Installed my Z-Bar (clutch cross shaft) back on after about a year of being off. I seem to have everything connected again.
Dumb question: Why don't I have any clutch pedal pressure or tension now? The pedal is basically limp. What do you have to do to get it "pressurized" again?

 

did you "bleed" the clutch pedal??
....redvetracr

 

There is a return spring that attaches from the top of the outboard leg of the cross shaft to a little hole on the big metal plate that surrounds the steering column opening. Install that and you'll get some tension on the pedal.

 

What else did you change? Did you use a different clutch (Centerforce?) than before? Often a different clutch requires a different stud in bellhousing to get geometry correct again.

JIM

 

Yes, I replaced the stock clutch with a new one from Luk.

 

When it is all installed, and you unhook the linkage from the throwout arm coming out of the bellhousing, you want to push backwards toward rear of car on the throwout arm by hand until the throwout bearing just contacts the pressure plate. At that time, the arm should still be angled/pointing towards the front of the car. It should almost be touching the forward edge of the hole in bellhousing.

What happens is we install clutch assy's that are either "taller" or "shorter" than stock and it all gets out of whack. A little goes a long way here.

If the arm is pointing almost straight out, or only very slightly forward when bearing just touches pressure plate, you either need a longer throwout bearing or a longer pivot stud.

Years ago there were 3 lengths of bearings. Today you only commonly find 2. A short one and a long one. Most of our stuff uses the short one. The long ones are on the real flat low performance assy's or pickups usually. So likely you have the right bearing.

But also more than likely, you need a longer stud. Again, once upon a time there were 3...but you guessed it there are now 2. You most likely have the short one and it is holding arm slightly too far back towards trans. When this happens, you lose way too much travel and geometry gets way off. If the arm starts angled toward the front, you will get clutch to release before it goes "overcenter". When you start with arm angled to the rear, you lose leverage and ratio as it goes past center and clutch won't release.

A symptom of all of this is that you are out of adjustment and it still won't release right. When you get throwout bearing closer to pressure plate at rest, you will be able to shorten up all that linkage and get some adjustment back.

You can get adjustable studs from Moroso and Mr Gasket. I am only talking about an 1/8" here probably in length, but again, a little is a lot in htis area.
Another thing to look at is ANY slop in the pivot holes will be greatly exagerated. Often the holes are worn and it gets even worse.

Just for reference, if anyone ever needs it, Mcleod makes a really neat T/O bearing that has little sleeves that allows you to convert it into a short, medium or long bearing easily and eliminate a lot of these issues.


Hope all of this helps a little.

JIM

 

Interesting....I will be having the above problems you mentioned when I put mine back in.
I also am installing adjustable clutch linkage to help correct the geometry.
http://www.speeddirect.com/index.aspx?nodeID=27

 

That linkage will help a lot of issues by taking play out....but the geometry will still be the same if the lenght of the arms sticking down from crosshaft, position of throwout arm etc all stay the same.

JIM