Clutch Replacement Nightmare! Need your help!

[NTIMD8]

Sorry for the long read but I really need help.

OK I have been working on cars all my life and didn't even think twice about doing my own clutch job. Well everything that could have went wrong went wrong. Nothing major (until the end), just things that made the job take a lot longer than it should. This is a CM stage 3 clutch using the stock flywheel.

So fast forward to start up after the tranny is back in. I go to start the car and the clutch pedal would not go down at all. I suspected the slave did not go into the "dimple" in the fork. Got a "snake camera" and peeped into the peep hole above the starter and sure enough the rod was not in the dimple. So I take out and re-install the slave and confirm it is positioned correctly.

I go in the car and press the clutch. The clutch goes down easy but stuck to the floor. I thought maybe there was no pressure in the system and will start it do build the pressure. I start the car and there was a very faint rattle for the first 3 seconds and then a loud rattle/clanking so I shut the car off as quickly as I could. Now when I press the clutch down it only goes down half way (it does pop back up when I let go of the clutch though). Another thing I thought I would mention is the even with the clutch not pressed in I can shift the gear lever into any gear easily.

The only thing I can think of is maybe the two contact points on the fork are not on the correct spot on the release bearing (I.E. the release bearing twisted while the fork is in the right spot)? I couldn't really snake the camera to get a look visually. But why the hell would it have make that noise?

I am so frustrated after working so many hours on this thing. And now I feel really bad for it taking up my friends hoist for so long. Thank you guys very much for any suggestions!!!!!!!!

[JFP in PA]

It is possible that the throw out bearing is no longer connected the fork, or the fork itself has come off the ball pin, I'd start there.

[NTIMD8]

Thanks! I will take a closer look with the scope camera. Would that explain the clanking? Would the release bearing spin if not on the fork? I would be very surprised if it was totally off. I thought maybe the two fingers on the release bearing were not at 3 and 9.

[NTIMD8]

It is possible that the throw out bearing is no longer connected the fork, or the fork itself has come off the ball pin, I'd start there.

Im trying to picture what you mean by the fork coming off the ball pin. What is the ball pin?

[JFP in PA]

It is possible that the throw out bearing is no longer connected the fork, or the fork itself has come off the ball pin, I'd start there.

Im trying to picture what you mean by the fork coming off the ball pin. What is the ball pin?

The "ball pin" is the pivot on the opposite end of the fork from the clutch slave, the term is the name Porsche gave to it.

[JFP in PA]

Thanks! I will take a closer look with the scope camera. Would that explain the clanking? Would the release bearing spin if not on the fork? I would be very surprised if it was totally off. I thought maybe the two fingers on the release bearing were not at 3 and 9.

If the throw-out bearing is totally off the fork, it can make one Hell of a din banging around on the transmission input shaft housing as it bounces off the back off the pressure plate fingers. Get a look at what is going on in there.....

[NTIMD8]

Thank you!

[NTIMD8]

Turned out to be the release bearing came off the fork and the pressure plate bolt heads being too long and hitting the casting inside the tranny. Lesson learned.

[JFP in PA]

_{Glad you got it sorted.}