Clutch Cable Broken? Need Help in La Crosse WI

MRM · 06-19-2005, 05:25 PM

I drove my 84 ROW Cab to a bachelor party/camp-out for one of my cousins, just south of La Crosse, Wisonson. The trip down went fine. On the way out I filled up with 100 octane from a pump I recently found and she roared like a kitten.

This morning one of the group woke up early and took it for a spin. (I wasn't with him but he had permission to drive it). About three shifts later the clutch went down to the floor and wouldn't come up. No reports of noises or strange behavior just before it broke, and I didn't notice anything yesterday. You can shift into and out of gear with the engine off, but trying to shift with the engine on would grind the gears.

Does this sound like a broken clutch cable? Any recommendations for a shop in the La Crosse area? I towed it to Conway Auto Service, an independent that advertises he works on Porsches. Any ideas what I'm likely to encounter when he looks it over?

nabilious · 06-19-2005, 06:59 PM

Too bad about that, I feel for you though, just pulled my dads 71 911T out of storage, drove it 40 miles home, he came outta the house and said to take hime for a spin. I put it in reverse and eased out the clutch and I heard a "Twang" and no more clutch (this was yesterday). it happens. the moral of the story is, it could be your clutch cable ($15 and an hour of your time) but if the pedal fell to the floor, I would bet it may actually/also be the clutch return spring. its on the pedal cluster (check your books as I'm not that familiar with the "New" stuff. that job is a little more involved...but not really as your already gonna be doing yoga upside down by the pedals. good luck and lemme know what you find.
Nabil

MRM · 06-19-2005, 07:04 PM

Thanks, Nabil. Funny that it happened to both of us so recently. I'm getting my Bentley book out and will let you know what turns up tomorrow.

Rufblackbird · 06-19-2005, 07:24 PM

sounds like the clutch cable to me...when it happened to me the clutch pedal went all the way down and did not come back up.

IlMostro · 06-20-2005, 09:48 AM

I had the same thing happen to me a few weeks ago. Turns out on mine the pedal shaft hole where the cable attaches had worn completely through. Ended up replacing the cable end, pedal shaft and rebuilding the bushings "while I was at it".

Here's the part that wore out on mine.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/images/pedals/diag/rod2.jpg

The spring on the pedal assy biases the pedal toward the front of the car (all the way down). So I doubt that's what the problem is.

I haven't seen anything posted about the pedal shaft wearing out (I guess I'm "lucky").

I'd guess it's the cable.

Best Regards,
Daryl
Shorewood, WI

MRM · 06-20-2005, 12:54 PM

Thanks guys. Shop guys are looking at it now. I'll post what they say. It's probably a job that's over my head anyway, but with the car there and me back home, there isn't much choice but to have them do it all.

MRM · 07-01-2005, 07:48 AM

Well, two weeks later the shop finally had time to look at it. Bad news: It is not the clutch cable. The problem seems to trace back to the bell-housing. They haven't opened it up yet but they think the pressure plate was damaged. I may have gotten that wrong, I wasn't receiving very well when they gave me the whole story.

The suspicion is that the problem may not have been preceded by a simple shift where the clutch went down but didn't come up as I had been told. Rather, the shop thinks it may have been preceded by a missed shift. The shop is talking about a new clutch, assembly, re-machining something and some other stuff that I didn't quite follow as I am both in shock and technologically inept.

If it turns out to have been a missed shift, what else is likely to be wrong? Does a new clutch sound like the solution here? And how much is that going to run me? Is it time for that Gary Fairbanks 915 rebuild I've been wanting or is Baby about to be put out to pasture?

Ouch.

MBAtarga · 07-01-2005, 08:14 AM

Sounds just like a broken clutch cable to me, BTDT. How well do you trust this shop? Could they be suggesting more work ($$) because they know you're not from the area, and they have the car there? Maybe JW will chime in here for his valued opinion.

real550A · real550A's Garage

In the long run, you might be better off renting a trailer and bringing the car back to MSP. There are honest shops here that specialize in 911's
(Aaron @ Flatsix comes to mind) who will give you the "real" diagnosis.

JTL · JTL's Garage

Don't know if I would believe that diagnosis?! I had a similar result from a broken pedal cluster shear pin. My pedal went down all the way with a 'thunk' and wouldn't come back up. Check your clutch cable actuation distance at the engine; it should be ~25mm.
I always check the simple and obvious things first. BTW, found a new shear pin at ace hw for 27 cents - perfect fit.

jt
-84 targa

911pcars · 07-01-2005, 10:12 AM

I'm with the skeptics on this thread.

See if the end of the clutch cable moves when you manually depress the clutch pedal. If it doesn't, check the front end of the cable (through the inspection hole next to the gas pedal). As per JT, it could be also be a broken pedal assembly spring pin. If the front end of the clutch cable isn't moving, that's it.

Me thinks the garage thinks they have a customer over a barrel. At this point, it might be cheaper to administer truth serum to your friend.

If it's the clutch cable, make sure you get the exact identical clutch cable to replace it (assuming you've got the correct one); not just any 911 cable.

Sherwood

MRM · 07-01-2005, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the input. The description they gave me sounds like what JTL described. I'll call them and see. Otherwise, I'm leaning toward renting a trailer.

mb911 · mb911's Garage

bring it to MRAZ in Milwaukee they will get it right the first time Have it towed there it will cheaper in the run and they are very trust worthy

MRM · 07-01-2005, 10:46 AM

Ok, I gave the shop guys the third degree. They described the problem in greater detail, and as far as I can tell over the phone 200 miles away, they seem legit. My uncle uses them and a friend recommended them, maybe I'll have one of them stop by for a little local influence.

The clutch cable does move when the pedal is moved by hand. The problem is inside the bell housing. They can't move the clutch at that point because it is stuck, and the clearance at some screw in that area is supposed to be 10 mm or something like that and it's more like a half an inch. They promised to check the other things mentioned above before tearing into it.

Their labor rates are $60 bucks an hour and they've quoted me $1,200 to replace the clutch, resurface the flywheel, and everything. The clutch kit is $480, labor is another $450, and the incidentals bring it up to $1,200. Does this sound out of line?

They are too busy to start on it today anyway, so I told them to hold off until next week when they can work it in since I won't be back until next weekend. If I do have them do it, is there anything I should have them do when they have the engine and trans out? How much more would it cost to have them send it to Gary Fairbanks for a first and second gear rebuild?

I have already sent my friend a discrete email requesting more detail opn what happened at the point the clutch stopped working. I'll work up to the third degree on him.

MRM · 07-01-2005, 12:45 PM

Further inquiry with the last known driver reveals a slightly different story. Turns out the clutch felt loose in the first shift or two, then between 1- or 2-3, the clutch went out.

Who wants to bet it turns out to be a redline 2-3 shift that hit first instead of third?

Dan Mc Intyre · Dan Mc Intyre's Garage

I live in La Crosse. Who's doing the work?

Dan Mc Intyre · Dan Mc Intyre's Garage

MRM, just re-read your original post. Conway has a pretty good rep. here in town. I'm curious, how did your repair experience there turn out?

MRM · 07-08-2005, 02:19 PM

The verdict is finally in. I am satisfied with Conway, so far at least. They are slow, but appear to have dealt with me well. The answer is one totally exploded clutch, the apparent victim of a 2-3 shift that went 2-1 instead. The flywheel needed refinishing but was damaged only on one side and seems to have survived ok. They are saving the parts.

The clutch did not appear to have been worn, which matches my knowledge. Conway gave me the third degree about how the clutch failed because they couldn't see how it couldn't have happened without a missed shift.

Upon further questioning, the wayward driver admitted the clutch stopped working as he was shifting from second to third. He forgot to mention to me the exploding metal-on-metal sound he would have experienced as the clutch disitigrated and the pedal stopped working.

He and I will have further discussions on the topic. They may start out being direct. I anticipate the conversations will get even more direct quickly.

Dan, do you drive a Grand Prix white coupe with turbo script under the tail? If so, I may have seen you on the south side last weekend.

Mike

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Don't let others drive your car... (I know, it's too late now...)

911pcars · 07-08-2005, 04:14 PM

It was fortunate your friend was savvy enough to not re-engage the clutch after shifting from 2>1st. As described by your shop, the meshing of gears into first from 3rd gear rpm was enough to spin the clutch disk up to self-destructive speed. If he had let up on the clutch pedal, the engine would have tried to follow that course of action.

photo courtesey, R. Curnick

Sherwood