New engine running and now can't shift

[BP10000]

So I got my replacement engine all sorted out and everything's working great, except shifting is a lot harder than I remember.

The problem I'm having is that the clutch won't fully disengage, making it very hard (and noisy) to get into reverse at a standstill. The release arm on the trans moves easily up to horizontal before meeting resistance. The cable seems to be adjusting just fine.

On reflection, I seem to recall a small silver metal disc, maybe 5mm diameter and 2mm thick, lying on the floor in my garage. I thought it was a punchout from something. Could this be part of the clutch release mechanism? Please tell me i can pop it back in from the outboard end of the trans...

[burn_your_money]

You can't really see it in this picture but did it look similar to the small disk in the center?

http://image.autopartsonlinecanada.com/live/I2036324528SAC.JPG

I hope you say no...

The disk you found, did it have an impression in one side of it?

[Vincent Waldon]

Here's how all the parts fit together:



Part 14 is the part Tyler is referring to.... although it's a bit bigger than 5mm.

[BP10000]

ahh, good graphic!

there was definitely a disc of some sort still in the dimple in the center of the release plate. It had a slightly burnished area where the rod pushes. The disc I saw, and my memory could be playing tricks on me, looked like it was made of aluminum and was slightly convex like it had been punched out of a sheet. I didn't even pick it up, so it's really only half a glance I'm going on. I wonder if someone stuck it in the release bearing as a shim at some point. Maybe it stuck to the end of the rod when I pulled it out and then fell off.

How much total travel does the rod make to release the clutch? what would a 2mm shim work out to in lever arm travel?