Clutch Trouble

[Grizzly]

Hi All,

 

Since fitting my fresh engine & gearbox, all has been well apart from the clutch being very heavy. I didn't measure the clutch arm, but all looked to be the same as the previous setup (both 2 Litre Pinto & Type 9 Gearbox) and so being as everything was in better condition, I transplanted it all in. This gave me a quieter gearbox, a newish clutch and an engine with less than 4000 miles since overhaul. Once underway then, smiles all round. I've been worried though about the heaviness of the clutch, as it's not really making the car a joy to drive. I've been trying to keep the miles low, which is a shame but I've been putting off doing anything about the clutch until the weather breaks. Break was the operative word though on Saturday. Pressing the clutch pedal in highstreet traffic resulted in a loud bang and no clutch at all. Very emabarrasing. I suspected that the clutch cable had given up, but no. Cable is good. I've removed the pedal box and all appears to be working ok. It seems that the clutch quadrant & pawl just can't take the combined pressure of my foot at one end and the heavy clutch at the other. Basically, the teeth give up and it all lets go. I can get a new quadrant & pawl easy enough, but I'm wondering if there's something more seriously wrong going on here. I'm a bit reluctant to rip the engine out again, but I've probably got no other option. Do quadrants & pawls wear out? My other question to you all then is this: Has anyone come across anything similar previously. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...

[maccavvy]

they do wear out.. ive spent many an hour upside down is ford footwells.

 

try a new one. make sure its the same colour. then see what happens from there.

[Grim]

I've had a quadrant fail - i put it down to a very sticky cable increasing the load on it above what it was designed for. Mine failed at the pivot point, but i have seen cracks in the teeth too.

 

However if it is not your cable at fault (does it move freely by hand?), and you've fitted a standard clutch, i can't think why it would be heavier than before. Probably warrants further investigation!

[maccavvy]

just to add. cables run close to manifolds and they dry out and get stiff.check the cable as mentioned above.

[Longboarder]

Don't check the cable. At around a tenner, replacing it is not going to break the bank. They are difficult to check for sure. I have one in my garage that slides like silk off the car, even when bent in a full circle, but which was almost solid on the car.

You're going to be shopping for a new quadrant. Shop for a new cable at the same time. Replace both and hope you get away with it.

If the clutch is still very heavy then its engine out time to examine the bits. Could be an uprated pressure plate adding to the pedal pressure or a slightly shorter clutch arm.

 

Nigel

[Grizzly]

Hi All,

Managed to source another Clutch Quadrant & Pawl. The original was quite worn/damaged. I now have a working clutch, so I'm back on the road.

Clutch is still heavy though - as before (was OK on the previous setup).

Couldn't get a replacement cable at the time, so I turned the cable round 180 degrees, but that made no difference. I believe the cable is OK.

The engine will be coming out soon anyway, for various reasons and I'll have chance to maybe see what gives with this clutch then.

Meanwhile, I intend to enjoy the summer - Oh,,, now it's piddling down!

Thanks to all for their advice...