clutch wont release
Have an '81 Firebird that was a factory sbc 305 car with 4 speed BW ST10 trans. Bought it with a '76 350 sbc swapped in at some point.
Engine was wiped out so I put in an '87 350 sbc......... One piece RMS engine.
So the issue is the clutch will not release. Pedal feels perfect and everything is adjusted properly. The first clutch I used was from LUK but it had a grinding noise coming from it when depressing the clutch pedal with the engine not even running. It wouldn't go into gear when I had it running so I thought the pressure plate was bad. Swapped in the new RAM clutch, same problem.
I used a new ATP 168 tooth flywheel for the '87 350 engine that accepts the bigger 11" clutch. (RAM 88764 with short TO bearing.) Same size flywheel that was on the '76 engine I pulled out.
I transferred everything else from the old engine to the new one, all OEM stock parts..........bell housing with the short pivot ball (PN 3729000). Also used a new NOS fork PN 14066235. It's a replacement for the original fork. It's beefier but the geometry is the same looks to me. TO bearing is installed on the fork correctly with the clips inside the collar.
Correct short head flywheel bolts from ARP also used.
I double and triple checked everything before I installed the new RAM clutch and everything seemed in order. All linkage good, no binding or hanging up. Pedal is smooth as butter and I can feel it depressing the PP properly..........but it wont' release the disc.
I wouldn't think so but does the newer sbc 350 engine with the one piece RMS need the longer pivot ball for the fork? Is the bigger flywheel an issue? I measured the height of the flywheel from the back of the block to the face of the flywheel on the old '76 engine I took out and it was 2 5/8", same measurement on the new 350 with the new 168 tooth ATP flywheel.
I am open to any suggestions as what to do next because this doesn't make sense unless I am missing something obvious. I have done many clutch jobs before but I am a bit stumped. The Chevy bell housing is all enclosed, no inspection hole/opening in the bottom to at least see the disc and try to turn it. Makes this prob tougher to figure out.
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