No Reverse, New clutch and transmission rebuild Options

[Wew]

Hi all,
I have been reading many posts and doing lots of research and am throwing in the towel and putting this out to the brain trust.
I rebuilt the transmission (Dr evil CD) and new clutch flywheel throw out bearing etc.
Swepco transmission fluid. Shifting has always felt kind of stiff. After many shifter alignment issues and clutch adjustments, Checking to make sure clutch cable is not twisted around accelerator cable or a broken guide tube as I drove car I would notice it was much harder getting into 1st and reverse. So I tinkered again adjusted clutch cable and alignment. Now I can’t get reverse at all. Here’s the thing I notice with the clutch fork, it barely moves when tension is removed from clutch cable. It takes serious effort to move it by hand 1/8-1/4”. The car has sat for a while as I was sorting through other problems and other projects. For giggles I readjusted the shifter with a bias towards drivers side and still can’t get it into reverse.
Is this clutch drag? If so what is the remedy other than dropping the transmission and redoing the clutch fork and throw out bearing.
Thank you all for reading this long winded message and weighing in.

[mgphoto]

Did you resurface the flywheel, if so you should have added an additional washer under the fork pivot to compensate for the fork hitting the tranny case.
You don’t mention tail or side shifter?

[Wew]

Thank you for the response. Flywheel is brand new and it’s a side shifter.
Thank you for responding.

[Wew]

Ok. Adjusted cone screw and linkage behind firewall and at transmission tightened down and bingo. I don’t think my troubles are over yet as the shifting just feels a little crunchy. Will take it for a quick spin and see if I have my other gears.

[Jack Standz]

There is a small plastic bushing that resides in the clutch fork that rides on the ball/pivot screwed into the transmission.

If it wears out, you will not get enough travel to disengage the clutch completely before the clutch fork hits the transmission case. This means you may not be able to shift into 1st or reverse (especially when your synchros are worn), but may be able to get 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th to engage.

Maybe you didn't replace this bushing?

[mlindner]

As Jack said, I bench tested mine and had to add a dime under the plastic bushing in the clutch fork to get the correct throw.

[Jack Standz]

Many years ago, back when that bushing wasn't readily available and we needed to get the 914 back on the road, we replaced it with a piece of aluminum pressed into the clutch fork. Then drilled out an appropriately sized divot into the aluminum. Ran it that way for probably 15 (?) years without any problems.