Tough shifting

[Waffles]

So suddenly today, my Cobra got very tough to shift. First was near impossible, the rest very notchy, reverse just grinds. I've got a Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, King Cobra clutch with about 40K on it, BBK clutch quad and firewall adjuster.

I ran the firewall adjuster out thinking that would help. It didn't. No matter how the clutch is adjusted, the problem persists. If I start the car in first gear, even with the clutch fully depressed, I can feel it pull. Shifter feels fine when the engine is off.

I've gotten some opinions, but I thought I'd toss it out here and see what you guys think.

[cstreu1026]

I would check the clutch cable. I had put an adjustable cable on my car that I got from UPR and it sucked. It caused all sorts of issues and the transmission wouldn't shift for shit. I had it replaced with one from Steeda and it drives damn like a stocker now even with the Spec Stage 3 clutch.

[NXcoupe]

I keep those cables in stock if you need one, Sbz discount. It sounds like either the cable is stretching about to brake, or the housing is collapsing when you push in the pedal. the other option is that the clutch has failed in some way. I would try a cable first and then if that doesn't do it, price some clutches. We install a lot of clutches in 4.6's because the factory ones just can't take the power and abuse.

[Waffles]

Well, I think I eliminated the cable at the culprit. I can adjust the cable far enough out that I can't push the pedal all the way to the floor. Anyone think it might be the throwout bearing?

[bobtsgt]

could be. Did you hear any loud squealing in the past couple of days?

[Waffles]

No. No loud squeeling. Would it sound like any other bearing going out?

[ilie2girls]

I had a similar problem with my 88 about a year ago. It ended up being a bent clutch fork. I could be WAY off here but that's what was wrong with mine.

[Waffles]

Well, I'm going to try to at least get underneat of the thing tomorrow and take a look. If I have to dig in after the tob or the fork, I might as well change out the clutch too.

[Rustanggt98]

make sure the cable didn't slip off of the quadrant (riding on the side instead of down the groove). take the cable off and make sure the bushing ends haven't come apart (the tanish parts that pass through the firewall adjuster and bellhousing, they can seperate from the cable sheathing), make sure the TOB is in one piece, if all of that fails i'd say its time to pull the tranny