87 GT Clutch Issues (Page 2/18)
MadProfessor8138 SEP 02, 08:39 AM
Replacing the shift fork shaft and bushings shouldn't take more than 10 minutes once you get the tranny out of the car.
Hammer the old bushings out with the tool and tap the new bushings in with the tool.....it's so simple that a caveman can do it....lol
84fiero123 SEP 02, 11:16 AM
Don't buy any parts yet, unless you are sure you can return them if you find you don't need them after you find the real problem, it could be just oil on the clutch or the last noise could have been a cable snapping or any number of other things.

Never buy parts until you are sure you need them.
Edit to add I wonder if brake clean would clean off a clutch or just turn it into mush? That said if it is just oil on the clutch plate you do need to fix that while you are in there as well or you are just going to have the same problem again down the road even with a brand new clutch.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't



Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 09-02-2015).]

MadProfessor8138 SEP 02, 09:37 PM
Once oil or other petroleum products are introduced to the clutch it is toast.
No amount of chemicals will remove the oil from the fibers of the clutch without destroying it.
Think of it this way....brake pads and clutch discs are quite similar in composition and actually perform in similar manners....if your brake pads were soaked with oil would you trust your life to them doing their job just because you sprayed them off with some cleaner???
You can never get all of the oil out of the fibers....
MadProfessor8138 SEP 02, 09:51 PM
I only suggested replacing the items as cheap insurance....from what I deduced by reading the OP's original post,he has never dropped a cradle before and probably won't want to do it again anytime soon.
Even if everything seems to be fine after he gets the tranny out...if I were in his position,I would replace the parts anyways....they are high wear items and they will need to be replaced at some point,so why not do it when he has the opportunity?
Soooooo......he can pull everything apart and then put it all back together and wonder all the time how far along the clock is towards him repeating the whole procedure again.
Or he can replace the parts for less than $200 when he has the opportunity,start his clock at zero and enjoy driving his car knowing he has many miles before he will need to pull it apart again.
That's only the opinion of a guy that just dropped his cradle twice within 850 miles due to a shift fork that looked good but was actually bad....but what do I know.....

[This message has been edited by MadProfessor8138 (edited 09-02-2015).]

stevep914 SEP 02, 11:12 PM
I just went through all of this in the past couple of weeks. I did not want to disconnect a bunch of harnesses and stuff that may not have been done in many years! On advice from Forum members, I tilted the cradle, removed the drivers side strut, and removed the trans from that side- not a big deal. My 5 speed was an Isuzu ( mated to a 2.6 V6). The problem was the clutch disc had worn into the flywheel, and only about a third of the disc surface was actually in contact. I had bought a clutch pack from Autozone a year ago, only to find out my parts looked different, and I needed separate pressure plate, disc, and throughout bearing. Instead, I had everything resurfaced for about 1000 Mexican pesos ( about 75 US dollars) , put it all back in, and it performs flawlessly. I did get a helper to reinstall the transmission, and NEEDED it! Took my time, and would use this method again. Try to loosen the front cradle bolts a bit, so you don't torque the bushings, when tilting it down. Good luck!
computer_engineer SEP 03, 01:44 AM

quote
Originally posted by MadProfessor8138:

My advice is this: while you have everything apart,replace the clutch,shift fork shaft and its bushings.
The clutch is around $100,shift fork shaft and bushings from The Fiero Store is around $65 and the tool to replace the bushings from Rodney Dickman is $14.
So......for less than $200 you can have your issue resolved and enjoy driving your car.
Replace it all at one time unless you just like dropping your cradle.



I think I found the bushings on the Fiero Store web site and the tool on Rodney's site, but do you have the part numbers and/or links so I know I am getting the correct parts?

The shift fork that I found on the Fiero store web site seems really expensive (233 bucks!!!), and I really don't know which transmission I have (Isuzu, Getrag, etc.) yet, which could make a difference for certain clutch kits. Also, the clutch forks I found on most auto parts web sites looks nothing like the one on the Fiero Store web site, but it would be nice to find a less expensive alternative. Do you know of a source for the shift fork that will work the 1987 V6, or am I looking at the wrong one on the Fiero Store site?

Shift Fork From Fiero Store

Upper Fork bushing from Fiero Store

Lower Fork bushing from the Fiero Store

Thank you for the recommendations. I completely agree with the "replace it now and worry less later" approach.

computer_engineer SEP 03, 01:56 AM
I have read some postings that recommend using long bolts to slide the tranny off and on with. Does anyone know the specs on the bolt threads? I would like to start looking for these now, so I can have them ready when I begin working on the clutch.

I also just purchased the factory service manual off of ebay for $27, as the FieroNews site did not have the FSM for download as some postings seemed to indicate.

1987 Pontiac Fiero Shop Service Repair Manual on CD

[This message has been edited by computer_engineer (edited 09-03-2015).]

MadProfessor8138 SEP 03, 09:22 AM
I read your original post again and realized that you are running a 5 speed and I am running a Muncie 4 speed.
Yes,the price of the 5 speed shift fork shaft is quite a bit more.
I apologize for not catching that when I first read your post....I quoted the price of the shift fork shaft for my 4 speed.

Do some searching on Google to see if you can locate a shift fork shaft at a reasonable price if none of the members can point you in the right direction....
MadProfessor8138 SEP 03, 09:26 AM
I will have to check on the bolt sizes for the tranny as it has been a while since I bought them.....
Off the top of my head I think they are....... 12mm x 10 1.75 coarse thread.
MadProfessor8138 SEP 03, 09:31 AM
I wonder if it would be worthwhile to take your shift fork shaft to a transmission shop and have them look it over for you once you get it out of the car......if it's good then I would just replace the bushings and be done with it.
Just a thought....