Original T5 in an 88 GTA. I put in a new clutch about 800 miles ago. Car has run fine. Today after some driving It was difficult to get in gear, any gear. If I shut off the car, the shifter would go into any gear smoothly. My cluctch install was reasonably easy. The only thing that I noticed was that one of the two "fingers" on the clutch fork was broken right where the pivot from the bellhousing attached. I got it bolted up OK, but have been leery of it since. Could this finally have let go? Any suggestions appreciated.

Kevin

 

Is the clutch hydraulic? If so you might try bleeding it. Granted, the clutch fork may have went to pieces but it is worth a shot. I had the same problem with a fiero once, one day I got in it and found the exact same problem. Took about 5 min. to bleed it and problem solved. Sorry that's about all I can offer on the subject.

 

I probably wouldn't put a component you know is bad back into the car and if the fork is finally broken, then that definitely sounds like the source of your problems.

Otherwise, I was just talking to a friend about a similar problem he had with his cavalier and in his case it turned out to be bad slave cylinder.

 

I can try to bleed it. But why all of a sudden would this happen? I've driven the car many, many times since I did the clutch. Why would a slave need to all of a sudden be bled after 119,000 miles? Would this be an indication that it is finished?

I went under the car before to check things out. The clutch fork seems OK. I thought it would be flopping around, but it appears to still be attached to the pivot ball. I have a new fork on order so I'll change it anyway.

As far as the slave goes, is there any way to know that it is bad? I have no problem changing it if it needs to be done, but I'd rather use the money for other things. The pedal feels as it always does and I was able to push the fork with my hand, and it still felt firm. If it is the slave, does anybody have part numbers? I would prefer not to swap mine out with a junkyard version. Seems to defeat the purpose.

Thanks

Kevin

 

if ya ask me i think that where ur clutch fork pivots (how you said one of the 2 fingers were broke) well it prolly all broke off, which in that case u prolly end up goin to the dealer, but thats what it sounds like to me, and a pain in the *** to replace considering you have to take the whole tranny out again, but the plus is that the trans is so light, lol, but yea thats my 2 cents

 

I had it apart tonight, and actually the clutch fork was all there. I think the problem was that the pivot ball was loose and had backed out about a quarter of the way. I guess I could have tightened that with it all together, but I knew I would eventually have to replace the fork anyway. I replaced the throwout bearing too (the old one only had about 800 miles on it).

I have to wait on my buddy to be able to get the transmission back in, as I'm working in the garage with the car on jackstands and don't have enough room to "bench" it in. Plus, one of us can feather the clutch to get that last inch or two if need be.

At least if it turns out to be the slave cyl, I can do that with the tranny in

 

Sometimes, too, cracks in clutch pieces only apear under stress, in places that are hard to see, causing folks to r&r the tranny a few times before they find it. A new clutch fork is under $25, as I remember, and a pivot ball isn't very much. Recently somebody somewhere in this site said that you can get a new master and slave assembly from GM, pre-bled, for about $100.
If your cylinders a giving out you should see some loss of fluid or a leak somewhere in the system--I wonder if the hydraulic line could get old and flex enough to cause this problem while the cylinders still don't leak?

 

It definately let go, i had a crappy clutch in mine. Any little problem with the clutch, and with kind of clutch linkage in these 3rd gens, wll mess up very quickly. If you want you try taking out the clutch rod and checking that out. it may be bent from the faulty clutch. If it is try putting a metal tube over it from bending again. This would give more of your throw back in the movement of the clutch pedal etc. Also, you may just need to adjust clutch rod. Take it out and loosen out the nut to make the space on the lengh of the rod longer, your clutch may have worn and needs adjusted.

 

Just in case, does anybody have part numbers for the master and slave for a WC T5?