Another 46 to 47 project!

[DreamsOfA47]

Lads, I come bearing bad news: something in my clutch has completely failed and I can't get the car into gear! I took the car for a drive today up the highway and everything was going very well, until it was time to parallel park. I tried to shift into reverse but the car wouldn't go into gear, then I tried to drove away and the car wouldn't go into any gear. Also when the clutch pedal is depressed it now won't return and is stuck on the floor. I'm assuming at this point that the throwout bearing has failed without any warning. The trans shifts into all gears done while the car is off so I don't believe it to be znthing with the gearbox. The clutch cable also appears to be intact with no damage.

What do y'all think? Does my diagnosis seem to be in the right vein? If not the release bearing then I think it'd be the pressure plate.

I'm dreading having to pull out the gearbox it seems like quite the ordeal...

[Richard48Y]

So you skipped a few post?
No news when you got it running and driving?
Car-ma for not keeping us up to date?

[DreamsOfA47]

Ok the car-ma quip had me laughing harder than I want to admit but I’ve told y’all the car’s been running since page 6! 

But yes incase I hadn’t said it simply the car has been running and driving well for the little test drives I’ve been taking it on as I button things up. I even got the head and tail lights working! That all being said the clutch went without any warning. When clutches go what is it that fails?? I’m probably going to try and order a whole clutch kit at this point but I have no idea when I will be able to work on replacing it due to the work needed to pull the gearbox

[jbcollier]

Get an assistant.  Have them push the clutch pedal while you watch the clutch arm.  Is the clutch arm moving?  If not, maybe the the cable abutment under the drivier's seat broke away.

[Kendo]

JB, that’s what happened to my car early in ownership. The under-seat bracket rusted and broke up. I relocated the new one slightly to reduce the downward bow of the cable under the car.

[DreamsOfA47]

JB and Kendo that'll be the very fist thing I check! Having gone back into the engine compartment to try and find the reason it all stopped working the cable doesn't seem to have any undue amount of slack in the engine bay, but I'm not sure how the cable is fairing under the car so I'll start there. As I push on the pedal I can watch the cable move with the pedal so I believe it to be intact and not broken anywhere. I have a feeling it may be related to the clutch components themselves because it seems that the clutch arm won't move at all. If I disconnect the cable and attempt to actuate the arm it rocks forward minutely and then stops, and no amount of force or leverage can make it move forward further. I haven't had a second person to depress the pedal while I watch the arm, so perhaps I'm just unable to overcome the pressure plate springs without the leverage and leg muscles. I'll hopefully get the car towed home soon and I can get started diagnosing this new issue.

[Richard48Y]

Page 9, Alternator, Fan, and 'what to do with these wires' issues.
So hearing of your clutch problem while driving was a surprise.
I just removed my whole drive-line and it would seem pulling just the trans should not be a horrible job.
Of course, good support for the chassis and engine are critical.

[DreamsOfA47]

It doesn't seem to be a massively difficult job, but the need to completely disassemble the rear suspension makes it quite a process. If I need to remove the gearbox I'll employ many jackatsnds or the rear of the frame and a spare floor jack with a 2x4 under the engine oil pan to support the engine. The first step will be getting it home after that I'll try and figure out what's wrong.

[jbcollier]

If the clutch arm won't move but the cable does when you press the pedal, then it's probably the cable abutment. 

[GavinT]

+1 on the cable abutment.

The cable sheath ferrules at both ends of the cable need to be seated properly for it to work. Check the abutment at the engine mount. Is the engine mount cracked/broken?

I doubt you could apply sufficient force by hand on the clutch lever, but given sufficient room you could perhaps jerry rig a breaker bar on the gearbox lever.

[DreamsOfA47]

Gavin, come to think of it the the sheath ferule is no longer sitting flush in the engine mount, its backed itself out toward the front of the car. That may be a pretty indicator that the front abutment has broken...

[GavinT]

I'm not sure about the OEM cable but my cable has flats machined into the ferrules. This is intended to take a clip that stops the cable coming out of it's recess, much the same as used on hand brake (E-brake) cables.

I've had the cable jump out of it's recess on the track but then, clutch use can be fairly enthusiastic in that setting.

[DreamsOfA47]

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I’m very thankful and appreciative for all the help you guys have given me with this project and I hope you continue to offer me your insight as I keep tinkering!

Well, Lads I got the car home and I got under it to try and find the abutment… I have to cut the body or at least the seat to get to it, don’t I?

[Kendo]

The one I’m talking about is in the driver’s space, under the carpet. Follow the clutch cable back from the pedal, about 1foot back

[DreamsOfA47]

Do you have an S1 or an S2? When I lift up the seat cushions on my S1 all I can see is the fibreglass seat onto which the cushions sit. The bracket is under that seat isn’t it?