Peter Lufrano

Hi all,

In preparation for installing my new EFI system on my '71 Cutlass Convertible, and needing to fix an known exhaust leak at the manifold, I replaced both exhaust manifolds and gaskets.

The drivers side down pipe wouldn't fit well with the new manifold on that side, so I brought the car in to my local muffler shop to have a new pipe made and the O2 sensor bung installed.

As usual they did a great job.

However, now I can not get the car into Reverse. Oh, 4 speed manual car by the way.

I can only get in to Reverse with the engine off. And after getting home, it is also pretty difficult getting even in to the other gears.

Since the work was done in and around the area of the clutch and shifter linkage, logic would lead me to think that something was bumped or done to screw up the linkage.

Any idea where to start looking?

The muffler shop is now closed until the 12th, and the other mechanic I have trust in can not take any work in until after the 24th.

I do not really know what I am looking at/for so I am kinda screwed LOL

Any help from you knowledgable folks is sure appreciated!

RetroRanger

couple pics may help drvers side linkage area top and bottom

Peter Lufrano

Very good idea! Ok, let me get her nose up in the air and take some pictures.....

65vistacruiser

Does your clutch pedal seem to have more free play at the top, than what it had prior to the exhaust work? A clutch with too much free play won't fully release and will act as you describe.

It's possible they moved the linkage to get better access to the manifold and changed the clutch adjustment in the process. Or maybe moved the clutch push rod to the opposite side of the bell-crank, to gain some clearance, and didn't re-adjust.

In this case you may have to adjust the push rod length to gain more release of the clutch. (Make it longer) Try setting the top free play to around 1.5 inches of pedal travel.

Oh, and ahhh...make sure your floor mats aren't stacked up beneath the clutch pedal.

Peter Lufrano

ok, here are a couple pictures I took. I don't see anything wrong, however it would have to be pretty darn obvious for me to know LOL.

I have a sneaking suspicion that my clutch has just failed in an unfortunate coincidence......

65vistacruiser

The only problem I can see is that you are out of adjustment as far as getting any more "release" out of that clutch. I don't see any more threads showing on the front side of the adjustment trunion. From the looks of that set-up you could have no "pedal free play" at all, and a clutch that slips on acceleration.

However, because the trouble is difficulty shifting, (clutch dragging when released), you may have a faulty pilot bearing, worn pressure plate fingers or a disc that is breaking apart.

Or, on the other hand....

A few weeks ago, I inspected a clutch that was dragging when released and acting as you described yours to be.
The problem I found, was that the throw-out bearing was installed on the release fork with it's flange in front of the retention spring, instead of behind. This way the spring was pushing the bearing against the fingers of the pressure plate, and had to be compressed before the bearing could release the clutch.
This made it impossible to properly adjust free play and the result was incomplete clutch release and difficult shifting. All it needed was to be properly re-assembled.

oldcutlass

Your missing the clutch fork boot, though not your problem. Look through the bell housing opening and see if the fork is mounted properly on your throw out bearing. The pilot bearing will cause a vibration not the issue your having. Make sure your free play is adjusted correctly. Are there any unusual noises when you push in the clutch?