New clutch?

[timspider]

Cool idea on the video. I enjoyed it. I was lucky to get a helper for a few minutes, so now I know the cable is working and there is no play at the pedal. So now it's too tight, which makes sense to me, and it's most likely yoke related. That part is easy enough to adjust back.
do I need to take off the bell housing to properly assess that internal stuff? I haven't seen much through the hole yet.
baby steps.

[76was124]

I would take the clutch cable off first, and probably the return spring, you'll be able to feel if the yoke is off the pivot ball by how sloppy (up/down) it is. Take a look at great pictures narfire posted, in particular the retaining spring that goes under the pivot ball. Once you take the rubber boot out, you can feel if the yoke is properly attached.

I used one of those small mirrors on a telescoping wand. (kinda of like a dentist uses). Then with a flashlight and the mirror you can tell if the spring clip is broken or not. If it is broken, you'll have to pull the trans to replace the yoke. If it's not broken, but just disconnected, you can reattach it by feel without removing anything.

[timspider]

Hopefully this clip works- it was still rendering a few minutes ago.
So with the stuff off, the yolk moves laterally a little, but i don't know if this is normal play as even with the great picture, I can't get a feel for what is happening at the other end of this.
I'm starting to sense the need to pull the tranny and just do a clutch job, as I don't think this is too far off anyway.
If you see something in this wonderfully produced video clip that tells you there is a fix I can do and slap this back together, please share.
I like surprises like that.
and thank you

[76was124]

I think the yoke is connected okay. You also seem to have good travel and throw out contact with the clutch fingers...

Do you see any broken fingers? I am not sure why you have to thread the clutch cable all the way to the end unless the problem is on the pedal end? Did you check for a bent or cracked end of the pedal fork where the cable attaches to the pedal?

Maybe someone else has ideas?

[timspider]

I'm thinking I may have had it over adjusted. Except that the last adjustment was a couple months ago and it seemed fine ever since. Until this week.
didn't see any bad fingers. What I can see looks ok, but then again, I'm not positive how it should look.
Perhaps this is in the shift linkage?
I think I'll try putting it back together and going with a slightly different adjustment.
will also double check the cable ends and seats. The fork looks good.
thanks for sharing your expertise.

[76was124]

thanks for sharing your expertise.

Ha....far from expertise, more like experience (bad ones)...I had to pull my trans 3 times before I got it all back together right!

One more thought, not likely the issue because you wouldn't have any pedal pressure, but the clutch cable is mounted through the bell housing hole before connecting to the yoke right?

[timspider]

yes. there is a white plastic piece that situates in that hole and seems to be seated firmly.I have to double check and make sure everything is solid at the fire wall.
and on a completely separate matter, while the car was in the air, I noticed the front wheel does not spin freely. I can hand turn it, but there is a good bit of resistance. feels like a brake is sticking.
another new project.
worked on this car through winter in the hopes of having her back for summer.
Oh well.

[majicwrench]

So now how much free play at the clutch pedal??
Or, down at shift fork, how much forward movement in fork before it starts pressing against pressure plate?

[azruss]

I've had the throwout bearing fork crack right at hole where it engages the bearing. It gave the bearing some movement until the pressure plate started to fight back and then it would just bend. Had the same feeling your are describing.

[majicwrench]

You did not have it "over adjusted" if it is grinding into gears. Again, how much free play?? If you still have free play, you have to get rid of it, or at least the vast majority of it. With it all assembled, down at trans, shift fork should move forward 1/4" or so before engaging bearing and plate. Does it???

[timspider]

Are the fork and the yoke the same thing?

[timspider]

I Tightened it down so there seems to be minimal free play yesterday and was able to slide into 1sr, 2nd, and 3rd, not normally, but without grinding. Reverse is unchanged: with clutch to the floor, I gently move in the direction of reverse but as soon as I get to the gear, it grinds like there is no disengagement at all.
Everything seems to look good, so the possibility of that yoke bending back when it meets the plate seems reasonable.
I've tried with a mirror and flashlights but I can't see much in there.
now trying to get a stuck caliper off as well.
More zen training.

[timspider]

ok, I've been reading this forum and de-greasing the wicked under belly of my car for most of the summer in an attempt to get what I need to replace the clutch.
ONE QUESTION: WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU USE TO GET THE TOP GOD FORSAKEN BOLT OFF THE STARTER. HAVE READ DIFFERENT POSTS WITH DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS. i BOUGHT A GROUP OF WOBBLERS. i BOUGHT EXTENSIONS. I HAVE GOTTEN THE FIRST 2 BOLTS LOOSENED.
HOW IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY DO YOU GET THAT DAMN TOP BOLT?
AND DOES ANYONE WANT A GOLD 78 SPIDER CHEAP?

[seabeelt]

Tim, If you have the car up on stands, you can get all thre starter bolts from the underside of the car. Top one with the socket, swivel joint and extensions in that order.
r/

[timspider]

thank you. got it. with girlfriend guiding socket from above, after a lot of anguish. getting the starter completely off took me most of today. at this rate I should have the new clutch completely installed by early 2017.