Two major problems are encountered when using the Isuzu trans with the Northstar. the first is that the shift cables and their mounting bracket are dirrectly in line with the throttle body. the way I decided to get around this was to build a whole new bracket utilizing bellcranks to re-dirrect the cables out under the throttle body. I started with the Isuzu clutch slave bracket and added about 3" to the right and rear sides. On the right side a system of bellcranks was added. The mini ball joints used for the links are borrowed from a riding lawn mowers stearing linkage. MTD part # 923-0156. The most difficult part was making new brackets to retain the cables. As you can see from the pic it's a fairly complex setup, but I don't know any easier way to have done it that this.
The second problem area is that the top of the clutch arm hits the water manifold. By adding about 2" to the slave bracket, which extends and lowers it, then clocking the arm around on it's shaft by 15* or so, enough rotation becomes available to operate the clutch. One minor downside is that because the slave ends up with the bleader below the high point, the slave will now need to be removed in order to blead the system. two nuts.... no biggie.

brkt off

brkt on

a work of art Russ! now if you could mass produce...

i brought home the pull slave I plan on trying. well a core anyway. if it looks like it will work i'll buy a new one.

very ingenious ..I wonder if the muncie could be reworked to fit the n* with out too much trouble. I guess I need to get a N* and find out

What did you do to allow the arm to be clocked to a different position on the shaft?

quote Originally posted by cptsnoopy: a work of art Russ! now if you could mass produce... i brought home the pull slave I plan on trying. well a core anyway. if it looks like it will work i'll buy a new one.

I can mass produce. they are $1,000.oo each . how many did you want?

How do you plan to set that pull slave up? I assume you'll reverse the arm so it's 180* from it's normal position? Looks like a good idea.

[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 04-25-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Russ544: How do you plan to set that pull slave up? I assume you'll reverse the arm so it's 180* from it's normal position? Looks like a good idea.

my plan was to make an arm that extends laterally to the drivers side of the car without any elevation offset (that should end up being close to 90* clockwise from where it is now). attach the body side of the slave to the arm using a pivot bearing (i don't know the real name for the bearing). Then attach the piston side of the slave to the trans using another pivot bearing with threads long enough for final adjustment. the slave body will move each time you use the clutch but that should be no problem. I am hoping to use the stock fiero line with no extension but I will have to see if that can be done or not. If the slave travel is different than the stock fiero slave I will try to figure that out first then make the release arm the correct length to compensate. The only reason for putting the slave on "backwards" is to have the bleeder on the high side of the slave. I hope this description makes some sense.

quote Originally posted by Erik: very ingenious ..I wonder if the muncie could be reworked to fit the n* with out too much trouble. I guess I need to get a N* and find out

I have a couple 4 speed cars also, and from looking at them (in the car only) it apears that the cable might go under the throttle body without issue. it would be pretty close. The clutch arm appears to be a similar isue as the Isuzu, and therefore curable. The Muncie is a great trans. give it a try.

Russ