Stick car, too much clutch?

[69Cobra]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

About 6 or 7 years ago, I had a very simillar experiance with my Fairmont. Unknown to me, I guess the pilot had fallen out for quite a while, and on 1 pass, when I pushed in the clutch pedal for 3rd gear, the engine started shaking terribly. I guess with the bearing not doing its job, the input shaft was free to move up and down, and eventually the disc cracked around the hub, and allowed the hub section to break away from the rest of the disc. The outer section got all caught up inside the scattershield, snapped off the starter nose cone, deformed the bellhousing, and like you, when I went to remove the trans, it only came part way out, because the bearing retainer had become bell mouthed, and wouldn`t allow the retainer to slip thru the throw out bearing. The bellhousing, and everything inside it were ruined.Not a pretty sight!

Yep. All over a $2 part. I've even taken a flat chisel and scared up the inside of the crank to give it teeth so to speak and that still didn't keep it in there very tight. I'm going the silicone route next time.