Broken clutch lever on gearbox

[rob_mitch 0 1 Cars]

Hi,

 

Has anyone ever had a problem with the clutch lever on a BE3 GTi gearbox breaking off? 

 

I was driving through centre of Bourne on Wednesday when the clutch failed.  Initailly assumed it was the clutch cable but on investigation it was the clutch lever on the gearbox which had broken.

 

I am currently trying to remove remains of lever from top of shaft but no joy so far.  Got pin removed but shaft appears to be "rust-welded" to lever after 30 years.

 

I suspect I will end up having to remove gearbox to check for any internal problems.

 

Any ideas on what might have caused this breakage, nothing obvious on the outside ?

 

Thanks in advance !

[SRDT 182]

If you don't hear any rattling then the clutch is probably fine. And in that case it's probably fatigue failure:

[welshpug 1,661]

later arms are more substantial, make sure it is a push type as the pull one is different.

[Ozymandis 97]

You can get the stuck on, broken part off without removing the gearbox. They are a pain even at the best of times for seizing on to the shaft.

 

 

Put a drill verticaly in the `seam` between the two parts, directly where the hole is drilled for the retaining pin, that will relieve the grip between the two parts and the damage to the shaft will be absoloutely fine to use it again.

[rob_mitch 0 1 Cars]

Thanks Jay that definitely is worth a try.  
 

What size drill, same diameter as pin or smaller?

[Ozymandis 97]

I`d use an 1/8 ish and maybe chain drill and weaken/whittle the broken part then carefully use a small chisel/wedge to split it, if it still was stuck on after a bit of gentle levering.

Dont get heavy with a hammer you can end up smashing the bushes or bellhousing.

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Ozymandis

[rob_mitch 0 1 Cars]

Thanks for helpful replies, tried the chain of drill holes but must have been a bit too heavy with hammer as bush failed.

 

Gearbox now out, thinking about getting it refurbed.

 

Looks like it was indeed a fatigue failure, only part of the surface has a shiny finish of a sudden breakage.