clutch install problem

[nlzmo400r]

Ok, I was swapping in a RPS max clutch on my bro's car (s13 ka24de). When I went to put the tranny back onto the engine, the splines lined up fine, but the TOB hit the pressure plate before the tranny was flush with the engine. So I used bolts to hold the engine and tranny together, and drug the tranny to the engine by tightening the bolts. Now the TOB seems to sit so far back that it wont disengage the clutch (i.e won't go in gear). I replaced the master and slave cylinders with no luck. Got plenty of pedal pressure, however the TOB is sittin on the pressure plate at all times (obviously not good). But with that situation I would think that the clutch would not want to engage (constant pressure on the pressure plate causing to not grab the clutch plate with full force), I instead have exactly the opposite problem. Anyone heard of anything like this before? The pressure plate bolted on fine, it is the same size as the factory plate, I dont understand. Any input would be EXTREMELY helpful, thanks in advance for those who chime in

- Rob

[Ninjabread]

Thats weird. Makes me think that your TOB wasn't sitting properly on your input shaft and got stuck. What TOB did you use?

[nlzmo400r]

its an oem TOB. And the TOB is sitting on the shaft correctly, and the fork is still on the fulcrum ball.

[Ninjabread]

Can it go up and down the shaft with barely any resistance?

Maybe someone with more experience will chime in...

[modestmouse]

You probably don't want to hear it but I think you're just going to have to pull the transmission back off. It's possible that you may have been given the wrong throw out bearing...?

[IN33DH3LP]

Take off your transmission. You shouldnt ever have to tighten the bell housing bolts to pull the transmssion to the engine. It should sit flush before then. Thats your first problem. That tells me that the TOB maybe wasnt installed correctly with the fork etc.. Also, I think your a little backwards on your terminology. If your TOB is up against the pressure plate, then the pressure plate is pushing your clutch plate up against the flywheel, which forces it to be ENGAGED. When you depress the clutch pedal it should move the TOB away from the pressure plate forcing the clutch to become DISENGAGED from the flywheel. I think something is wrong with the install of the TOB and Fork. Especially since the clutch isnt disengaging when you depress the clutch. Thats where I would start.

[contranication]

Well INblah blah is completely wrong on how the TOB bearing affects the clutch... its the exact opposite of what he wrote but doesn't matter... There should be no reason for the TOB to hit the pressure plate(well maybe a little) unless the clutch is pressed in... If your the TOB is constantly on the pressure plate with even with the pedal out then you would able to spin your rear tires even with the car in gear.

Before even thinking about taking the tranny off... check you MC rod position has 1/4" of free play... then check the slave cylinder and fork movement under the car as some one depresses the clutch... the slave rod moves a total distance of about 7/8" if all of that seems fine then you gotta take your tranny off and...

check that the TOB was installed correctly and is all the way on the shaft with enough free play, then check that the fork is fully seated on the pivot ball and that the retaining spring is properly holding the fork... check that your fork is not bent in any way... did you remember to install a pilot bearing? (don't forget that)... make sure the fork is properly attached to the TOB housing thing... I have been dealing with clutch problems for a while now so PM me with enough details on what is happening and I can help you diagnose your problem

[IN33DH3LP]

I was wrong on how TOB works, oops. Was thinking TOB worked like a lever, push on the bottom then the top moves away.. oh well, I was wrong.