Hi Everyone,

I've been searching the forums and the google machine for some clues to solve the issue i'm having. First, some backstory;

1987 Camaro Iroc-z

The car was originally a 305TPI with a 700R4. I've converted it to a 350 carb (for now) and a t-5 from a 1985 Camaro. Obviously this means I had to install pedals and the cut the hole for the master and so on. All of that looks correct. I used the cutout in the factory carpet to carve the firewall. There is no firewall flex at all. The pedals from the 85 came with the two bracing rods that connect the pedal assembly to the firewall and master. The alignment looks really good and the MC rod moves freely throughout the stroke. The master and slave are both new LuK units from Rockauto.

There are no leaks in the system and i have absolutely confirm that there is no air in the system. I even bought a mittyvac bleeder, put 20 inches of vacuum on it an no air came out. The pedal feels great and the clutch fork has .60" of travel. The flywheel is a nodular iron 16 pounder that I had turned. The clutch disc is not hitting the flywheel bolts. I also replaced the pilot bushing with a pilot bearing that fits great on the trans input shaft. I did not need to struggle much to install the trans and did not pull the trans in with the bolts. It was fully seated before I started putting in the 4 trans bolts.

I reused the clutch and pressure plate from the donor car because they were recently replaced and look to be in great shape. I also reused the pivot ball and clutch fork from the donor car as well. Full disclosure, this is my first experience with a third gen and a t-5 but the fork looks to be in good condition. I also triple checked that the T/O bearing is installed correctly on the fork.

The problem is that the clutch is not disengaging with he pedal fully down. I tried to put the car in gear with it running and it grinds, if I put the car in gear and start it, it rolls. At this point I pulled the trans and checked everything i listed above. As a test before putting the driveshaft back in, I got my father to fully push the clutch pedal in and i tried to spin the yoke without success. I then got a pry bar and forced the clutch fork to travel further than the slave would push it and was able to get the clutch to release. Problem is that i had to move the clutch fork about an inch to get the pressure plate to release the clutch. That's more travel than is required according to GM.

The only other thing I think I should add is that the pressure plate did sit for a while. When we initially got everything together and were doing the first bleed on the clutch, the pedal got really had to push and then i heard a "snap" and it freed up. I assumed that this was because the pressure plate fingers were probably stuck. Even after the snap the clutch fork is moving enough the disengage the clutch according to the GM spec. I am at the loss here. It appears that the fork needs to travel a lot more to disengage the clutch...more than it should.

Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

 

I know this is an old thread but I'm having very similar issues my Camaro, though mine was a factory 5-speed, but had some issues and had to replace about everything behind the engine. Did you figure out how to get yours to work? What was it?

 

Without any reference of any kind to the OP...



Is yours the "correct" way?

 

I was also doing it in the wrong way, thank you for correcting me.

 

I wish my problem was this easy! I have pulled the trans and checked this!

 

Have you opened or messed with the hydraulics?

 

yes, I think I have narrowed it down to the hydraulics, but having no luck fixing it, I’m on my second slave cylinder (I wish they had a real bleeder nipple, not the stupid hole), but when I went to reconnect the master cylinder to the pedal it appears there is an alignment issue so it won’t stay connected, and starting to think there might be an issue there but not sure how to verify it.