Didn’t feel like messing with the car so instead took the wife out to brunch and a movie.
Late in the afternoon the car was taken out to further test the possible heat/disengagement link. As it warmed up, sure enough, the ability to get into reverse became more difficult. Reverse is always the most difficult, followed by first to a lesser degree, followed by the other gears even less so. By the time I pulled into the garage it was like yesterday, unable to put it into reverse without being “rude.” Interestingly, if it was put into first and then reverse, it went right in, as though it either stopped the gear cluster from spinning, or at least matches the speeds. Put it back into neutral and let out the clutch, then push it back in, and once again it can’t be put into reverse. It’s not an issue of waiting for the gears to spin-down either, as I could wait 30 seconds on the clutch and it still won’t go.
I wonder why reverse is the problem? I’m beginning to suspect that the pilot bushing may be binding on the transmission input shaft, dragging it along by some amount when it gets hot and expands. That’s just my pet theory at the moment since I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ve sent inquiries to both the engine builder and clutch manufacturer to see what they say, but as it is, it seems like the engine’s going to come out – I just don’t know what to look for once it’s apart.
It wasn’t all bad today; the new brakes were bedded-in and boy do they work! Like with Kimini, I knew it was good when I got motion-sickness from it stopping harder than expected; didn’t barf but did get nauseated. After recovering I tried a few hard stops to see which end locked up first and it was hard to tell, so the balance is pretty close as-is. It’ll be fine-tuned later.