Does the clutch cable stretch?

[Crazy Horse]

Hey group,

I was enjoying driving around town and noticed a little burnt clutch smell a couple of times without any abuse. Soon after, had trouble pushing the clutch pedal down far enough to slow the 1st and reverse syncros without going into 2nd first.

Clutch burn smell has not returned.

Have had a few 911's - have learned that brake pads are cheaper and easier than clutches and clutches are cheaper and easier than syncros.

I adjusted all of the play out of the cable at the pedal and it got better - but just a few days later I am back to square one. Clutch holds well - I just don't have enough pedal.

Any "quick and easy" suggestions from the wise?

[Ed scuba]

Yes. Clutch cable can stretch and cause problem discribed.

[Jim Sims]

Wire cables don't usually stretch much although if enough wires break the remaining wires could be overloaded and possibly stretch. More likely the spirol roll pin in the clutch pedal shaft in the pedal cluster is starting to yield or has yielded allowing the pedal arm to rotate on the shaft.

[Joe Bob]

Not much but the tube(s) that the cable runs thru can break loose from their anchors...

[911Mac]

Jack,

I just fixed the clutch on my 82sc that had similar symptoms. Found that the pin in the pedal cluster that holds the clutch pedal to the shaft that the clutch cable attaches to had sheared off. The two parts appeared to be firmly attached to one another, but would slip after I'd drive the car for awhile. The cable itself is pretty stout.

-Mac

[Crazy Horse]

Thanks guys - I'll delve deeper.

[fred cook]

I replaced the clutch cable in my '80 SC a couple of years ago. When I got the old cable out of the car, I laid it out next to the new cable. The old cable was about 3/8" longer than the new one. Did it stretch? Was there a difference in manufacturing tolerance? Either was a possibility. The new, shorter cable solved the problem of not being able to adjust the clutch.

[Zef]

I'm surprised than this cable can stretch this amount....The load is not big enough on the cable to cause it to strech like that..I mean...it's a fairly big cable considered this small kind of load....all that IMHO.

[Crazy Horse]

Where the clutch cable attaches to the clutch pedal:

I removed the pin and saw that the pin itself had worn about an 8th of an inch. The plastic bushing was "eaten" by wear all the way to the side for another 3/16" and the pedal hole that the bushing fit into was beginning to "wallow".

All told, it looks like I gained about 7/16" of "new" clutch cable play over the last few days.

I have fashioned "temporary" replacement parts from Pterodactyl Beak and Mammoth Bone that will hopefully work until the Pelican box arrives.

Thanks to all for the help and advice !!!