clutch petal not returning all the way
 

I'm about to replace the return spring on my 81 targa because the pedal seems to catch about 1 inch from full return after letting it out. The clutch operates smoothly and does not seem to be draging, but the pedal is not returning all the way. When driving, I noticed that I could grab the pedal with the side of my foot and bring it back the rest of the way.. and then each time I operate the clutch, it can be pulled back manually that final inch.

so I have the return spring, which I figured was the part to replace, but after removing the fl-board, and looking closely at the mechanism, the current spring seems ok, -could it be a bad clutch cable?-or should I adjust the current clutch cable to pull out this extra slack? , or is it more likely the return spring?

Help!

-Adam

Adam:

I'd lube and adjust the cable first. See the Tech Info section on the site for good info on clutch problems.

There are two springs involved in the clutch operation - the one in the foot-well you are discussing and the large horseshoe spring at the other end of the cable under the gearbox. Neither are really "return" springs, they actually help push the pedal down. But they are "over the top" designs that push the pedal up at rest. As you push the pedal down, they rotate past the pivot point and then start pushing the other way - down.

The real return spring, as far as I know, is in the pressure plate. It should bring the pedal far enough back up for the helper springs to snap the other direction and hold the pedal up. If you have a lot of slack in the cable, or if the horseshoe spring is sticking, you might have the symptom you describe.

Hope this helps.

Ron

Ron,

Thanks for the tips,

after looking at the pedal cluster this evening, it just doesn't seem like the return spring on the clutch pedal is loose or worn, so the cable/helper spring are more likely culprits.

Did you ever solve your clutch problem? If so, can you share the info. I think I have something similar going on.

yes-I should have posted this,

-I replaced the cable just because I had a new one, but the actual issue was with where the cable is attached to the arm below the clutch. The arm was the issue(it was hanging up), I carefully lubed the lower 2/3 or so and now it is working perfectly. I'm glad actually that I didn't need to remove the spring in the pedal cluster because it looks like it requires more muscle that I have to get it off...

It's pretty easy if you take the pedal cluster out, and put it in a vice. It would be very difficult otherwise.

-Other end of the cable- not where it attaches to the cluster. The pin in the cluster is straight-IE not bent or binding.

I had a much more serious issue that this pedal sticking was a result from. My throwout bearing was getting stuck on the sleeve... new TOB and new sleeve solved the issue... of course... after a new cable, new pedal bushings, new springs, totally different pedal cluster, and new everything in between ;)

Best regards,

Michael

I've just done cable, bushing, clevis, pin replacement but I do need to replace the pedal spring under the floor board. Is the only way to replace the spring is to take the pedal cluster out? What would be the steps for this?