Update on my 915

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

All is well in the land of the T. Before I bought it, the car sat for a while. Now that I drove it for a week straight, the clutch cable slipped. Few turns of the wrech from behind the rear wheel and it's running better than ever. I'm happy, but I'm happier I dodged a bullet. Didn't really look forward to losing the car for any period of time in the summer and spending $$$$ on the tranny.

I believe with my newly "saved" money I may spring for the Seine Gate Shift kit..... or the H4's.... arrrgghhhh

dave.

Jim Sims · 07-15-2003, 06:27 PM

Don't order those H-4's yet. I don't think clutch cables "slip". They become loose by breaking wires with the remaining wires yielding or stretching or the arm for the clutch release bearing could be cracked and bending. The roll pin in the front pedal cluster may also be yielding. Monitor the situation and if the problem reoccurs you may have a failing component in the clutch linkage. Also, check your body to transmission ground strap underneath on the passenger side of car towards front of tranmission. The starter ground passes through this flat braided strap and if it's a poor connection the starter ground current can be returning through the clutch cable. This can heat the wires in the cable causing them to loose their temper and their strength. Jim

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

Jim, thanks for the help. It certainly has me on the edge now, but I'll definitely be on the lookout for these symptoms. With the ground strap, all I have to do is scrub it and its attachment point? Is there any particular conductive grease/compound I should use?

dave.

Jim Sims · 07-15-2003, 08:26 PM

Prepare the contact surfaces of the strap and contact points on body and tranmission to clean, bare metal using a fine wire brush or sandpaper. Buy some silicone grease (not silicone rubber nor RTV) and coat the contact surfaces with the grease and then clamp them together with the nuts. The silicone grease is not conductive. The silicone grease will be pushed/wiped away from the contact patches of the joint but then will help seal the contact patches from the air and weather so they do not corrode. NAPA sells this silicone grease; I believe their trade name is "Syl-glide". There are other sources of the silicone grease for electrical contact joints, it is also used as a high temperature grease for brake linkages and fittings. Cheers, Jim

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

I think I may have isolated the problem. At the rear of the clutch cable, right by the shift arm fork, there is a tension adjustment nut. It feels a bit loose, so loose in fact that a ratchet set wouldn't engage (and ratchet) while trying to tigten it. Could it be the vibration that's allowing the nut to loosen? I put a spring loaded washer to see if it helps. If the problem continues, would a nylon lock nut solve the problem?

thanks,
dave.

Jim Sims · 07-17-2003, 08:30 AM

Either that or the double nut technique - install a second nut (jam nut if you can find one) and tighten it against the first nut while holding the first nut secure against turning. Jim

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

Jim,

Guess you've seen it coming. The cable finally snapped. Better now than on a trip to Canada etc. I've already ordered the '72-'74 cable. My car is '73.5T, do you know whether it uses the omega spring or not? I'm not sure and "while I'm in there" I'd replace it as well. As far as the bronze clutch bushings... I'm having a hard time locating them in the pp parts section. Is there another name for them?

thanks,
dave.

Jim Richards · 07-20-2003, 11:22 AM

It shouldn't use the omega helper spring, assuming you have the correct tranny in your 73.5T.

Jim Sims · 07-20-2003, 05:34 PM

I agree; there is not an "omega" helper clutch spring on an original '73 915. One really doesn't have to replace the clutch pedal bushings when the clutch cable is replaced. It can be a "bit of a pain" getting the clutch pedal assembly apart (the difficulty is driving or drilling out the Spirol type roll pin) if one does not have a good place to work (like a vise on a work bench). However if you elect to do so, I would recommend you buy the bronze bushing kit sold on Pelican (SH-BPB-001 for $12.75). It appears to contain all the bushings one needs plus a new "Spirol" roll pin. If you do not rebuild the pedal cluster order instead the small OEM plastic bushing (A-423-343-00 for $4.25) that goes in the hole of the arm of the pedal clutch lever arm. In addition, if I were putting in a new clutch cable I would also order and install the following: rubber boot (B-423-922-02 for $6.90) that seals the end of the clutch cable near the transmission clutch arm and a fabric reinforced plastic strap (999.706.009.80 for $1.88). This strap is special order but Pelican can get it fairly quickly. The strap is used to hold the clutch cable away from the throttle linkage on the side of the transmission so it doesn't jam the throttle linkage. Cheers, Jim