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Suddenly, Can't Shift

turbotim1turbotim1Member
I was out on a Sunday drive today, when suddenly between gears, I could not shift. I pulled over to the side of the road and checked the linkage...everything seemed ok...tow truck? Hell no, not if I can start it in gear and limp home. So thats what I did.
When I got home I had my wife depress the clutch and I watched the slave cylinder movement. Plenty of travel.
Could something in the clutch assembly be broken that quickly? There was NO noise at all before..it has always shifted fine. No warning of any type. Can a clutch disc or pressure plate cause this sudden inability to shift? The clutch pedal resistance feels a little softer than before..any suggestions? I really doubt there is a problem with the ZF.
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George PGeorge PAdmin.
Tim,

Does it grind when you attempt to shift gears, as if the linkage is trying to shift gears but the clutch isn't disengaging?

If not, I would first suspect a loose bolt somewhere on the sift linkage, allowing fore & aft or side to side play in the linkage, so that the linkage does not fully slide the gears into place.

If it is grinding, then I would suspect something jammed between the pressure plate & disk, like an errant spring (see Cozzolino's topic) or a bolt. This would explain the reduced effort in the pedal.

cowboy from hell
gt5krgt5krMember
Sounds exactly the same thing that happened to me last summer, it happened during shifting from 1st to 2nd, the clutch pedal was softer and still the slave cyl. extends.
When you depress the clutch in gear during starting did your the clutch disengage or just start to go?
When I pulled the ZF found a sheared bolt head on one of the levers.

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cozcozMember
Yes....Depending on where the pieces of the McLeod Junk ended up, the clutch disc, if it's still intact from the pressure plate falling apart is not releasing.

I've decided to use a Ram flywheel, pressure plate and clutch disc this time around.

quote:
Originally posted by lmguy:
The situatin does sound a lot like what would happen if one of the springs came out of the clutch disc and got stuck in the somewhere insde the clutch. Right Coz???
Last edited by coz
turbotim1turbotim1Member
Thanks everyone for the replies. I tend to think its a pressure plate problem too. I will have to buy a hoist and new floor jack(my old one is worn out) before I can repair this problem...so it will have to wait till next year. When I bought the Pantera last year, the owner told me the clutch was new, and looking in the bell housing port, it looks fairly fresh. New stuff(or rebuilt)breaks too.
Back to saving my pennies for a new clutch.
moosomoosoMember
You said you can see the slave moving, but you didn't say whether you can see the shift rod moving as it enters the shift box. That is the squarish thing at the back of the transaxle on the driver's side. There are a couple of places where a missing bolt in the linkage could allow the shift lever to move without moving the shift rod.
Just a thought.
Mooso
gt5krgt5krMember
Since it looks like new clutch assy better check out the system before removing the ZF, measure the throw of the slave, should be around 3/4 in. or more. And while depressing the clutch use a screwdriver to see if you can spin the disc thru the press. plate window. Also check out the linkages for proper adjustments.

quote:
Originally posted by TurboTim1:
When I bought the Pantera last year, the owner told me the clutch was new, and looking in the bell housing port, it looks fairly fresh. New stuff(or rebuilt)breaks too.
Back to saving my pennies for a new clutch.
turbotim1turbotim1Member
The shift linkage is working find. Everythings tight there. Depressing the clutch, with the transmission in gear, hit the starter, and the car moves forward. The pressure plate is not releasing. Slave travel is good too.
I wonder if anyone can recommend the Centerforce 2 pressure plate, and clutch plate? I have a sneaking idea the pressure plate that broke in my car is the 3 finger type, orange in color too.
cozcozMember
I decided to use Ram this time around...

Most of my friends that have high HP cars (450+) use Ram stuff and none of them have had any problems or complain about their clutch set ups. A lot of these guys drag race and a few race on the various road tracks around town.

I figure if it can handle the pounding they take in the 1/4 mile, they should be able to handle the pounding in my Pantera....

A few of the Pantera owners here in town also use Ram stuff and they like it.

http://www.ramclutches.com/
Last edited by George P
cozcozMember
Tim,
Got it today. Very nice piece of equipment.
Going to put it in the Pantera on Sunday.
Should take me about 4-5 hours to yank the ZF, change the flywheel, pressure plate and disc and get the Ram stuff in, barring nothing out of the norm happens or I find during the change over.

Will let you know what I think either Sunday night or Monday after getting everything done and I drive it.
gt5krgt5krMember
Coz, How is the new RAM clutch assy working out? What are the part numbers you installed?

quote:
Originally posted by Coz:
Tim,
Got it today. Very nice piece of equipment.
Going to put it in the Pantera on Sunday.
Should take me about 4-5 hours to yank the ZF, change the flywheel, pressure plate and disc and get the Ram stuff in, barring nothing out of the norm happens or I find during the change over.

Will let you know what I think either Sunday night or Monday after getting everything done and I drive it.
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