Clutch weirdness Options

[bobforman]

OK, I'm expecting the worst. Went for a short drive on Sunday and noticed the clutch pedal was engaging a little more toward the firewall when I started out. By the time I got home it was engaging at the wall. What are my options at this point? I'll get it on jacks and hope it just needs a cable adjustment but I can't believe I'll be that lucky. Any diagnosis from the experts at this point?
Thanks

[RonnieJ]

OK, I'm expecting the worse. Went for a short drive on Sunday and noticed the clutch pedal was engaging a little more toward the firewall when I started out. By the time I got home it was engaging at the wall. What are my options at this point? I'll get it on jacks and hope it just needs a cable adjustment but I can't believe I'll be that lucky. Any diagnosis from the experts at this point?
Thanks

The clutch cable could have stretched and needs readjustment or worse case the clutch tube broke loose and you will need to reweld it back into place. Neither is a real tough job just frustrating and a little time consuming.

[Dr. 914]

I second that emotion!!! Readjust the clutch at the 11 mm adjusting nut on the right front side of the transmission leaving 1/2 inch of free play, then get in the car, push in the clutch (ignition key in your pocket) and shift to the 4th 5th side of the gate and hold the shifter there while then disengaging and engaging the pedal and see if you can feel the action in the shifter. If you can, the tube has broken loose in the tunnel and will need, as Ronnie says, rewelding. If not drive the car and see if the cable slips again. HOPEFULLY though it is just stranding the cable and just the cable needs replacement OR you have a single non locking clutch nut and it has slipped!!!

OK, I'm expecting the worse. Went for a short drive on Sunday and noticed the clutch pedal was engaging a little more toward the firewall when I started out. By the time I got home it was engaging at the wall. What are my options at this point? I'll get it on jacks and hope it just needs a cable adjustment but I can't believe I'll be that lucky. Any diagnosis from the experts at this point?
Thanks

The clutch cable could have stretched and needs readjustment or worse case the clutch tube broke loose and you will need to reweld it back into place. Neither is a real tough job just frustrating and a little time consuming.

[bobforman]

Got the car on jacks and got underneath. I found the cable to be adjusted to it's fullest extent. Removing the two adjusting nuts reveals a lot of free play in the clutch lever. At least 50%. Seems that throw what remains wouldn't be enough to fully disengage the clutch. Is this the normal amount of no-resistance throw or do you suppose the pressure plate has seen better days? Thanks, Bob

[WFG]

Check the clutch tube at the firewall for broken welds but it could also be the plastic bushing pivot for the throw out bearing arm
william

[Dr. 914]

I second that, remove the shifter and put your cheek on the center tunnel and look forward through the shifter hole to the left side of the tunnel and look at the double bracket over the accelerator and clutch tubes to see if the bracket has broken loose. The two tubes neatly stack on top of each other. If displaced the clutch tube has broken loose allowing the cable to route as the crow flies rather than in a predetermined manner, and hence the extra cable and inability to adjust.

Check the clutch tube at the firewall for broken welds but it could also be the plastic bushing pivot for the throw out bearing arm
william

[bobforman]

It's all coming apart next week. I'll let you know what the verdict is. Thanks for the tips.

[bobforman]

The bottom line: it was the cable. Starting with the easy option first I removed the old cable to find it had a kink and the shield had split all the way round just prior to its end. Installed the new one and adjusted it taking up about 1/3 the threads from the end. Works perfectly. I really didn't want to replace the disk and pressure plate. Thanks for your suggestions. BTW the guide in the tunnel is secure.

[Dr. 914]

Thankfully the tube is good!!!! Congrats on solving it

The bottom line: it was the cable. Starting with the easy option first I removed the old cable to find it had a kink and the shield had split all the way round just prior to its end. Installed the new one and adjusted it taking up about 1/3 the threads from the end. Works perfectly. I really didn't want to replace the disk and pressure plate. Thanks for your suggestions. BTW the guide in the tunnel is secure.

[aexe]

Hi all. I'm having some weirdness with my 75 1.8 clutch. I have had to tighten the clutch cable at the transmission twice in the last six months in order to restore the ability to get her into gear without the expensive crunch sound. This seems odd to me, as I've never had to do tighten it up, and I wanted to get any advice the group might have as to the cause.

I do have the "double nut" setup to resist loosening of the cable at the tranny, can that still loosen? I thought about measuring the amount of thread in front of the nuts with a caliper, adjusting it, driving for a few months and measure again to compare.

I replaced the cable approximately 8 years ago, however the car sat for a number of those years. Do the cables stretch before failing? Or perhaps a larger clutch repair is the culprit?

Thanks for any advice.

[Dr. 914]

what is happening is that the clutch tube inside the tunnel is beginning to break loose from its bracket. You must remove the cable and reeled the bracket before it breaks completely and causes a mess. Please read about the procedure in the book "Tech Tips 700" by dr914

Hi all. I'm having some weirdness with my 75 1.8 clutch. I have had to tighten the clutch cable at the transmission twice in the last six months in order to restore the ability to get her into gear without the expensive crunch sound. This seems odd to me, as I've never had to do tighten it up, and I wanted to get any advice the group might have as to the cause.

I do have the "double nut" setup to resist loosening of the cable at the tranny, can that still loosen? I thought about measuring the amount of thread in front of the nuts with a caliper, adjusting it, driving for a few months and measure again to compare.

I replaced the cable approximately 8 years ago, however the car sat for a number of those years. Do the cables stretch before failing? Or perhaps a larger clutch repair is the culprit?

Thanks for any advice.

[aexe]

The good Dr. is right again. I got the book and did the job, and made a little video about it. Let me know what you think and if I missed anything... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVN0LfsLaz0&t=2s

what is happening is that the clutch tube inside the tunnel is beginning to break loose from its bracket. You must remove the cable and reeled the bracket before it breaks completely and causes a mess. Please read about the procedure in the book "Tech Tips 700" by dr914

Hi all. I'm having some weirdness with my 75 1.8 clutch. I have had to tighten the clutch cable at the transmission twice in the last six months in order to restore the ability to get her into gear without the expensive crunch sound. This seems odd to me, as I've never had to do tighten it up, and I wanted to get any advice the group might have as to the cause.

I do have the "double nut" setup to resist loosening of the cable at the tranny, can that still loosen? I thought about measuring the amount of thread in front of the nuts with a caliper, adjusting it, driving for a few months and measure again to compare.

I replaced the cable approximately 8 years ago, however the car sat for a number of those years. Do the cables stretch before failing? Or perhaps a larger clutch repair is the culprit?

Thanks for any advice.