just for background. I have a 1982 Z28 with a saginaw four speed, and mechanical clutch linkage.

Well, i was driving home from work today, as i was getting ready to turn a corner and downshift into second, when i went to push the clutch pedal in, there was nothing there...

so between shifting without the clutch, and starting the car in gear(at lights) i was able to drive the car home and park it.

so i jacked it up, figring that it was just a clutch linkage problem, being that i have mechanical clutch linkage

nope the linkage is fine, and pushing in the clutch pedal results in full throw of the linkage. and the clutch fork feels extremly loose, you can wiggle it back and forth, and push it in about an inch or so. i've never been able to push the fork in ( too much pressure from the pressure plate fingers).

so my best guess is that the throwout bearing fell of the clutch fork ?!?.

when you push pedal in, the farther you get to the floor, you feel a little tiny bit of resistance, but not the kind of resistance a proper clutch gives.

and i figure that the clutch and pressure plate are fine, because i was able to get home just fine, power is still able to get to the wheels.

now before RB posts the pictures of whether or not i installed the throwout bearing correctly, it was.

i just put a new engine in the car about 3-4 months ago, and when i did that, i installed a new clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing, and throwout bearing as well. and everything has worked properly since then.

so i know i need to drop the tranny for about the 3rd time in 6 months (which im not looking forward to doing)

but my best question is, if the throwout bearing fell off the fork, does that happen often? because it sounds like the man upstairs just hates me

 

Sounds like the fork arm fell off the pivot stud, I do not think the throwout bearing can fall of the clutch fork unless the fork arm has broken.

 

i just went and took a look at it, thats exactly what happend..


how do i go about getting it back on, without removing the transmission?

 

after i thought about it, doesn't the pilot stud have clips to hold the clutch fork on?

so that clip would have had to break for the fork to slip off right?

so im going to have to dtop the trany anyway huh?

 

yes it has clips on it, or should I say it should have clips.

 

The clips are (or should be) on the fork itself. You should be able to disconnect the pushrod from the fork, and pull the fork out of the bellhousing without removing the tranny. You can then inspect it and determine what needs to be done next.

Pete