HELP - Clutch won't disengage fully

[JJREED]

So I've just he'd my LT77 gearbox rebuild by the gearbox man.
Put it all back together with a replated clutch plate (by a specialist who do the AP clutches which it is) Pressure plate looks fine with hardly any wear on the lugs. And I've put it all back in the car but it's dragging when I try to fully disengage it.
There is drive to the wheels, but not enough clutch travel to engage gears. If It put it in gear with the engine off, press the clutch to the floor and start the engine the car doesn't move, but clearly the clutch is just dragging. If I easy off the clutch slightly it started to drive. Not too heavy all nice an smooth and progressive. All appears to work except just insufficient travel.

It's so close that it will easily crank with the gears engaged and clutch fully depressed but just not quite enough to release.

I've re se-sealed the slave cylinder and just fitted a brand new master cylinder and bled it all through.

There is a very thin shim fitted between the bell housing and the slave cylinder, and also of course the lower bell housing cover plate. Next step is to remove these in a vain attempt to get it to work, but I guess these won't increase the travel per-se. I've also thought push rod worn or release arm bent, but again none of these change the travel.

The only thing I'm really fearful of is that the clutch plate is too thick.

Please help - I'm really hoping I do not have to take the box back out again and it's something obvious. I' think I'll also try a larger bore master cylinder before I do that, which should give it some more travel, but something's not right.

Any ideas???

[Boosted LS1]

Have you kept the original pivot post and bearing carrier? Also, the pivot has been known to bust through the fork. The modification is to weld a strengthening plate onto the fork.

[gmw9666]

Can you not take the slave off and see how much the fork will move?

If no movement, per previous post, have you changed anything? I know there do different length bearing carriers? If you kept the same carrier is the bearing pressed home etc

[JJREED]

Yes all original parts, except clutch plate.

[JJREED]

Yes all original parts, except clutch plate. There is a lot of 'play' in the release are rod - That is I can pull the rod at least an inch towards the font of the car after removing the slave cylinder.

[Steve_D]

Have seen issues getting the clutch to bleed out.
Try taking the slave off and holding it with the bleed at the very highest point whilst bleeding it.

Steve

[N7GTX]

JJREED said:

and just fitted a brand new master cylinder and bled it all through.

Please read the advice by Powers in the link to a new master cylinder. This is more likely to be the problem.

http://www.powersperformance.co.uk/store/slug/clut...

If the new rod in the master cylinder is too short/incorrectly adjusted then you will not get the corresponding movement at the slave.

[Discopotatoes]

Also worth taking the slave off and checking for full movement, did mine recently and found the end behind the rubber seal was gunked up and needed a good clean,

[JJREED]

Pretty sure it's well blood I must have put at least half a litre through it. Adjusted the pedal rod to max/min/mid travel and still no use. Just almost enough travel to disengage but not quite.

Could anything on the release action be misassembled, any thoughts? Or the dreaded bent/holed release arm. I think I'll cut a hole and take a look.

[carsy]

I here what you say but are you 100% sure its bled fully.

How does the pedal feel around its first bit of travel. Any play softness ?

I only say because i could bleed mine literally all day long and it would just not be 100%.

The only way mine will bleed totally is by removing the slave, holding it nipple / pipe pointing upwards and manually depress the piston all the way a few times to push the last bit of air out through the master cylinder.

Press the piston in slowly though to avoid any spillage at the MC end, plenty of rags etc. Obviously its easier to do with a flexible pipe as well.

[JJREED]

Well I've bled it as best I can. Dropped the box off again tonight .....And all seems perfect inside - No signs of anything amiss in there. Frustrated to say the least!

[ntc2008]

Have you checked the friction plate is on the correct way round while you have the box out?

[Pupp]

Sounds like a different installed height between the two clutches to me... might be able to adjust the fulcrum height to compensate if so

[JJREED]

Friction plate - Yep it only goes in one way. The springs won't fit inside the flywheel bore so It's not possible to fit it the wrong way round.
It's out now so I'm replacing everything with new. That has to fix it.

[JJREED]

Got it sorted - The earlier type clutch, with the plastic release bearing needs a different clutch assembly (with 'bends' on the fingers). Either that or it wasn't bled properly.
Anyway it's all now sorted and old parts on Ebay if anyones interested.