Help! Car drives in neutral when clutch released.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 20
From: New Jersey
Help! Car drives in neutral when clutch released.
Did the motor in my 74 and while doing it, did the clutch. Got everything back together, is running great, and was moving forward and back with no problem so I figured I had the clutch and everything in right.
Then I did hard pull on the motor in first gear. Pulled great but from this point forward something is off with the clutch, and maybe the trans.
When I push the clutch in, whether in neutral or in gear, car does not move and runs great. So the clutch is working. Then when I release the clutch and stick is in neutral, car moves as if in first gear (actually how I got it back in the garage). If I put in a gear and release clutch, it bogs down and stalls.
I don't know where to start. It was moving and running without a problem, then this. It is almost as if something is adjusted too tight.
Any ideas? I am thinking it isn't clutch related, but maybe something in the trans?
Thanks.
Then I did hard pull on the motor in first gear. Pulled great but from this point forward something is off with the clutch, and maybe the trans.
When I push the clutch in, whether in neutral or in gear, car does not move and runs great. So the clutch is working. Then when I release the clutch and stick is in neutral, car moves as if in first gear (actually how I got it back in the garage). If I put in a gear and release clutch, it bogs down and stalls.
I don't know where to start. It was moving and running without a problem, then this. It is almost as if something is adjusted too tight.
Any ideas? I am thinking it isn't clutch related, but maybe something in the trans?
Thanks.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 20
From: New Jersey
I did not, just put back together. It was moving through gears without a problem and shifting and driving in reverse and first with no problem in the driveway until this happened.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
One of two things come to mind. You probably broke the detent arms on the shifter cover that prevents a situation of two gear sets being engaged at the same time, like you are experiencing now. Or a shift rod dropped off, 3-4 gear, and a broken internal detent. Either way it appears that you will have to investigate the problem visually and most likely internally. Good Luck. Steve.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 20
From: New Jersey
I climbed under and reset to neutral and really lubricated the linkage. Now it seems to work great and shift like it should. I still don't understand fully what happened, and something tells me maybe there is something off internally, but at least I can move it around again. Thanks to everyone for their help.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 216
Likes: 16
From: Haverfordwest Pembrokeshire
If it drives forwards in neutral but doesn't bog and stall when you let the clutch out the only way to drive through the gearbox is through the roller bearing between the input shaft and the main shaft.
When you did the clutch did you change like for like or did you "upgrade" new clutch could be forcing input shaft back into contact with the main shaft causing some drive between the two?
Something to ponder over?
Graham
When you did the clutch did you change like for like or did you "upgrade" new clutch could be forcing input shaft back into contact with the main shaft causing some drive between the two?
Something to ponder over?
Graham
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Thanks for the follow up. When asking for advice and fixing the problem, whether you find it or the members helped it is always nice to hear back from the original poster as to what the solution was. 
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 216
Likes: 16
From: Haverfordwest Pembrokeshire
One of two things come to mind. You probably broke the detent arms on the shifter cover that prevents a situation of two gear sets being engaged at the same time, like you are experiencing now. Or a shift rod dropped off, 3-4 gear, and a broken internal detent. Either way it appears that you will have to investigate the problem visually and most likely internally. Good Luck. Steve.
Graham