Clutch Snap

supertedusa · 02-14-2002, 10:43 AM

Searched the posts, but didn't quite find the answer I needed. I've got an '83 911 SC, 85K mi.

The problem I'm having is that there seems to be no "give" in the clutch when I let out on the pedal to engage it. It "snaps" and engages very quickly in about 1-3 inches of travel (guessing).

Originally, when the clutch felt normal, I heard a "pop", and then the pedal dropped to the floor, loosing 2/3 of the travel. The clutch had the snap after that, but still seemed to eng/disengage OK.

I've rebuilt the cluster (per PP tech article & "101 Projects"), installed a new cable, and replaced the helper spring (ditto), which helped the feel and the pedal height. The old roll pin was not sheared, but I replaced it anyway.

Now, I've got a great feeling pedal that returns about even with the brake pedal, but I realized today, while driving to work, that the clutch has the same 'snap' as it did after the pedal fell to the floor - longer travel, but same feel.

I had to choke up quite a bit on the clevis to get the pedal to return to the height I wanted. It appears that the 1 mm clearance with the stop bolt on the arm is there. I'm realizing I may not have the cable adjusted correctly, but I'm suspecting another problem.

TIA.

Kurt B · 02-14-2002, 10:59 AM

You may want to check out this post here when I killed my clutch a few weeks ago. I'm not exactly sure what you're experiencing, but as you can see, I tried all the 'adjustments' first, and found no difference, although mine was much worse. You might be experience the fork bending problem I was experiencing for about a year before the clutch fork or whatever it was broke completely.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58909&highlight=clutch

supertedusa · 02-14-2002, 11:15 AM

Kurt, I was following that thread pretty closely, and suspected I might be headed there.

Only catch is that it doesn't seem to have slipped more than it originally did after the "pop->drop", and it still feels like it's engaging/disengaging OK.

It feels like it's either on or off, you know what I mean? My problem sounds right on with yours in some areas, and different in others (haven't experienced the problems with shifting... yet). Although, after replacing all the surface parts, I imagine you're right in the sense that it's most likely an internal problem.

Oh ****.

skinnerd · skinnerd's Garage

A few years back while racing my RS replica at Road Atlanta, the clutch pedal "snapped" while shifting into fifth on the backstretch. Cable was fine, so we guessed that I broke a clutch shifter fork that operates the throwout bearing. Ordered one overnight, and proceded to take the drivetrain out. When we split the trans from the engine, low and behold the shifter fork was fine. Instead, the clutch disc had imploded with all kinds of gray shreaded wheat looking stuff all over the place (the remains of the disc facing). Not saying this is what's wrong with your clutch, just that different failures can manifest themselves in similar ways. Good luck with the fix; hoping it's not too painful ($$$$). -Doug

supertedusa · 02-14-2002, 11:42 AM

Ouch. Thanks for the good words.

Thanks to Kurt B's (I think) reference a couple of days ago to How Stuff Works, I've been watching the clutch flash movie eng./dis. for about an hour now, trying to figure out what part could produce the "on/off" feel.

Looks like lots of possibilities there.

Kurt B · 02-14-2002, 11:55 AM

SuperTed: I had very good shifting for a long time, but I needed to adjust my clutch periodically.

But let me add, I had a very stiff clutch. When it begins to go, it's hard. If yours is still light, then maybe not to worry.

Anyway, it would give way like yours. Go down a bit just out of the blue or gradually, and I'd tighten the cable up. Meanwhile the roll pin was sheering as the clutch was getting nasty hard. In fact, the new rollpin was starting to sheer when this thing gave way and broke. It wouldn't have lasted much longer.

Then that was the end of it. You may want to just drive it and keep an eye on it, but have a wrench take a look; cause when it goes, it goes, and you ain't gettin' home without a tow!

supertedusa · 02-14-2002, 12:04 PM

Thanks, man. I appreciate all the input.

Now, if I can just figure out which Roadside Assistance program to go with...