ack - no clutch

[bludden]

So this morning I was enjoying a nice drive into work. I was shifting into 3rd, when the clutch pedal went completely dead.

So I had the car towed back to the garage, and will get it apart tonight. I was just wondering what else I should replace, other than the cable, while I'm in there.

I know some of you have had a clutch cable break!

[castlesteve]

Your cable is it. Buy 2... you should always keep one in the trunk. mine break every 4-5 years. Also, chance is you lost the triangular looking wedge piece on the end. Make sure you pick one up (or 2). Also, check if your plastic clutch roller is cracked.. Mine never have, but i also lubricate and clean it often.

-sc

[norustscott]

Trunion...a.k.a the trinangle thingy

[maf 914]

The last time a cable I had a cable brake was at a quiet tee in intersection with a flashing red light. The cable broke as I came to a stop and was shifting into neutral. I was about two miles from home with no spare cable or tools on board. I arranged for a tow home using a tow rope. When I got into my driveway I realized I had lost the cable end with the trunion and lock nuts. I wheeled out my bike and cruised back to the intersection where I found the cable end in the middle of the road. It looked like it had been run over a few times as the pieces had a blasted look. But the trunion worked fine and still does!

By the way my car originally had a plastic trunion that lasted only a couple of years before failing. The metal replacement has been on my car ever since.

Mike

[karlp]

I used to drive a Ghia. When it was still very new to me, I found the brakes getting worse and worse. It seemed like I couldn't push hard enough. I pulled the carpet back and found a block of wood behind the clutch and brake pedal area. I thought, isn't that silly, no wonder my brakes aren't working right. Pulled the block out and tossed. Brakes were working great and the clutch now had a lot more travel. A few days later something went BANG and the pedal went to the floor and the car jumped forward and died.
I had pushed the TO bearing through the pressure plate.

If you have to you CAN drive without a clutch. I was fortunate to be close to the interstate and lived one light from it in a rural area.
With the motor off, start it up in first and try to match revs through the shifts. I made it with very little trouble.
In the 914 a cable change is pretty straightforward. I've broken mine once and do keep a spare at the house. That is most likely all you'll have to do.

Karl

[bludden]

I was considering driving it back home, but I chickened out. There was a busy road entrance and 2 lights, even though it was only a couple of miles.

It looks like the biggest pain will be getting the carpeting off of the tunnel - I have a center console and gauge holder to remove. I'll even get my wife to push in the clutch while I do the adjustment!

Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how I make out.

[green71]

Mine snapped last fall; I was also lucky enough to return to the scene of the crime & find the trunion.

I *think* I saved myself a lot of headache by duct-taping the new cable to the old one and nursing it through the tunnel. You might give that a shot. Be sure both cables are good & clean before taping.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

I have been able to replace both the throttle and clutch cables (different occasions) by just pulling the old one out and pushing the new one in. No taping, no string, no muss no fuss. I did quintuple-check that the throttle and clutch cables were not wrapped around each other, though!!

--DD

[Va914]

Just another $.02 to add to your collection

Make sure the clutch pedal stop (on the floor board) is install. I have seen some 914's without them installed. I have heard this will stretch the cable and SNAP'ola :0

Cheers
Kerry

[bludden]

Hi everyone,

I swapped out the cable tonight. The only way it seemed to go in was to start at the engine mount bar and go out both ways. No problem getting it through to the pedal assy. It must have it's own tunnel as we could not see it coming out or in.

The attachment pin/clevis thing was pretty neat, once I figured it out.

Anyways all we have to do now is put the interior back together and fine tune the length adjustment.

There was no clutch pedal stop, just the accelerator stop. There really does not seem to be a place to put one on the floorboard, and a quick search of the parts here in the clutch/pedal section does not turn up a part like that. My Haynes guide is not here so I can't check that.

[maf 914]

Brian,

If you haven't thought of it, I suggest you hold off reinstallation of your console, carpet and access panels until you get the cable adjusted. When I replaced mine I found that I had too much length at the clutch arm and could not tighten it enough. It turns out I did not have enough cable taken up at the pedal clevis and had to release the cable at the pedal and screw the clevis further onto the cable to "shorten" it. I think I ended up with the clevis about half way on the threaded cable end. Just a thought.


Mike

[RandyH]

Brian,
Take it from someone who has not only replaced the cable but also fixed the broken clutch tube inside the tunnel. Mike is right..do not put everything back together because you will very likely have to make an adjustment at the clevis on the pedal end if you didnt screw it on far enough (Haynes suggests 10mm of thread showing). Also while you have the interior out you might want to use a mirror, small flashlight and some unusual contorsions to inspect that clutch tube to see if the welds are intact or if the tube has any free movement at all. My tube broke shortly after replacing my clutch cable. I used the Terry cable as a replacement from Pelican... Also replaced the accellorator and speedo cable at same time. Anyway good luck from another NC 914 owner!
Randy

[bludden]

As of last night it seemed in the ballpark but maybe an inch of screw adjustment would be needed to remove some of the play. I used the Haynes guide, but I will keep an eye on that clevis. Thanks guys!

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The clutch pedal stop should be attached to the far side of the wooden floorboard. It is a rubber piece (metal backing) that sits at the front of the opening for the pedal. When you push the pedal down, it eventually will hit the rubber part and stop.

It's a very different animal from the throttle stop.

--DD

[JWest]

Here's a pic of a pedal stop:

[karlp]

I've got a spacer between the nut and the trunnion at the transmission end. A plumbing fitting, I believe

[maf 914]

When I found I didn't have enough adjustment at the clutch end i considered adding washers or spacers, but since the interior and pedal end was accessible I took up the slack at the pedal end.

Mike

[bludden]

OK I finished it up tonight. The clutch feels smoother than before. I did have the clutch pedal stop; just didn't notice it before. The cable I got did not need much tightening up, it adjusted real easy.

Mike, I may head down to Savannah Saturday to see my father in law.
Are you available for a beer and some 914 talk?

Thanks everyone!

[maf 914]

Brian,

Sounds good. I'll be in Savannah this weekend, but will be pretty busy Saturday morning and afternoon. I'm on Wilmington Island. Maybe you could stop by late afternoon. I'll be around Sunday afternoon too, if you aren't retuning home too early. I'll show you my car (partially disassembled) and we can talk and have a brew.

Mike

[bludden]

I'll be on Wilmington Island as well; most of my in-laws live within walking distance of that Hardees/Supermarket shopping center. Late afternoon Saturday sounds better for me.

Pls email me and I'll FW my cell #. Weather looks good for a drive down!