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Post by boggissimo on Dec 20, 2022 9:51:13 GMT
I checked out the clutch fork, and compared it with photos of new ones, and it doesn't seem bent or broken, so I cleaned it up and put it back on the car. It is really loose on the pivot ball thing, but doesn't come off unless you spread the spring.
So I mated the gearbox back up to the engine (with new clutch) and the fork seemed to be exactly the same as it was before - waggling around and not contacting the pressure plate fingers until right at the end of its travel. Surely this can't be correct?
Another vid of the movement:
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Post by scottydugg on Dec 20, 2022 10:27:25 GMT
Those ball joints can wear out, I'm not sure if they are replaceable or not, is it worth pickling up another 5spd or 6spd at this point? you've replaced everything else almost. Flywheel bearing? but you've ran the flywheel before without issue. Did you change the seals in the gearbox? everything back in place as it should be? On the plus side you'll be a pro at gearboxes in MX5's now  Edit: just watched the video, I'm not sure if mine moved that much, but I didn't try it without the rubber grommet in place, but it looks like a lot of movement. I'd replace the fork for peace of mind at this stage. |
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Post by boggissimo on Dec 20, 2022 11:24:02 GMT
Those ball joints can wear out, I'm not sure if they are replaceable or not, is it worth pickling up another 5spd or 6spd at this point? you've replaced everything else almost. Flywheel bearing? but you've ran the flywheel before without issue. Did you change the seals in the gearbox? everything back in place as it should be? On the plus side you'll be a pro at gearboxes in MX5's now Edit: just watched the video, I'm not sure if mine moved that much, but I didn't try it without the rubber grommet in place, but it looks like a lot of movement. I'd replace the fork for peace of mind at this stage. Thanks Scott. The ball pivot things appear to be a separate part so will see if I can find one to replace. The fork seems fine but maybe the spring has become too weak to hold it in place properly, so might try getting a replacement for that.
I haven't changed anything with the gearbox itself and it was working fine before, so I really think it's something to do with the clutch fork and where it sits.
Plus I'm grumpy today because I'm going to have to take the box off again to sort it out, and my neck hurts from all the rolling around on the garage floor  |
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Post by dadbif on Dec 20, 2022 11:38:01 GMT
It looks like it isn’t pivoting on the ball headed bolt in the gearbox, are you sure the release arm isn’t bent? Is it located on the release bearing correctly?
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Post by boggissimo on Dec 20, 2022 12:09:29 GMT
It looks like it isn’t pivoting on the ball headed bolt in the gearbox, are you sure the release arm isn’t bent? Is it located on the release bearing correctly? The clutch fork isn't bent, and it's hooked up to the release bearing properly yep. The spring holding the fork to the pivot ball won't let the fork come off altogether, but isn't holding in there very tightly either.
Zed. do you have any forks in your parts bin? I can get a replacement fork if not. The springs and pivot balls don't seem to be available in the UK, though I haven't tried official Mazda parts places yet. |
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Post by Zed. on Dec 20, 2022 12:14:24 GMT
It looks like it isn’t pivoting on the ball headed bolt in the gearbox, are you sure the release arm isn’t bent? Is it located on the release bearing correctly? The clutch fork isn't bent, and it's hooked up to the release bearing properly yep. The spring holding the fork to the pivot ball won't let the fork come off altogether, but isn't holding in there very tightly either.
Zed. do you have any forks in your parts bin? I can get a replacement fork if not. The springs and pivot balls don't seem to be available in the UK, though I haven't tried official Mazda parts places yet. I do, got the Lurghi at moment so off work - if I feel upto it I'll have a dig this afternoon  Rich. |
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Post by scottydugg on Dec 20, 2022 12:21:55 GMT
I'm pretty sure it took a lot of effort to get the fork on the ball joint, so I think it shouldn't be flapping about that much. Could be the spring clips bent and not the fork. If it's coming off again get it swapped out. I've not got a spare unfortunately.
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Post by batou on Dec 20, 2022 17:32:30 GMT
I checked out the clutch fork, and compared it with photos of new ones, and it doesn't seem bent or broken, so I cleaned it up and put it back on the car. It is really loose on the pivot ball thing, but doesn't come off unless you spread the spring. So I mated the gearbox back up to the engine (with new clutch) and the fork seemed to be exactly the same as it was before - waggling around and not contacting the pressure plate fingers until right at the end of its travel. Surely this can't be correct? Another vid of the movement: Yeah that movement certainly doesn't look right, I've had a look at mine (ive got the rear diff, prop and subframe etc off so good accees) and it doesn't flap around like that. Heres a very, very thorough video of putting the gearbox back together. Yes, unless you speak Japanese you are going to have a heard time understanding what they are saying but the video clearly shows enough for you to work it out. If you watch it at about 12min30 secs to 14min mark there is a very good clear shot of the fork movement and what its doing so really worth a watch and also to reference what you did putting it all back together... |
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Post by boggissimo on Dec 21, 2022 9:41:58 GMT
Yeah that movement certainly doesn't look right, I've had a look at mine (ive got the rear diff, prop and subframe etc off so good accees) and it doesn't flap around like that. Heres a very, very thorough video of putting the gearbox back together. Yes, unless you speak Japanese you are going to have a heard time understanding what they are saying but the video clearly shows enough for you to work it out. If you watch it at about 12min30 secs to 14min mark there is a very good clear shot of the fork movement and what its doing so really worth a watch and also to reference what you did putting it all back together... Thanks, I put subtitles on auto-translate, but really they didn't say much anyway! It looks like I was doing everything in the right order, but my fork isn't in the right position 'at rest'. A friend of mine has been doing a clutch swap in his workshop over the last day or two so is going to compare what he sees with the videos I sent, maybe that'll shed some light. |
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Post by Zed. on Dec 21, 2022 16:19:10 GMT
righteho...  scientific measurement time....  so about 50mm? if your fork is, well forked then I can send one out to you boggissimo Rich. |
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Post by boggissimo on Dec 21, 2022 20:14:51 GMT
Thanks Zed., that's fab. Just need to get the bugger out again before I can tell you! |
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Post by boggissimo on Dec 23, 2022 10:29:20 GMT
So back into battle last night, I bothered to drain the gearbox oil before removing it again (spilt a load out of the propshaft hole last time, duh), and it was a lot more of a struggle to get it off the engine this time for some reason. I tried putting the engine at different angles, supporting the turret end of the gearbox at various heights, etc etc and eventually managed to wrestle it off. Having watched a couple of videos on the choob where people lay underneath and bench-pressed it up there I didn't fancy that, but on reflection it might not have actually been more effort!
Got the fork out, and the verdict is... ...looks about the same as yours Zed. 
I have a hard time believing that the weakness of the little spring holding the fork to the pivot could prevent the clutch from working, but that and the pivot ball are really the only things left in question!
The one nightmare thought I have had is that since the replacement engine came off an automatic, maybe there's something different about the back end of the engine, but it doesn't look like it when comparing to my original manual engine, and I transferred the flywheel over and fitted a new pilot/spigot bearing. I will have a look for some guides of doing a manual swap on an auto car and see if there's anything I've missed there...
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Post by Zed. on Dec 23, 2022 11:58:27 GMT
I have a hard time believing that the weakness of the little spring holding the fork to the pivot could prevent the clutch from working, but that and the pivot ball are really the only things left in question! I'm starting to think it's not the fork..... The one nightmare thought I have had is that since the replacement engine came off an automatic, maybe there's something different about the back end of the engine, but it doesn't look like it when comparing to my original manual engine, and I transferred the flywheel over and fitted a new pilot/spigot bearing. I will have a look for some guides of doing a manual swap on an auto car and see if there's anything I've missed there... the cylinderblock / crankshaft dimensions are a 'standard' so the variable you have added is either the flywheel or the clutch - my money is in the clutch 'stack hight' and the real variavle is your new pressure-plate as different makes have different shape 'fingers' giving different release bearing / fork positions... I'll drag myself out to the workshop later and measure / photograph the Ln 1.6L that was in my silver car... Rich. |
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Post by boggissimo on Dec 23, 2022 12:35:04 GMT
I have a hard time believing that the weakness of the little spring holding the fork to the pivot could prevent the clutch from working, but that and the pivot ball are really the only things left in question! I'm starting to think it's not the fork..... The one nightmare thought I have had is that since the replacement engine came off an automatic, maybe there's something different about the back end of the engine, but it doesn't look like it when comparing to my original manual engine, and I transferred the flywheel over and fitted a new pilot/spigot bearing. I will have a look for some guides of doing a manual swap on an auto car and see if there's anything I've missed there... the cylinderblock / crankshaft dimensions are a 'standard' so the variable you have added is either the flywheel or the clutch - my money is in the clutch 'stack hight' and the real variavle is your new pressure-plate as different makes have different shape 'fingers' giving different release bearing / fork positions... I'll drag myself out to the workshop later and measure / photograph the Ln 1.6L that was in my silver car... Rich. Thanks Rich - I had a quick look at an auto-manual swap vid earlier and this guy's flywheel looks very different to mine (vid will play at the part where the flywheel is visible):
His one has sticking up bits while mine is flat apart from the dowels...
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Post by Zed. on Dec 23, 2022 13:22:19 GMT
I had a quick look at an auto-manual swap vid earlier and this guy's flywheel looks very different to mine (vid will play at the part where the flywheel is visible) His one has sticking up bits while mine is flat apart from the dowels... the (smaller diameter) 1.6L flywheel is flat across the friction-face whereas the vid shows a 1.8L flywheel, these have a slightly larger diameter clutch and use a different design of pressure-plate  the 1.8L flywheel / clutch has aparently more torque capability in it's standard form due to it's larhger diameter (leaverage etc.) but also is heavier with greater rotating mass so for your use I'd stay with the 'lighter' 1.6L setup Rich. |
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