Big transmission Woes! Everyone help please!

[goofynick6]

Ok, Sorry I've been asking for so much help lately, but I'm like at the end of my fuse on some of these weird problems!

Ok, the motor is running decently and boosting, but now the transmission is hating me.

Problem:

Grinding (loud grinding!) when I shift gears over 2000rpm. If I go to like 6,000rpm in 1st and push in the clutch, it'll start grinding (even w/o touching the shifter) and it's hard to get it out of 1st gear. Then going from 2nd to 3rd or any other gear, when you put the shifter into gear (feels like it's in gear) it starts grinding and sounding bad, even with clutch depressed all the way.

What I've done:

1) Adjusted the clutch pedal for maximum throw of the clutch slave cylinder2) already bled the clutch line3) Stainless braided clutch line4) No dampener on the line5) Yes, I did put fluid in6) Got underneath and watched as someone pressed the pedal and watched the slave cylinder move in and out7) Found that double clutching and rev matching helps a bit, but still can't go at high rpms8) Torqued the clutch and flywheel according to spec and procedure

What's the setup?:

XTD Clutch off ebay for NA 300ZXFidanza Aluminum flywheelThrowout bearing (new) for s14 transKA clutch forkStock RB pilot bushing

So...I'm dying to get on this thing and go through the gears, but it just screams and sounds horrible. I'm not sure if it's a gear grinding sound or a really bad T.O. bearing sound, but when I rev the car hard in neutral and push the clutch in sometimes it makes the grinding noise.

ANY ideas would be great.

Thanks,Nick

[Wulfgang]

Does it ever grind if you just rev it in neutral while sitting still and not pressing the clutch? If not, then I'm almost sure it's the TO bearing or possibly the clutch. The fact that it happens in every gear probably means it's not the transmission.

[goofynick6]

It doesn't seem to happen unless the clutch is depressed.

Think that using the s14 t.o. bearing and sleeve is what's killing me?

Nick

[Wulfgang]

I don't know about whether the parts are correct, but your symptoms seem to point to a problem that occurs when there is pressure on the TO bearing and clutch cover springs -- regardless of what gear you are using. Also, I think you would "know" if it was a gear grinding (synchro) issue since those are usually unmistakeable and since they usually happen in specific gears.

Did you get that TO bearing from the dealer? I have bought two TO bearing/clutch combos supposedly for the 240SX that had extremely light pedal feel and had cheap feeling TO bearings.

[goofynick6]

I got it from NAPA..the pedal feels kinda light for a 6puck that supposed to hold 500 ft lbs. My buddy's were making fun of it being soft.

It goes into first fine and engages ok on takeoff, but shifting between gears is another story.

Nick

[ibzbro]

is your clutch master cylender(sp) leaking. if it is it would be causing air to go in the system and then you could not push the fork enough. to check, go under the dash and look for fluid by were the rod goes though the firewall.

[ibzbro]

also is your flywheel steped correctly? .008 step.

[skillzilla]

I grind some into second, dont know what the deal is but Im sure its a synchro.

BTW, how do you adjust the pedal on an S13? My clutch engagement point is way at the top, I like it a little lower.

[WDRacing]

SOunds like the same problem I had with my Skyline, I swapped RB20's one time and couldn't ghet tyhe old pilot bushing out, so I didn't use for a week, it grinded into every gear and sometimes would just grind then pop out of gear. This was do to the transmission misalignment. I only drove for a week like this, the replaced the pilot bushing and everything was good to go.

Sorry, I don't have that TO bearing anymore either.

WD

[goofynick6]

Ahh..thanks for getting back to me. A friend of mine said the pilot bushing wasn't a big deal and to just leave it.

I was just out getting on it in 1st, and I just pushed in the clutch pedal, didn't touch the shifter, and it just started making the grinding noise!

Is it possible my engine used to have an auto trans, and therefore had the wrong size pilot bushing? I couldn't get it out, so I just left it in there. It feels like the clutch is slipping, but also like there is maybe an alignment problem.

If anyone has an RB20 T.O. bearing, could they measure it and also measure the length of the sleeve it slips onto?

And, if you're selling one, or know where I can get one, let me know!

Thanks guys,

Nick

[goofynick6]

Also, no leaks on the clutch master cylinder, and I rebled the slave cylinder for S's and G's but no good.

Nick

[goofynick6]

HAHA...won't believe this..

So I tear it apart Tuesday to find it only has an automatic pilot bushing..there's my problem! SO I tear it out and pound in the manual one ALL the way into the crank like I've read to do. SO, put it back together, and the darn input shaft is STUCK in the crank and can't spin on it's own...grrr!!!

Wednesday, after getting over a slight hangover (that really upset me yesterday after 7 hours of work), and I got to work and redid it all and put the bushing in until the small step in the crank where it's supposed to stop. Did it all with my friend Marshall's help in 2.5 hours total! Started it up and went for a drive and it worked great! Was able to chirp 2nd at just 8 psi..hehe.

PHew!! Glad that nightmare is over.

Thanks for the help guys, I'm now a transmission pro..hehe.

Nick

[Sil240]

Nice Work!!!!