915 helper spring broke again!

Jdub · 04-22-2003, 05:32 AM

I got less than 12months out of this one - a little over that for last one. BANG - and clutch as tough as can be to push in. Luckily, this time it happened just as I drove into my driveway.

I am putting the spring in correctly, I am sure of that, and I am meticulous about dousing the spring with WD-40 to remove any grit between sheaths. And the way the spring breaks, what with the INTERNAL sheath (there are three) broken straight across tells me I am not rubbing against the exchanger. Up to the break (just as last time) the clutch was as smooth as a baby's behind.

JohnW mentioned that they may not be making this part in as thick a set of spring sheaths as they used to.

Just needed to vent. Anyone have a similar experience?

John

Rot 911 · 04-22-2003, 05:55 AM

John there is only one way to put the spring on so it works and it sounds like you are doing the correct installation. I suspect that the metal is becoming heat fatigued from the proximity to the heat exchanger and breaking. However, I would not be using WD-40 to remove grit. WD 40 leaves a film that will actually attract and hold dirt and sand. I put my spring on dry and left it that way. Guess I have been lucky in that mine has lasted over 18 months and counting!

magilla · 04-22-2003, 06:20 AM

I think my inner sheath is broken as well, but I don't think my clutch is that tough. Got a pic? Maybe I am thinking of something else.

rfix'n · 04-22-2003, 07:20 AM

Hmmm, just changed this on my car while the tranny was out. I hope I kept the old one as a backup in case what JohnW is saying is true.

Jdub · 04-22-2003, 07:58 AM

I am beginning to believe that any sort of grease or fluid on that spring DOES attract dirt which probably will cause early breakage.

My car is a daily, with many, many shifts on a single day. The car is worked hard, so maybe I am just part unlucky, part hard on the car.

I don't have a pic, but you know this part if you've ever looked at the underside of your 915: it's the horseshoe spring and when it fails you REALLY know it in the cabin as your left leg has a heck of a time getting that clutch pedal to the floor. Toughest part is easing the clutch out though - it wants to jump from the floor.

John

Rot 911 · 04-22-2003, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by magilla
I think my inner sheath is broken as well, but I don't think my clutch is that tough. Got a pic? Maybe I am thinking of something else.

Here's a pic:

magilla · 04-22-2003, 08:22 AM

I have a crack (or it's broken) where I drew the red line. Is this what you are seeing? Maybe I just don't appreciate how it should be. It's not as easy as my other cars, but it isn't some kind of strength tester, either.

Jdub · 04-23-2003, 07:45 AM

Okay, got it in in three hours. Would have been shorter but I decided to open up the spring's control arm so I could regrease the needle bearings (two) inside and I also removed the footwell board and lubed the brass bushings. Lots to vacuum under that foot pedal!

One tip: while I had the arm out I took a close look at the hook into which the clutch cable attaches. It was slightly notched, so I took a rattail file and smoothed it out. Easy to do.

Also figured out a much easier way to get the old spring off than trying to hacksaw it. Interestingly, I was able to remove the original spring by hacksawing it - the replacement I bought last year was impervious to a 32t or a 24t hacksaw. Hmmm. More brittle? Hardened? In all events I used a hammer on the pin head with what was left of the spring held in a vise. Worked very nicely with the bonus of taking the cap off the end of the needle bearing housing.

Anyway, the new spring and judicious amounts of machine oil on the footpedal brass bushings has put my clutch back to original. As I had done the brass bushing/cable/horseshoe spring work some two years back replacing this spring has made the clutch pedal smooth and you can push it down with a single finger.

Nobody should put up with notchy or hard clutch pedals. Anyone on this board can do the bushing/cable/spring bit using the tech procedures available here via Pelican. OTOH, if it is the throwout fork I can't help you there...

John

Jamie79SC · 04-23-2003, 07:55 AM

I'll second the removal in a vice technique. I'll also second the short life of these things. My last one lasted barley 12 months!