davemar 16 Posted July 3, 2006 I've noticed I've been having to adjust my clutch cable a fair bit recently, so I suspect it's started to stretch and will need replacing. I'm having great difficulty in getting it out of the pedal box, not helped by the lack of access behind the Mi16 head and the brake servo unit. There seems to be a rubber bung holding it in, and can't just pull it out. What's the best way of attacking this thing? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesc 3 Posted July 3, 2006 Mine was a pain in the ass! I ended up un bolting the peddle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alastairh 47 Posted July 3, 2006 Undo the pedal inside the car its a 16 ish mm bolt and nut, unclip, and get under the car and yank the cable out. Fitting is reverse of removal. Alastair Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pugrallye 0 Posted July 3, 2006 lube it up man!!! (the rubber bung, lol) get under car once disconnected from pedal and tug it real hard, it will come. refitting is really simple, just connect up both ends, tension cable up on arm and press pedal, and bung etc will put itself in place Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonmurgie 2 Posted July 3, 2006 Yes, you DO have to remove the pedal to get the clip off it... a PITA but there you go Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
findlay 0 Posted July 3, 2006 LOL... you make it sound so easy... It really is a bitch of a job (especially with rollcage doorbars in the way) and requires patience. I think I swore at the car more on that job than any other Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dream Weaver 2 Posted July 3, 2006 And here's another tip - when refitting the cable I struggled for ages using loads of grease, trying to get the rubber bung back into the holder under the brake servo. Soon realised, by pressing the clutch pedal it automatically locates the bung for you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 11, 2006 And here's another tip - when refitting the cable I struggled for ages using loads of grease, trying to get the rubber bung back into the holder under the brake servo. Soon realised, by pressing the clutch pedal it automatically locates the bung for you Yes, I found that technique worked. I've now got another problem. Before I replaced the cable, the old one was clearly stretching, but still worked OK (but obviously not for much longer, hence me changing it). Now I've fitted the new one, the clutch is unbelievably stiff. The cable doesn't appear to be catching on anything and moves smoothly. It's almost as if the clutch itself has gone far stiffer somehow. Also the pedal doesn't spring back properly now, it just lazily drifts back up into position. Could I have done something to the spring? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim miami blue gti 0 Posted July 11, 2006 i manged to do it with the pedal in place. It's where my little girly hands come in handy lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CB-Dave Posted July 12, 2006 Yes, I found that technique worked. I've now got another problem. Before I replaced the cable, the old one was clearly stretching, but still worked OK (but obviously not for much longer, hence me changing it). Now I've fitted the new one, the clutch is unbelievably stiff. The cable doesn't appear to be catching on anything and moves smoothly. It's almost as if the clutch itself has gone far stiffer somehow. Also the pedal doesn't spring back properly now, it just lazily drifts back up into position. Could I have done something to the spring? sounds like it's the clutch that's on it's way out and not the cable... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 12, 2006 sounds like it's the clutch that's on it's way out and not the cable... I found the rubber surround on the clutch arm was a bit distorted and jamming a bit between the lever arm. Removing this seemed to free it up a fair bit. The clutch isn't very old at all, so I hope it's not on the way out. It's a Mi16 clutch, which I fitted new less than a year ago. My previous 8v clutch which I replaced it with was in very good condition when I removed after at least 7 years of use, so I don't tend to eat clutches - I don't park like an old woman . Apart from the clutch slipped (which this one doesn't), what symptoms can I expect from a clutch on its way out? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 13, 2006 I now thinking it is the clutch that needs replacing... I took it out for a spin last night and while the clutch pedel felt quite heavy it was changing gears OK. But after about 20 mins of driving the biting point just got lower and lower and the gear changing got harder. In the end I had to struggle back to my garage in 2nd gear, and had to turn the engine off to change gear to get it back into the garage. The new clutch cable still looked fine, so the clutch is obviously the problem. I assume there's an issue with the contact between the thrust bearing and the clutch splines. Bugger...more expense and ages under the car. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alastairh 47 Posted July 13, 2006 Yeah sounds like it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 13, 2006 I'm curious to why it should have worn out so quickly? I'm sure it was a Valeo unit I bought, and the thrust bearing was even newer and from a Pug dealer too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted July 13, 2006 is it a be1 (lift up reverse)? if so is the clutch arm bending? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CB-Dave Posted July 13, 2006 I now thinking it is the clutch that needs replacing... I took it out for a spin last night and while the clutch pedel felt quite heavy it was changing gears OK. But after about 20 mins of driving the biting point just got lower and lower and the gear changing got harder. In the end I had to struggle back to my garage in 2nd gear, and had to turn the engine off to change gear to get it back into the garage. The new clutch cable still looked fine, so the clutch is obviously the problem. I assume there's an issue with the contact between the thrust bearing and the clutch splines. Bugger...more expense and ages under the car. just thinking out loud here, but you did put the locknut on the end of the clutch cable (where you wind it to adjust the bite) didn't you? if that's slack it would lead to the falling pedal symptoms you describe... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jagdtiger 0 Posted July 13, 2006 I had a cluth problem which i could not solve in a ph1, turned out to be a bent bit of metal where the cable was attached to. It was bugginbg me for ages, even had a clutch change, but my friend spotted the bent bit of metal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hengti 2 Posted July 13, 2006 (edited) assume you adjusted it correctly once you'd fitted it - ? 135mm pedal stroke Edited July 13, 2006 by hengti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 14, 2006 I had adjusted it correctly, and the two nuts where tightened up against each other, so they didn't slip. On removing the lever arm (it's a BE1 box) it seemed fine. I'll try and remove the gearbox tonight and see what's happened more clearly. I can't really see enough through those little holes in the gearbox casing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 17, 2006 The job has now been done. The problem in the end wasn't the clutch, although I replaced it anyway as I bought a new one, but the lever in the gearbox. The plastic pivot socket thing which clamps onto the ball joint had virtually come off the arm. So it was moving a couple of cms away from the pivot point, no wonder it wouldn't engage properly! Fortuantely I had a spare old gearbox lying around which had a good arm on it, so I replaced it with that. It's now a lot better to drive, I can actually change gear! I still hate taking the gearbox off and on, it always seems to end up more hassle each time. One of these days my back is going to let go trying to maneouvre that thing into place. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 18, 2006 Aghhh! What is going on with this car? I thought I had it all working perfectly now, the gearchange was nice and crisp and the new clutch was biting nice and hard. But while driving into London last night, the biting point got lower and lower again, and I ended up having to drive the last 30 minutes stuck in 2nd gear. It made parking impossible at the end, I couldn't get into reverse. Anyway, I readjusted the clutch cable and managed to make it drivable again. I managed to get into work OK this morning with it, but the weather was cooler and I didn't have to stop so often. The pedel now sits really high, and I feel like I'm back where I started! Surely the pivot on this new (OK, it's not brand new) arm has started to fail. I really can't see what else can cause this, as there's a new clutch and new cable on there. There isn't much left to go wrong! Any ideas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemar 16 Posted July 21, 2006 Problem solved... I hope. The two plastic bushes that sit inside the pivot of the lever arm had worn away, so it was pretty floppy and sitting at an angle. Two new bushes and 52p later, the clutch seems nice and taught, and got me to work this morning. Hopefully that's the job done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
