Simple clutch problem (I Hope!)

[Jamie79SC]

Hello Pelican board.

Whilst on a long drive home Sunday night, the '79SC showed signs of an out of adjustment clutch - hard to shift into first or reverse and the first 15% of the throw was soft. There was also a slight but unusual shudder as the clutch engaged. The symptoms got worse until there was no clutch to speak of. I limped the last 100 miles home with a minimum of shifts, no red lights, and a full bladder.

I assumed that since it happened fairly rapidly, (the clutch, not the bladder), I must have a bad cable. I replaced and adjusted the cable per the directions on the Pelican tech article. (I could find no flaw in the old one, however.)The car ran just fine for the first few minutes of the test drive, but then showed the same symptoms. "Ah, the new cable is just stretching," I thought. So back on the jack stands and under a now hot car for a little adjustment.

Off the stands and back to a test drive we went. The car ran fine for a few shifts until - yes you guessed it. After round three, I am now about out of adjustment on both ends of the cable and have a car that I cannot put in first or reverse gear with the engine running. Please tell me it's something simple and that I don't have to do anything to the clutch itself.

Thanks,

Jamie

[FRED/LI]

The black rubber guide tube that exits from the car's sheet metal has to be fully inserted. It has a shoulder on it where it is inserted into the carrier tube. If it's not seated properly, it affects throw and adjustment. Other than that, there's a host of things to be considered from the pedal cluster on back to the horseshoe helper spring to the roll pin on the fork. Good luck.

[nhromyak]

I had a cracked fork on my '85 that did this.

Basically it is the fork that holds or pushes on the throw-out bearing. Mine developed a crack. My symptoms were a little different than yours though.

I pushed the clutch in and POP! The clutch pedal went nearly to the floor.
I had about two inches of clutch pressure. I could bearly get into second gear while moving.

Used the old trick, put it in second, use the starter to start the motor, while in gear, some bucking until it ran above 1K RPM. I simply used second gear (goes to 60MPH) on side streets, to get it to my mechanic.

The fork was $9.80, the labor was $250.00

I had the clutch replaced while it was out, hence the $ went up quite a bit.

Good luck!

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Nick Hromyak
'85 Carrera 7 & 9 Fuchs
Havin' Fun in Sacramento

[radcon]

I had the exact same problem. Replaced and adjusted the clutch cable. Worked fine for awhile then was out of adjustment again. Talked to one of the local shops and he told me to check the shear pin that holds the clutch pedal to the pedal shaft. It was sheared. It turns out that the only thing that was allowing me to use the clutch was the friction of the sheared half of the pin digging into the pedal cluster shaft. Check this first, it might save you some money in the long run.

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'80 Targa

[Bruno Lavion]

Wow

The same thing happened to me this week
Replaced the cable - it was the PIN.

Exactly the same symptoms and outcome.
Check out the post
Help Im on Vacation and no clutch!

Bruno

[Jamie79SC]

Well...
Thanks for the replies on and off line. After replacing the cable (old one looked just fine), being sure that the front end of the sheath fit into the fitting in the fire wall, making sure that the firewall itself wasn't cracked or deformed, and checking for play or deformation in the pedal cluster, it has become apparent that the problem is within the clutch itself. Smart bets are on a cracked clutch fork.

As I don't have time or space for a DIY engine drop, I'm paying a local shop to do the work(oh the shame!)


I'll let you all know the outcome on Monday afternoon or Tuesday Morning.

-Jamie