So I just bought a barn find 68 camaro with a 327 and a Saginaw 4 speed (see photo). Hasn't been running for 10 years. Got it home and found out it has a 350 -not the 327 but I have another 327 out of a 68 Camaro. Trying to get it running so I can get it on a car hauler and move it from Arizona to Minnesota. I've never had a Chevy muscle car so this is going to be a fun learning experience/project. Got the motor running and the brakes bled but I can't get the tranny into 2nd, 3rd, 4th gear or reverse. I have it on jack stands and I can start it in neutral but the wheels turn when its running. Assuming it's actually in two gears - maybe neutral and 1st. I can not start it in 1st gear because the starter tries to turn over the motor and rear end - maybe first and 4th or something since I can't start it in what appears to be first gear. I was assuming the clutch is stuck to the flywheel so I adjusted the clutch so it feels like I have pedal but when I have it running and stomp on the brakes it kills the motor and occasionally I think I'm hearing the clutch squeal. Now I'm thinking its not a clutch issue. I'm beginning to think its out of adjustment and I'm in two gears. Thinking my

next step is to disconnect the linkage from the paddles, make sure they are in neutral and then align the shifter in neutral and reconnect/adjust the rods. This will be fun on my back laying under the car. Suggestions anybody?

68guy

 

If you push the clutch and you can still stall the motor with the brakes then the clutch is not disengaging.

If its in two gears at one time. Disengage the clutch start it release the clutch the motor should stall unless it blows the trans apart. If its in two gears at the same time the drive shaft can not turn, even if the engine is not running. Neutral is not a gear it is a lack of being in gear. In a 4 speed 3 forward gears should be in neutral while you are moving. When you are in Neutral all 4 gears are in neutral. Whenever 2 gears are engaged nothing car turn.

 

It's probably stuck in 1st and reverse due to sloppy linkage,if memory serves I had this happen many years back and had to get under the car and move the reverse arm to unstick it. Good luck.

 

If it is stuck in two gears, it should kill the engine when you let out the clutch
Yours just is not disengaging.
Sometimes it is a defective pressure plate that will cause it to not disengage

 

When its in neutral, mine starts and runs whether the clutch is pushed in or not.. Driveshaft, tranny and rear end are all turning. Car only stalls when I stomp on the brakes. When I put it in first gear, I can't turn it over with the starter.

 

If you put the rear end on jackstands and pull the clutch inspection plate
You should be able to see the disc move if in gear and turn the rear tires or driveline
I got a feeling your clutch is locked up, bad plate, rust, too thick a disc or way out of adjustment
Killing the motor when you hit the brakes may just be lean, power brakes right?
You better go thru the gears with the rear wheels off the ground and manually turn the engine over

 

That does sound like a failed pressure plate then.
What does it feel like when you step on the clutch?

 

Pushing the clutch disconnects the transmission engine. Nothing should be turning. This can be due to a pressure plate failure or from rust between the pressure plate and the clutch plate. Sometimes you can get the rust to break loose but it is a violent process.

Brakes stalling the car in any combination of gears WITH the clutch pushed means the clutch is stuck. For the engine to stall the action of the brakes must pass through the clutch to stop the motor. A working pushed in clutch will not transfer the stopping power.

I am a big fan of fixing one thing at a time but if I had the trans out doing the clutch I would remove the side plate and look at the shift forks and the feel the play in the input shaft. I am not a fan of a Saginaw 4 speed trans. I broke two in my younger years in a under 250HP 350 in less than 2 years. I never broke a Muncie even with a 350hp 350. That was the weaker M20 one.

The person in the car would be pushing the clutch. Higher RPM mean more chance of breaking rust AND more chance of breaking something else.

 

[QUOTE=Gorn;745608]If you push the clutch and you can still stall the motor with the brakes then the clutch is not disengaging.


I got it so it shifts into all five gears when its up on jack stands and not running. I can shift it without the clutch when its not running. I can also start the car in any gear and the tires spin in the appropriate direction when its running. However, I cannot shift it into reverse or into any gear when it is running - regardless of whether I push the clutch in. I can, at times, power-shift without a clutch when its running.but its safe to say the clutch is not working. I have adjusted the clutch (lengthened the rod) to create more pedal but that doesn't seem to matter or help. I suspect the clutch is stuck to the flywheel or the flex plate is stuck to the clutch. I tried warming the engine up and stomping on the brakes to free the clutch but that hasn't worked. It just stalls the motor. Any helpful hints would be appreciated?

 

I think you need a new clutch
It is your pressure plate that is no good
Replace all 4 parts in there
Clutch disc, pressure plate, throw out bearing and pilot bushing