Newbie Pedal Cluster Rebuild- done!!...but almost didn't make it!

[qcwang]

Got it done! Took a while, but I did it! Glad it is over. I am going to be very sore tomorrow.

Very glad I did this as I felt the bushings were worn. Clutch was always hard to push and resistance was not even. The bushings were worn, but I also found that the end of the clutch pedal shaft where the roll pin goes was cracked almost all the way around!! Failure was right around the corner!

With new bushings and a new clutch pedal shaft, clutch now a little more smooth to depress but still needs effort.

101 Projects and the Technical Article helped but did not include some info regarding my 83 SC.

Tips I learned:
1. Copy of the PET parts diagram helped greatly.
2. Remove the anchoring Strut Bar from the top. There is no mention of this in either resource. Access it from the trunk, near the master cylinder. There is a hole that you can look down in to the footwell. I struggled and removed from the bottom at the pedal cluster. Felt dumb when I found out the top bolt was easily accessible.
3. The brake push rod bar must also be removed. Remove the pin from the top of the bar. It cannot be removed from the bottom until the whole cluster is out.
4. Remove the gas pedal as it gives a bit more room to work.
5. Loosen the center console around the shifter to give better access to the clutch and accelerator cables via a small opening of the center shaft.
6. Try to be patient when attaching the clutch cable clip back on as much of it is done by feel rather than direct visualization (at least the way I did it)
7. Start yoga about 6 months before this project so you can better contort yourself in the footwell.

What could I have done better?
I really struggled getting it all back in. At first I put the cluster in, but when bolted down, I could not pull the clutch cable far enough to reach where it attaches.

I then unbolted the cluster so it would be loose to attach the clutch and accelerator cables. I then had a terrible time struggling against the clutch’s resistance to set the pedal cluster on its bolt openings. I managed, but it took a long time and was very frustrating.

Could I have done it differently? TIA!

[MIK911]

Way to go!
Start your Yoga lessons now, i'll call you in 6 mo.

[Amail]

What if you had depressed the clutch pedal prior to disassembly and jammed something behind the clutch lever on the transmission? I would think you could keep the slack you need in the cable this way.

Of course, having never owned much less worked on a Porsche before, this may seem a pretty naive suggestion.

[Grady Clay]

Amail,

That is a great suggestion. Thank you.

Quincy, is there any “feel” in the accelerator pedal when you operate the clutch pedal? It is possible (in rare cases) to have the clutch cable on the wrong side of the accelerator rod. This causes the clutch cable to seem too short and you fight the battle to get it on.

Now that you have the pedal assembly functioning correctly, now might be the time to turn your attention to the rest of the linkage. The throttle bell-crank at the transmission has another pair of plastic bushings that will benefit from being new and lubed (an easy job). Just forward of that bell-crank is the accelerator cushion. Sooner or later the rubber cushion will fail and you will not get full throttle. It too is an easy replacement.

The clutch linkage under the transmission is in one of the worst exposed places in the car for such pieces. A through cleaning and assembly with new needle bearings, seals and lube might be in order. There is a very specific adjustment procedure to follow. With a stiff operating clutch this is a place to look. When you do this (particularly if you investigate the clutch cable position at the front) install a new cable and save the old one as a spare.

There is one more accelerator bell crank that could use servicing. It is on top of the engine, sorta above cylinder #3 and under the CIS. Difficult to get to with the engine in place. Be aware that the ball cups on the linkage there have a “safety pin” that must be removed before the linkage can pop off the ball.


For future reference, many times it makes the job easier for DIY if you remove the driver’s seat – four bolts and a plug.

Congratulations on a job well done!

Best,
Grady

[qcwang]

Thanks for the advice!

Mik911- I'll start yoga if you buy me a big shoe horn!

Amail-I didn't think about that. Good suggestion. I had thought maybe I would have had to unhook the whole cable from the transmission so I didn't pursue it.

Grady-I think the cables are ok. Pushing on each pedal does not activate the other. My first go around, I think I had them twisted and I could hear them rubbbing on each other.
The clutch cable is relatively new at 2 yrs ( I think the needle bearings were changed too) and the accelerator bell crank was serviced then too.

The clutch helper spring I believe is original. Replacement would help lessen the clutch pedal stiffness, correct?
With everything at its best, I don't think it will be Honda soft, but what should I expect? Next PCA breakfast club, I'll have to ask folks if I can press on their clutches!

I was going to remove the drivers seat, but then it just would have been too easy!

[qcwang]

A follow up.

After completing this project, the pedal still felt very firm and hard to depress. Not much different from before. However, pushing the pedal slightly engaged the clutch and with Grady's advice, I realized my clutch was not in proper adjustment now with the new bushings and a new clutch pedal shaft that wasn't bent.

I stopped off today at my mechanic's (Aase Motors in Fullerton) and had Jeff adjust the clutch...........Oh my gosh! I am amazed, the pedal is as soft as butter compared to what I have been driving for three years. Earlier I had said I didn't think it would be possible to be Honda soft, but wow, it sure is close! Almost stopped on my way home to make sure I wasn't in the Twilight Zone driving my gone but not forgotten Honda CRX.

Sorry if I sound so silly, but I am so amazed on how good the clutch now feels. I had such the biggest grin on my way home! This project was totally worth it!!

Hmmm....now I wonder how long it will take for my left leg to atrophy down to regular size!