think this means you've got a fried pilot bearing.

Another trick to try is the one used after a car has been sitting a long time, and the clutch plate sticks to the flywheel. Put it in gear (4th or 5th) with the engine off, one foot hard on the brakes, then hit the starter. This will break free anything that is holding things together that shouldn't (like rust on the surfaces). If the car still moves when you do this and you still can't shift into gear with the engine running, I don't see any alternative other than pulling things apart.

Have you verified correct operation of everything by looking through the inspection hole while someone else presses the pedal?
_________________
78 924 NA
5-lug

Chrenan · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 3903 Location: Canada

mgatlag · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 647 Location: Avon, IN

thanks for the replies boys. I did have the right alignment tool so I know that's good. I do like Tom's ideas of tests though. I'm at the station today til 8pm so I'm gonna try them when I get home. I really hope this is gonna be something simple but realistically...nothing has been "simple" with this little money pit! I do have a buddy that is coming over too and I'm gonna have him push in the pedal while I look thru the access hole and check the function of everythying. Hopefully I won't have to tear everything apart again..
_________________
Michael
'77 1/2 924 N/A- 5 speed Audi box
'04 Ford Taurus - gone!!
'92 Jeep Cherokee Laredo - gone!!

Porsche... better than tea with Miss McGill
(Slap Shot)

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

When you reassembled the TT, are you absolutely certain you got the driveshaft correctly positioned in the torque tube? It's not too far forward, is it?
_________________
erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

!tom · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 4:01 am Post subject:

mgatlag · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 647 Location: Avon, IN

924RACR · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:58 pm Post subject:

Ummm... yes, it is perfectly possible to put the clutch disk in backwards. That's why one side is labeled "flywheel side." The hub sticks out more one way than the other.

That said, I'm not sure how that would produce the results you're seeing... unless perhaps the hub is sticking onto the flywheel/pilot bearing because the long end of the hub is pointing the wrong way. From memory, I think the long end of the hub faces away from the flywheel.
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

mgatlag · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 647 Location: Avon, IN

well I had a buddy come over and help. I looked thru the access hole on the bell housing while he pushed in the pedal. The clutch did disengage from the pressure plate just fine. I then put the car in 4th gear with the car off and pushed in the pedal, car would not move. Took it out of gear and it moved fine. So why then would it not go into gear with the car running and it grind so badly? Could it be something back at the tranny or does this still sound like a clutch area issue?
_________________
Michael
'77 1/2 924 N/A- 5 speed Audi box
'04 Ford Taurus - gone!!
'92 Jeep Cherokee Laredo - gone!!

Porsche... better than tea with Miss McGill
(Slap Shot)