OK guys, I just need to make sure I’m thinking straight here. All opinions welcome.
I started out with shift linkage that had slipped but I’m pretty sure I have that properly sorted. I been through the various alignment procedures outlined here and elsewhere several times. The shifter is centered in the gate and straight in line with the 2nd and 3rd slots in the gate when in neutral, and the selector shaft in neutral position. It will easily slip into all gears with the engine not running (even the non-synch’d reverse). Initially, before the car has been driven, it will shift into every gear smoothly with the engine running and runs through the gears real nice. However, after some driving, I can’t get it into reverse. It grinds as if the clutch isn’t disengaged. At the same time, it will still slip in and out of all the other (synchronized) gears very nicely while at rest or driving. If I shut the engine down, I can still easily slip it into reverse. If I start the car with the clutch disengaged and the ZF in reverse, there is not even a hint of clutch hanging up and there is normal travel of the clutch pedal before I feel the friction point of the clutch in reverse. If I let the car sit and cool off, all is well and proper until I get it heated up and then the symptom repeats.
Why not just start the car in reverse when it’s hot you ask? Well, I’d prefer not to have to shut down to grab reverse and also am not too crazy about having the crank loaded against the thrust bearing by (heavy) clutch force before I have oil pressure.
I have a dual disc clutch (see picture below) and I suspect it’s the culprit. It holds like a vice but I’m thinking that the floater plate and the two friction discs may be floating around a bit on the input shaft when the clutch is disengaged causing a little communication with the flywheel, floater, and pressure plate when I get everything good and hot. On the other hand, perhaps the floater plate grows when it gets hot and doesn’t float or hangs up a bit on it’s three guide bushings.
I have a long throw slave and I have ample stroke, a good 7/8”+ or so. I’ve removed the inspection cover and had a look with it running but still cold and it looks like the friction plates are fairly static, but it’s sort of hard to say. There’s lot’s of pressure plate stroke, that’s for certain. I see most of the clearance between the pressure plate and second disc, that’s why I sort of suspect the floater plate isn’t floating well when hot. -I need to do this with everything heated up when reverse want’s to grind.
I read in another post here about the possibility of the pilot bushing causing the similar problems. It seems plausible but I sort of doubt it in this case.
Am I missing something here? Any thoughts?
Kelly
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