clutch not engaging?

[jeepnoob]

okay so i just droped a freshly rebuilt AMC 360 into my 79 CJ5 , the motor starts right up and purrs, but when i wanted to drive it i adjusted the clutch as much as possible and the clutch still wouldnt engage. i ended up bending some of the bracketry but i just went and found another in the parts pile and on this one the adjustment rod decided to bend and not work. Is it possible i might have the wrong clutch? it is a 3 speed with granny gear
anyone got any ideas? should i just fab a adjustment rod thats long enough and stong enough?

 

[CJ]

Did the CJ have a v8 prior to the swap? Did you change transmissions, clutch or???

Pictures would really help as well as describing exactly what you changed when you dropped in the 360.

 

[jeepnoob]

It had a 360 in it before, i figured out the problem it was just a linkage issue but i measured the length and cut the linkage and welded it to size and it works like a charm, i cant wait to get the motor broken in so i can really get on this thing! lots of power. very impressed this is the first jeep i have owned and im loving it already!

 

[brian613]

how did you figure it out? a friend of mine has a CJ7 doing the exact same thing. we went wheeling he drove his jeep the whole way there and while there the linkage popped off so we put it back on and now it wont do anything when you try to push the clutch you can see the hole tranny flex from the torque (shifter access cover removed ) but it wont engage the clutch?

we pulled the tranny to inspect the clutch and everything looks great but no luck??

 

[IOPort51]

are you saying it won't engage or won't disengage the clutch??
this is mechanical and not hydraulic??

 

[brian613]

its mechanical and it dosent engage it. its like its binding up but everything is in the correct positions.


would a bad tranny mount (the one that bolts to the skid plate) cause the clutch not to engage because of the potential for the tranny to flex under pressure from the clutch pedal ?

 

[IOPort51]

just to clarify, if you put it in gear and turn the motor over it does not move, is this right?so it is always disengaged?

 

[brian613]

we didnt try to start it wasnt sure if anything would come flying apart or not... but when you try to push the clutch pedal it dosent do anything its almost like stepping on the break. it gets hard to push..

 

[Thorwon]

It sounds like the throw-out lever may have slipped out of place.

 

[IOPort51]

I am with Thorwon. take the rod back off and check each section. make sure the peddle swings and the rod through the floor isn't hung up and just go down the line making sure everything moves. when you get to the pivot arm that goes into the bell housing you should be resting on the pivot ball just in side the hole in the bell housing and the throw out bearing should slide freely on the input shaft sleeve.
I would guess its either the arm is off the pivot or the throw out bearing is not sliding on the input tube. One thing for sure, standing on the peddle with both feet won't fix it.
If everything else works you have to consider the clutch but from what you have said it doesn't seem likely.

I am still a bit confused on one point in this post "a three speed with Granny gear"
is that granny and two more or granny with three more gears? this could be something new for me.

 

[jeepnoob]

its a 3 speed with 1st being granny and having 3 more gears.
when mine wasn't engaging i was confused but i just cut the adjustment rod to length when it was as small as possible then installed and adjusted from there.
im new to jeeps this one being the first ive ever done and im only 19 and im real happy with the outcome

 

[IOPort51]

its a 3 speed with 1st being granny and having 3 more gears.
when mine wasn't engaging i was confused but i just cut the adjustment rod to length when it was as small as possible then installed and adjusted from there.
im new to jeeps this one being the first ive ever done and im only 19 and im real happy with the outcome

A T-18 four speed Transmission .

 

[adsmalley]

I have just the opposite problem. I recently started my Jeep (had been the first time in nearly a month) and the clutch is not engaging the Transmission . Pedal presses down with no resistance and when I put it in gear and release the pedal it doesn't put power to the Transmission , but it also doesn't grind when I put it into gear as if nothing is connected. Ran fine a month ago when I drive it last.

Any recommendations on what to look at or check to get to the bottom of this problem?

 

[Lumpy Grits]

I have just the opposite problem. I recently started my Jeep (had been the first time in nearly a month) and the clutch is not engaging the Transmission . Pedal presses down with no resistance and when I put it in gear and release the pedal it doesn't put power to the Transmission , but it also doesn't grind when I put it into gear as if nothing is connected. Ran fine a month ago when I drive it last.

Any recommendations on what to look at or check to get to the bottom of this problem?

:ww:
Make sure your Transfer Case is NOT in neutral.
I would also suggest you start a seperate thread........
LG