I have a 89 hatch with a 95 D16z6 swap with a 91 D series 5 speed tranny one day it started getting hard to shift very soon that day it stopped going into gear all together I adjusted the clutch cable it worked for about 5 minutes then stopped again. I have replaced everything almost, the clutch disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing, clutch cable. The only thing I can think is maybe the clutch fork bent or something it has the clutch fork that is a round bar and the fork bolts onto it with one bolt . I'm at a loss I have pulled the tranny twice in as many weeks. Please someone if you have any idea I would appreciate it.

 

Does the arm of the release shaft (where the cable attaches) resist movement when pulling up/pushing down on it, or is it freely moving?

It sounds like the arm that attaches to the release shaft has come loose or broken. Having the transmission out should have shown you any other potential issues, like if the release fork was broken.

I don't have my cable clutch out right now, so I can't recall how the arm is attached to the shaft - welded/pressed etc - so I can't say how likely it is to break.

If you end up taking it out again, take plenty of pictures, they may help diagnose.

 

No it's not free moving it has a little resistance from the spring that holds the throwout bearing. The fork is held on the shaft with a I believe it is a 10mm bolt. I removed the shaft from the fork and didn't notice any damage. I just went outside and had someone trying to put the car in gear the arm got to a certain point and stopped it wouldn't go any further with my hand so I got a bottle jack and put it on the arm and it wouldn't move I donno if it's stopping at the case or what. I'm starting to think the arm or fork is damaged and it's traveling to the case and isn't actually making full contact with the plate fingers. Any thoughts?

 

A bottle jack! Good way to break something.. don't feel bad about having pulling the tranny twice..couple years ago, I had to remove mine 2 times in 2 days because the spring was not on correctly. The first time you pulled the tranny out, did you check everything was on correctly and that the arm was not being restricted in its full movement range? Need to make sure to test the arm movement after installing the release bering and spring for proper operation before installing the tranny. Sounds like the same thing what's happening with yours. If your cable adjusting to near full tightness (threading the plastic nut toward the ground making the cable tighter on the arm) is having no effect to making it work, and shift linkage is working correctly then Sorry to break the bad news but the tranny needs to be pulled off again.. I would say it's unlikely to bend the release fork with out shearing the retaining bolt head off or breaking the cable or something else because I'm pretty sure it's hardened steel.
pics of your release arm with cable attached could be helpful

 

There isn't a huge range of motion, it should have gone up an inch or two. Deff don't want to push to hard that way, or you will bend it or break the fork.

This isn't a likely scenario, and you'd have noticed issues w/ the engine and debris in the oil before now... but was the engine rebuilt or was the bottom end dis-assembled at some point?

One thing that could be happening (however unlikely) is your thrust washer is shot and the crank is now being pushed far enough to limit the pressure plate engagement. I've never heard of this happening w/ D series, but you never know. When you get the trans out, you may want to check the lateral play in the crank to rule it out.

Best of luck, hopefully you get it taken care of this time around.

 

How old is the clutch ?

 

Lol I didn't go far with the jack lol. But the clutch is brand new. I have been driving the car with no problem none been a great little car I bought it with the motor and tranny already swapped and whoever did it did it right. The motor is solid runs perfect no noises no anything one day I was driving it and it got hard to shift I adjusted the cable immediately a couple minutes later it was impossible to shift again so I parked it then changed everything and now I'm here. It's like the throwout bearing isn't moving enough to push the clutch fingers, I donno. I'm gonna pull it in the next day or to I'll take some pics. Thanks for the responses.

 

Ok so just got the tranny out again, so the throwout bearing is making contact of some sort with the fingers of the pressure plate the clutch kit was brand new and I can see marks on the fingers from the throwout bearing but the disk had no sign of any pressure no marks. Should it have any marks yet seeing as how it hasn't been driven and I only tried to engage the clutch about 10 times sitting still. If any pics could help tell me what of and I will take them.

 

Pictures of the bell housing interior, release arm/rod, fork, throwout bearing, etc. Engine side pictures may help too.

 

 

I will take pics of the motor side in a bit it's snowing right now and I'm gonna pull the flywheel off also.

 

Could my flywheel be caus8ng the issue it seems to me that the throwout bearing isn't pushing the fingers far enough to raise the pressure plate that pressure plate is brand new and it looks like it may have gotten got from me pulling g up on the fork lever it is touching but not sure if it is pushing far enough.

 

 

The flywheel has a pretty significant lip where the clutch disk contacts feels like it is worn pretty substantially.

 

I can't say conclusively yet, but I'm suspecting the clutch setup. The part number for the clutch disc is for a newer car, so it is going to be 12mm larger than the one that typically goes with the transmission. The wear on the flywheel is also suspect, but that would cause slipping instead of no release.

As you also mentioned, the fingers on the pressure plate show that there is certainly contact w/ the throwout bearing, but no wear on the interior shows it isn't enough to disengage.

There is nothing wrong w/ the transmission that I can see.

Are the new disc and the old disc the same sizes?
Do you have a part number for the flywheel?
For the old and new clutch discs, how do they fit into the surface of the flywheel? Do they both go beyond the lip that has been worn in?
When the clutch stopped working, what did the pedal feel like?

My guess right now is that the clutch disc is too large, and is going past that groove and is tight enough that it can't disengage. That doesn't explain the initial problem though. Do you still have the old disc/pressure plate to take pictures of?

Let others review this and get a second opinion before investing more time/money, but at this point I personally would start over with a known quality clutch and flywheel.

For a D16Z6 w/ 89-91 trans, the 89-91 clutch and flywheel setup should work from what I've read. An Exedy clutch/flywheel is the closest to OE and is what I would recommend.

 

Yes I still have the old clutch setup and yes the clutch disks were the exact same dimensions and I bought a kupp clutch setup I was told that they are made by exedy I will take pics and post them.

 

Sorry, are you saying what's in the pictures are kupp, or you have a new kupp clutch setup to install?

The disc/PP doesn't look like any kupp/exedy I've ever seen, and the part number from the disc shows as an FX clutch part #.

 

Yes the blue pressure plate and the new clutch disk is kupp I purchased them both together last week.ordered them from a company called grip force clutches.

 

Well atleast that's what the listing said lol if that's what they sent or not I guess that's another story. Everything matches up to the old pressure plate and disk size everything.

 

I just looked and they did send me the wrong one the kit I ordered was a kupp stage 2 the one they sent me is a FX stage 1 could that be an issue or will the fx fit my Trans also?
I just sent them an email saying I want it swapped.

 

It probably isn't helping. You can go with whatever parts you want, but personally I would go with as close to OE as possible and be done. No need for anything beyond that unless you are pushing 200+ HP out of it.

If you still have issues and think its clutch/fly related, I actually have my old Exedy clutch/flywheel from my D16A6, with plenty of life left if you want it.

 

I appreciate the offer and all the time you have spent responding but I called a shop close to me today and I'm having a tow truck come pick it up I am tapping out of this one. I know enough to change parts but when it comes to really technical **** I am over my head and this one has me stuck so I'm gonna let the pros handle it lol. When I hear what is wrong I will post it just to let you know lol.

 

No shame in that, you certainly tried. Hopefully they can get it taken care of for you without much issue.

 

Let the pros figure it out lol.

 

Well you were right the ebay clutch kit and flywheel were so far outta spec that they just didn't work. The shop put on an OEM clutch and resurfaced my old flywheel and the car is fixed. SMH that was a expensive lesson to learn cost $772.00 to learn to never buy eBay junk.