I went out for nice Sunday morning drive in the '76, I probably should have stayed in bed. While shifting from 1st to 2nd I felt something let go(more like a pulse) in the clutch pedal. The shifter would then not go into 2nd gear, or any other gear for that matter. With the ignition turned off and the clutch depressed I was able to get the car into 3rd gear. I then got moving by using the starter to get it fired up in gear. (Ya I know, not great but it saved me two hundred bucks on a tow truck.) Anyways I had no problems driving it home in third gear, so now it sits waiting for me to figure out what's wrong.

Any ideas about where I should start looking or is this a problem I shoud just leave to the tranny shop down the street. I feel comfortable taking anything apart so no job is to big, as long as I can do it on the garage floor.

 

I need help here guys!!!!

 

OK...what tranny is it? Stock Muncie M20 4-speed I assume? I had the same problem and it turned out to be the throw-out bearing. Though try the easiest thing first.

1. Check and adjust the clutch cable to see if you can get the clutch to engage at all.

2. Check the shift linkage to make sure there is no binding or bending going on.

3. Check the tranny fluid...make sure it has some. If it does then move on down, if not then don't bother adding any...since you are having problems then pull the tranny.

4. Pull the tranny (yes I know it's the same result as step 3, but hey...this is step 4 so it's different right). Inspect the throw-out bearing, clutch fork, and pivot ball. Go ahead and remove the pressure plate and inspect the disk and surfaces while you are at it...you don't want to pull the tranny too many times...just do it once and do it right. Rebuild the tranny...take it all apart and do a thorough inspection (or just buy another tranny)

5. Replace everything that's worn, resurface your flywheel and pressure plate, install a new pilot bushing, new clutch disk, re-install pressure plate, new throw-out bearing, replace clutch fork and re-install the rebuilt tranny.

Hope that helps.

 

Well, there are alot of possibilities, not the least of which would be the pressure plate. But there are some more minor things as well. If you can get the car on jackstands and look at the clutch fork while someone depresses the pedal, you may be able to see what's wrong. Otherwise, you may as well pull the transmission and the bellhousing. Could be a problem with the fork or the ball stud, but in either case you still have to tear it apart. If it's the fork, stud, or throwout bearing, you may be able to fix it without taking the transmission all the way out, but it will have to be slid all the way back to get access.

 

Sounds like the pressure plate has gone out! Sorry.

 

Yeah, get a small mirror and light that you can hold in the clutch fork opening with the boot pulled back and watch to see if it's popped off the throw-out bearing or pivot ball.

 

Thanks guys. I guess I know what I'll be doing this long weekend.