Clutch Bodge

[kevin the chicken]

On the way home the other afternoon I was finding it difficult to engage first gear and the clutch pedal had a lot of travel before doing anything. It seems as if either the quadrant teeth or the ratchet adjuster have failed but I can't see anything without dismantling the pedals. Is it OK to adjust the tension on the cable by using spacers so that I can use the car until it comes off the road in the winter when I can assess and repair. I know there needs to be a little bit of slack in the cable.

I always said if there was any weak spots the rolling road would find them. At least it hasn't happened miles from home.

[agent_zed]

can you see the quadrant at all? at the back below the cable there is a black bit which is the teeth that lock into the quadrant. It is sprung and as you push the pedal it will move to engage. If you can see it as someone pushes the pedal you should see it engage.

 

I would be surprised if it has completely failed as you wouldn't have any clutch at all but perhaps a tooth has been damaged/worn.

 

The (possibly) best solution is to swap out to a 55mm quadrant which will give you more pull.

 

Another solution is to put something in the cable groove which effectively makes the diameter bigger.

 

My guess at the moment would be that your cable has got hot. My clutch works fine until the car has been driven. I think the cable heats up and stretches a tiny bit. If it was on a rolling road for a while or a hot day it may have done the same.

 

If you put it in 5th before 1st it seems to align the gears better and seems to go in easier, or at least thats what i find. Sometimes when its really hot i have to stop the engine to put it in reverse or it will grind. Once it's cool i don't have a problem.

 

hth

[Bob Tucker]

 

 

the clutch pedal had a lot of travel before doing anything

 

Hi Kevin, It has most likely knackered the few teeth that it normally engages with.

You can space out the cable with a few washers and that will make it engage with different teeth.

you will need to pull the pedal upwards to release the ratchet.

Also the ratchet mechanism has a spring designed to keep the cable under a little tension.

There should not be any slack in the cable.

 

BTW its not a bodge.....its a carefully engineered Hoody solution...

[Longboarder]

 

Hi Kevin, It has most likely knackered the few teeth that it normally engages with.

You can space out the cable with a few washers and that will make it engage with different teeth.

you will need to pull the pedal upwards to release the ratchet.

Also the ratchet mechanism has a spring designed to keep the cable under a little tension.

There should not be any slack in the cable.

What he said! + the possibility you have cooked the cable and simply need a new one.

 

Nigel

[kevin the chicken]

It's definitely still slack now it's cold. I think the application of the carefully engineered hoody solution is a good one. I can't see or even feel the ratchet so can't tell if it's damaged or not until I get the pedal out but hopefully that can wait until a later date.

[kevin the chicken]

One big washer the thickness of a couple of two pence pieces seems to have returned the pedal to its previous operating efficiency but I shall have to give it a test drive later. Damn. Also tightened the sump bolt as their is a little bit of oil visible in the sump guard.

Fixed a flapping brake line which seems to have been stuck down with mastic by a previous owner. I'm sure you will agree bob, that was a bodge.

[Bob Tucker]

That was a well engineered Westfield fix......

[agent_zed]

where does your current clutch cable run in the engine bay... as there is a short and long cable, also do you have a 4-2-1 manifold. If you run a shorter cable it will pass close/through the exhaust manifold (assuming pinto as that exits driver side) and is more prone to heat damage and subsequent failure. The cosworth 2wd cable is longer and can be routed further around the manifold.

 

I need to change mine as i have a standard short one but my manifold is custom so the cable doesn't get so close as on the RH 4-2-1. I've had my cable break at the quadrant but i was lucky as i managed to tie a knot in the remaining bit sticking out and tie some string around it and get just enough pull to get me the 20 miles home with a few gear changes.

 

hth

[kevin the chicken]

It's a redtop and the cable runs on the induction side so I don't think heat is an issue. I was told it was a mk2 sierra cable. I did try the longer cable but there was too much of it to make it look tidy. The short one works OK where it is with no sharp bends

[agent_zed]

ah sounds like that won't be a problem then