Author Topic: Damn auto adjust clutch cable (Read 25077 times)

zukgod1 · « **on:** February 25, 2008, 12:12:54 pm »

So I get my engine installed, new clutch etc etc and I cant get the damn clutch cable to adjust. Peddle dangles there and disengages the clutch about 1" off the floor.

Any suggestions as how to get it to pay attention to the new clutch?
Reset it somehow?

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2008, 12:54:10 pm »

Yup, they seem to be pretty much a "install once" item... even if you follow the specific cable removal procedure in the Bentley you may still have trouble getting it to ever work again... just went thru it on my MK3.

My understanding is that once they stop "self-adjusting" you are hooped... no way to repair. And, to prove the internet wrong, I spent a good evening playing with the one I had that died... no joy. Among other things I tried was the "bring it back from the dead" procedure in the MK3 Bentley... didn't work at all for me.

So I bought a brand new manual-adjust one (for about half the price of the self-adjust style) and moved on !!

Perhaps someone out there has mastered these beasts ??

zukgod1 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2008, 01:13:06 pm »

i think I have a older manual adjusted one, I'll have to start digging I guess..

the caveman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2008, 01:20:36 pm »

assuming the cable is still good, and still on the car, press the pedal to the floor once, then grab the cable above the adjuster and then the adjuster itself. push the adjuster UP towards the cable. Of course i should have said to put some mechanic wire around the cable just above the adjusting sleeve with some left hanging down on both sides. If and when the adjusting sleeve moves up grab one of the wire ends and wrap it around the little tab that's sticking out, then the other side. If it doesn't work the first time try again pushing the pedal to the floor only once.
I have no problems with those cables and i garantee they will make your clutch last longer.
Some people don't like them because you can't visaully see how much adjustment is left. The way to tell if your clutch is shot [besides the smell !] is if you push down the lever, the more clutch is left the more you will be able to push the lever down.
As above but with the cable on the bench, put the clutch end into a vise and pulling slight tension on it grab the cable and pull the adjuster towards the firewall end of the cable.
good luck and keep the faith

zukgod1 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2008, 01:27:43 pm »

I think I'm confused.

The cable I have is good but it seems to be to long now, just like the clutch is worn which it's not.
Basically when it's all hooked up correctly the clutch peddle just hangs there, you can tell it doesn't do anything until it's almost on the floor.

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2008, 03:43:46 pm »

Yup, your self-adjuster has self-adjusted... incorrectly :wink:

Perhaps try what Caveman suggests (that's the official "bring it back from the dead" procedure I was talking about above).

Let's hope you have better luck than me :roll:

Vince

zukgod1 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2008, 03:48:06 pm »

I just reread my post and I put in there the cable is to long. That's not the case. It's to short thus the play in the clutch peddle before it does anything.

the caveman · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2008, 11:26:36 pm »

maybe i wasn't totally clear and/ or missed a step. If possible disconnect the cable from the lever. It may two of you, or i just use a big prybar to lever the lever up and take the clip off. When you manage to slide the adjuster on the cable towards the firewall [ like i said in the last post] ,then pull the actual metal cable away from the sleeve[hold the adjuster, pull the cable]. It took me a while to be able tackle them so be patient. Some times if find it way easier to do it with a vise and a friend ....... and a beer.

jtanguay · « **Reply #8 on:** February 26, 2008, 12:07:01 am »

my self adjuster screwed up on me. the clutch wouldn't catch till the last bit of pedal travel. at the end point it felt like it wasn't fully engaged :shock: i drove a little bit like that as it didn't seem to be slipping, but i didn't try to make it!

what i ended up doing was get my brother to press the clutch fully a few times, then hold it in (i think) so i grabbed the cable under the car and pulled it from the arm. gave it some good nice tugs to free it. put it back on, and then played with the clutch pedal some more (just depressing it fully a few times) and that seemed to work. hard to explain... its like magic! :lol:

the caveman · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2008, 08:02:32 am »

yeah basically what jtanquay is trying to say is that the cable has to be pulled out away from the adjusting sleeve just after the pedal is pressed.

zukgod1 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 26, 2008, 09:44:35 am »

I'll take a closer look at it tonight.
Thanks for the tips.

Ziptar · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2008, 03:37:21 pm »

It's allot easier to reusing one if you have two people. I was able to do it myself with some zip ties. One to hold the throwout arm and clip the cble while the other compresses the spring.

Use a couple to hold the throw out arm up and another to hold the rubber block and metal plate on the arm, from there you should be able to use one hand to compress the cable and another to slip the retaining clip on, if only just enough so you can position it better after the cable is clipped and cut off the zip ties.

I have also been able to compress the cable and use to zip ties crossways to keep it compressed.

zukgod1 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 06, 2008, 01:14:24 am »

Thanks for the tips guys.

I've decided I have a problem somewhere else, the cable seems to be fine.

I've found I have a REALLY short geared trans so I'm pulling it tomorrow anyway for a swap. I'll be able to check everything else while I'm there.

slorimer · « **Reply #13 on:** March 07, 2008, 11:57:52 pm »

My question is, what vehicle had the manual adjust cables on them. I found one on a MkII, but the clutch pedal side didn't fit the MKIII, so your screwed. Anyone found the silver bullet to this one?

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2008, 12:58:23 am »

Yeah, the MK3 cable is completely different at the pedal end... those turkeys. And what a delight to put on. Thankfully my cluster was out at the time... from the dash it's a piece of cake. From underneath... yuk !

Part number for the MK3 manual clutch cable is 1H1 721 335 AB.

Vince