Ok. I have a '79 vette. rebuilt the engine and put it back in the car. got the engine started and tuned in and all and now I have shifting problems. (4-speed) I had posted a thread a little while ago labeled '79 Clutch adjustment and got some good feedback. I thought the clutch was just out of adjustment, but I worked on it this morning and the adjustment didnt realy do anything for it. So. Same deal as before. If the car is turned off it will shift through all the gears perfectly fine. When it is started up in Neutrol its fine but I really cant get it into gear when its running. Just kinda a hit or miss. Sometimes it will pop in sometimes it just wont go. If I start it up with it already in gear like 1st or reverse the car will move forward or back and I have to hold the car still by using the break. One thing thats different from everything else is if its runnin in neutrol and I try to put it in reverse it will grind, but not with any other gear. If its running and in neutrol and i try to push the shifter into 1st it typically wont go in, but as I push it in the car will actually move forward.
Im just looking for some suggestions. I'm afraid that I screwed up and I'm going to have to pull the engine again and fix something with the pressure plate, clutch, or something in the bellhousing. So. Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, or where I should go next will be appreciated.
Thank you.

Todd

 

The clutch is not disengaging completely. How do youknow that it's adjusted correctly? Did you replace any clutch components?

 

Your input shaft is still turning for some reason when the engine is running and the clutch is depressed.Probably the clutch not disengaging but could also be the pilot bushing.Because the car is trying to move I would bet on the clutch.

 

When I did the rebuild I did resurfaced the flywheel, replaced the clutch, pressure plate, and put the new bearing on the input shaft.
I do remember when I put the new bearing on the input shaft I pulled the fork and old bearing off the shaft completely and then put it back on with the new bearing. Do you think it’s possibly when I put the new bearing back on with the fork that I set it too far back on the shaft so when the clutch does get pushed in it’s not completely disengaging everything?

 

I agree! I had the same problem a couple years back. For some reason the pilot bushing spun and was grabbing the input causing the same exact problem you describe. I remove the bushing and installed a GM brand, no more problem.

 

What brand of pressure plate? Also it could be the wrong throwout bearing.

Is there free play in the clutch pedal? Are you at the end of the adjustment?

 

I'm not sure on the brand of pressure plate. I bought it as a "kit" from NAPA auto parts and it included the pressure plate, clutch, and bearing. I dont rememeber if it was a NAPA store brand or something else that they just carry. The kit is for a 350 V8 set-up and they told me its the same as a OEM replacement and would work fine in the car.
There is a little free play in the clutch. I did do the adjustment and went all the way down the line and got to the end of the adjustment and the only difference I got was the clutch pedal itself being harder to push in than before and when the car was off it seemed to shift better throught the gears than before, but same results as before when the car was running.

 

OK your confusing me here a bit.Your saying you put the bearing on the input shaft.The bearing(bronze bushing)is pressed into the hole in the crankshaft.You didnt just slip the bearing on the end of the input shaft and then install the trans. did you?
edit-Duh your referring to the throwout bearing-sorry
on the throwout-where were the spring clip ends in relation to the bearing-inside the groove or outside?

 

I'm guessing he means the throw out bearing.

 

I'm a little thick sometimes.

 

I did mean the throughout bearing. Sorry for the confusion. My Bad. Should've been alittle more specific.

 

And as far as the spring clip ending in relation to the bearing. inside the groove or outside. I honesty dont remember. I put the engine back in the car 4 months ago. I don't remember.

 

Rebuilt transmission and replaced a few parts, in particular the clutch fork, it was good for 1 disengagement before it bent, soft metal, replaced the fork with a used one and all is good.