car wont engage gear(grinds)

[jesus_ralliart]

let me start off by saying, when off, its engages all the gears smooth. when on, it grinds each of them. we just finished the trans swap along with xfer case. Also, a new slave cylinder which was bled. I'm thinking its either the clutch or the shift fork. Any ideas?

 

[Barnes]

Could be a lot of things. Obviously the clutch is not disengaging. Give us some details on what parts you used, what did you replace, what's new, what's used. Have you adjusted the clutch pedal engagement height yet? (The adjuster rod up under the dash above the pedals?)

 

If it shifts smoothly while the car is off then its a clutch problem as BarnesMobile said. Adjusting the rod on the clutch pedal is the first step if that hasn't been done.

 

Did you rebuild or replace your clutch master cylinder?

 

[jesus_ralliart]

have not tried the adjuster rod yet. all the parts which were replaced were used but from reputable sellers on here(nate crisman and autobahntom). the parts replaced were passenger axle, slave cylinder, trans and transfer case. When we were under the car... the clutch looked fine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Obviously, looking back, it was stupid not to just take it out and make sure but we were pressed for time.

Did not replace/rebuild clutch master cylinder.

 

Any time you replace/remove something like a trans I would expect that you need to adjust the rod from the master. I bet your clutch is fine because the problem isnt that it will not engage, its that it will not disengage.

You may already know how to do this, but....

1) find where the rod from the master cylinder goes into the clutch pedal under the dash
2) break that set nut loose that is on the back of the clutch pedal assembly
3) turn the rod so that it goes into the firewall more (maybe try a couple turns at a time)
4) test the clutch out and continue to adjust till clutch works
5) tighten the set nut

 

I'd first replace or rebuild the clutch master cylinder. It's cheap. Refill with fluids and properly bleed the system. Then follow the above steps for adjusting. This should fix your shifting problems if she's anything like 1947 was. Which it sounds like it. Both the rebuild kit and the cylinder can be had at autozone or advanced. Mine now shifts better than it ever did.

 

[Barnes]

Why not try the adjustment first??

 

Try adjusting it first if you don't have the $16 dollars to replace it. If it were me, and I'd put the money in all the other places, I'd just replace or rebuild it( if I'd replaced everything else, why not?). The seals go bad after 20yrs. That ended up being my problem, and I had very similar symtoms. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

try putting the car in gear before it is started rev it up and see if it moves with the clutch in. if not adjust the rod if it does the clutch is not disengaging.