Author Topic: Clutch pedal resistance question (Read 7995 times)

clbanman · « **Reply #15 on:** October 07, 2007, 09:09:43 am »

I can get the gears if I don't use the clutch, but once I'm stopped (at a light or stop sign) I have to take off (if that's what you can call it) in 3rd gear as that's the lowest gear I can select. I can select all the gears with the engine off, but if I put it in 1st and then start the car, you can feel it moving the car slightly. Same with 2nd. If you start it in neutral and select reverse, I can get it in but it grinds. So.... the clutch is not fully releasing. I tried to use spacers at the cable end to reduce the effective cable length but that didn't work and the white cable sheath is now kinked and has the cable coming out the side at the end above the adjuster.

jtanguay · « **Reply #16 on:** October 07, 2007, 11:14:57 am »

hmmmmm my car grinds in reverse too... plus my 2nd gear synchro is busted. so i either need to let the engine revs go down, or slam it in and get a nice grind, or sometimes i can catch it just right

i would almost suspect that your 1st & 2nd synchro's maybe toast if you can get into them while engine is off...

btw does anyone know the shift points for a no clutch? just curious...

thanks!

clbanman · « **Reply #17 on:** October 08, 2007, 11:14:21 am »

Questions on the clutch release lever. I assume the rest orientation should be roughly parallel to the ground. How far should it travel to fully release the clutch, and how much force? Should I be able to pull up on the end of the lever manually to release the clutch? (This would help isolate the cable as part of the problem.)

If I look through the inspection port at the top of the bellhousing, I can see almost 1" of the spline on the mainshaft. Is this normal?

clbanman · « **Reply #18 on:** October 11, 2007, 07:07:58 pm »

Got the new clutch cable today. (NAPA was the only local supplier who could get me the manual adjusting cable. Altrom p/n 191 721 335 D if anyone else ever needs it.) Installed it but it made absolutely no difference.
I checked Mark's suggestion about the lever fracturing, but there is absolutely no movement relative to the shaft through the pivot point and no visible flexing/cracks. I don't know what the position of the lever should be at rest or when the clutch is fully released. Mine sits at between 7:00 and 8:00 when the cable is disconnected, and just past 9:00 when the clutch pedal is fully depressed. (Viewed from the front of the engine.)
So I guess I'm at internal problems. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

bigblockchev · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2007, 07:47:10 pm »

I have had loads of fun with the "self adjusting " style clutch cable when it refuses to self adjust. Gives some of the symptoms that you describe. Is yours a manual adjust cable with a locknut and threaded bit to reduce play or is it the "self adjusting" cable. I ended up putting a spacer under the end of the cable at the transmission which worked and did not require a new $200 self adjusting cable. Cheers Dan

clbanman · « **Reply #20 on:** October 15, 2007, 09:38:59 am »

Mine is the manual adjusting cable. Cost me $25. Note that most of the online sites mentioned in other posts will sell you a self-adjusting cable for somewhere between $55 and $70. I've done both the new cable and the spacer as you mentioned with absolutely no difference. :evil:

Zulfiqar · « **Reply #21 on:** October 18, 2007, 03:48:47 am »

I got this symptom too once - came out that the release bearing had disintegrated to bits, making the pedal feel half dead, car creeping n all

Ive witnessed the creeping on a Honda too but on that the synchros were jammed due to use of gearoil in it, hondas use engine oil in the tranny.

clbanman · « **Reply #22 on:** October 18, 2007, 12:22:09 pm »

I'll check the release bearing and if it's not that I'll park it for now. Local VW garage quoted me $1100 for repair (replacing trans with a junker and new clutch) so I doubt that they actually know what the issue is. The mechanic said something about all the bearings in the trans being gone, but if that was the case why wouldn't I get any weird noises or problems when not using the clutch? The problem does get worse as the trans gets warmer, not sure if that points to anything specific.

clbanman · « **Reply #23 on:** October 19, 2007, 06:53:25 pm »

I am including two pics of the release bearing. Doesn't look like that's the problem to me, but am I missing something?

When I took the end cap off, there was a fair amount of grit/debris at the bottom, but it doesn't appear to have come from the bearing. I pulled out the clutch shaft and there was no apparent binding or damage to it.

Zulfiqar · « **Reply #24 on:** October 20, 2007, 06:41:29 am »

that looks ok, I think you pried the shells out of the case?

is your pushrod stopped by the realease plate?

other than this and a new clutch cable - you can check the lube oil condition, if you used API GL5 in the vw tranny - your synchros would be shaven - it eats away the brass,

you can give it a shot with API GL4 75W90 gear oil - see if it helps

somolovitch3 · « **Reply #25 on:** October 20, 2007, 07:54:06 am »

ahhhhhh................back to topic of clutch release...............

Higher effert with less effect...........

New cable rules out "sticky" cable.

release bearing looks good.

Heck, time to drop the tranny to look at the clutch plate assembly.....
broken bits off something inside of the flywheel/plate area hanging things up?

Looks like you have done everything else... :twisted:

good luck, let us know what you find.

jtanguay · « **Reply #26 on:** October 24, 2007, 07:49:51 am »

this must be clutch season or something. my clutch is giving me some of the same symptoms.

just lately i've noticed that my clutch only engages right at the very last bit of pedal travel (to the point where when driving i actually believe that the clutch is 'slipping' and gives some weird new noise under acceleration :roll:). my immediate reaction was; something isn't right. it just doesn't feel right. the clutch isn't engaging at the right point... (totally screwing my driving style up and probably pissing people behind me off)

symptoms leading up to this point were that the clutch didn't always want to return after being depressed (VERY ANNOYING). i would depress the clutch and then go to release it, only to have it 'stick'. if i let my foot off it nearly dumped one time, so i stopped that, and tried to play it a little to get it to release. at first i thought the cable was binding somehow, or that my clutch pedal was getting caught on something.

i've been driving her pretty easy just in case the clutch is slipping due to this issue.

i really like the idea of using some sort of spacer to 'trick' the self adjusting clutch cable. if this works, i will be very happy

if its the actual clutch itself, i will be pissed. with my mTDI build going full speed, i need to buy a clutch which is already expensive. does anyone think it could be the clutch? i was thinking that maybe the clutch surface is so worn down ? or maybe the pushrod is screwed up? i don't have much knowledge of that area...

jtanguay · « **Reply #27 on:** October 24, 2007, 05:43:18 pm »

so now the issue is linked to the clutch cable :roll:

questions i have are: if i let the arm down too low, is that bad? what if i cut away some of that rubber bumper to give more cable travel? its almost like i just need a little bit more... anyways i'm going to check out the local NAPA to see if they have a manually adjustable clutch cable first. if not, then i'll try the ghetto mod to keep me going a bit longer.

thanks all

jtanguay · « **Reply #28 on:** October 24, 2007, 06:47:50 pm »

YES i think i fixed the problem! looked up the repair manual and it said to get someone to depress the clutch. got my bro to depress the clutch pedal and then the self adjusting mechanism let go, giving me more cable. held it down with some vice grips and tugged pretty good. at this point i had the lever pushed up by a rod from under the car. put the little clip back on, let the lever go, and presto!

weird that the clutch now engages 3/4 of clutch travel. it doesn't grind though so i think i'm safe. before the clutch caught right at the end of the pedal... im glad this is now fixed and will consider getting the self adjusting one as i don't mind getting a little dirty.

jtanguay · « **Reply #29 on:** October 25, 2007, 08:26:43 pm »

the more i think about this... i usually always put the clutch to the floor when changing gears. i could have just pushed half way before without issues. since depressing the clutch all the way releases the self adjusting mechanism, maybe i was screwing it up and eventually adjusted too much?

i've been driving this thing for nearly 2.5 years though without any issues with the clutch cable.

clbanman how is your clutch issue going? is it the release arm fracture?