[T3] Clutch Plate

[J. Jonik]

Replacing clutch disk...'71 T-3---Manual stick-shift.

Clutch plate was obviously shot.  Had two brand new clutch plates so it was just a matter of dropping engine and putting a new one in...but, they turned out to be for some other VW; They were a bit too big to fit.  (What car are they for?)  So I used the best used one I had..with nice depth of the rivet holes and intact, non-worn grooves.

So, all back together.  Car started fine...BUT it wouldn't change gears at all when the car was running.  Gear change is easy when car not running.  If I start in first, or reverse, then release clutch, car goes forward, and backward, like normal.  But, still, gears would not change with engine running.

What could I have done wrong?
*  For one moment when engine (bolted to the trans) was up on the jack, I inadvertently let the jack down too far.  Did this stretch the clutch cable too much?  Would that cause inability to shift with engine running?   Something else?

*  The clutch plate really looked to be centered, and since the trans rod went into the clutch plate hole, doesn't that mean that it's matched up and ok there?  Is it even possible the trans rod could go all the way in and be somehow wrong?  Is it possible that it's jammed in without the splines matching up?   I didn't think to grease it up before assembly.  Is that a clue to anything?

* Is it possible I permanently damaged something?