RedLT1Z

Alright so I bought a '97 SS recently and we're having some problems with it. I was driving along and couldn't get it in fourth gear. I ****ed around with it and tried for 3rd gear, etc. And couldn't get it in gear. So I pulled over, killed it and ****ed with the shifter and got it in first. I quickly fired the engine and (with the clutch in) it lurched foward so I dumped the clutch real quick and got going. It's drivable, I can not find 4th gear still it seems. Possibly the syncro?

Anyways the clutch seems to partially engaged, it is drivable but tricky.

Here's the list of possible things we think it could be.
- Master Cylinder
- Syncro
- Clutch itself
- Throwout bearing.

Any suggustions? I'm taking it by a few a shops tomorrow then me and my friend Drew are going to start tearing into it tomorrow night I believe.

RedLT1Z

I've taken it to a few shops and they think it's clutch/throwout related.

shoji

When was the last clutch job done? Do you know if they changed the "roller" pilot bearing as part of the clutch job? These "roller" pilot bearings GM produced are ****. My "roller" pilot bearings took a **** before my clutch wore out.

What happens is the roller bearing's pre-lubed grease dries up around 50k-60k miles. When the grease dries up, the "rollers" are turning on your input shaft dry. Then the fun starts. The two start to overheat and melt to each other causing the pilot bearing to turn the input shaft even with the clutch disengaged. The infamous pilot bearing now has galled your expensive input shaft which will now be replaced (along with the usual clutch job).

A usual sign it's for sure your "roller" pilot bearing is the culprit: After a short time period, the problem instantly vanishes. Why? Because ALL the little rollers disintegrated and fell out of the bearing housing and dropped down into the bellhousing cover. Don't keep driving because you'll end up replacing a lot more than an input shaft.

shoji

Oops... forgot the fix for your prob: Get a bronze pilot bushing to replace the shitty roller bearing.

shoji

Damn.... a clutch fork that hasn't been lubed will actually wear through at the pivot..... this would produce a "weird" clutch pedal feel as you depress the pedal down and back up as a result of the friction caused by a dry pivot grinding into oblivion. hmm.... are you confused yet?