95 mtx w/5000 mile new clutch...

[platoribs]

...the clutch doesn't engage until the pedal is almost all the way out?

How does one go about pinning down the problem?

Clutch cable?
Auto adjust mechanism?
Something in the transaxle?

 

[sho_me92]

try pulling up on your clutch pedel.

 

[platoribs]

This I have done to no avail.

Seems to me if it's engaging at the end of the pedal the cable is too short. But then again I don't know what I'm talking about. But I do know about the adjusting mechanism. I have never heard one click, and have tried this a number of times, owning SHO's since 1997.

 

[MetalheadSHO]

That seems to me that it would be a cable type of thing...either that or it needs to be adjusted (the clutch). I doubt that it would be a transaxle problem.

Just a quick question, how do you drive the car? Do you keep a foot on the clutch when you are driving? Because if so even the slightest amount of pressure on the clutch causes early clutch wear and that could also be the problem..

 

[platoribs]

That seems to me that it would be a cable type of thing...either that or it needs to be adjusted (the clutch). I doubt that it would be a transaxle problem.

Just a quick question, how do you drive the car? Do you keep a foot on the clutch when you are driving? Because if so even the slightest amount of pressure on the clutch causes early clutch wear and that could also be the problem..

I'm thinking cable too. I have driven manual's all my 30+ years and do not ride the clutch (for shame). I had this clutch installed about one year ago/5000 miles or so.

Is there some definative way to prove it's the cable?

 

[MetalheadSHO]

None that I can think of except to check it out. Sorry.

 

[platoribs]

It's cool, one of the young wrenches in our club (SHOCAGO) is doing some work for me and brought it by yeasterday. Runs great but clutch seems like it needs to engage about 2 inches lower...strange

Guess I'll pick up a clutch cable and give that a whirl.

Thanks for the feedback Metalhead!

 

[Racer X]

I have the same problem with my 6k mile clutch, only things are quickly getting worse. Now when I clutch in, I often get a nice "crunching" noise, increased pedal effort, and no matter how much I push the pedal, the clutch won't release 100% and I'm stuck fighting to get the car in 1st gear.

And then sometimes the pedal is light as a feather and works fine.

The clutch cable is new, the clutch, PP, and TOB have about 6k on them, and the adjuster pawl has about 800 miles on it. I'm about out of ideas.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

Now when I clutch in, I often get a nice "crunching" noise, increased pedal effort, and no matter how much I push the pedal, the clutch won't release 100% and I'm stuck fighting to get the car in 1st gear.

And then sometimes the pedal is light as a feather and works fine.

Sounds to me like the TOB isnt riding smoothly on the quill.

Was the clutch fork and bushing repaced? They are both very important in regards to the TOB working smoothly.

I couldnt believe the difference in pedal feel and smoothness when I installed a fresh set of clutch fork bushings.

 

[platoribs]

Sounds to me like the TOB isnt riding smoothly on the quill.

Was the clutch fork and bushing repaced? They are both very important in regards to the TOB working smoothly.

I couldnt believe the difference in pedal feel and smoothness when I installed a fresh set of clutch fork bushings.

I'm with ya 100%, no clutch will ever again be installed in any of my cars without a complete inspection/replacement of peripheral parts!

 

[platoribs]

and the adjuster pawl has about 800 miles on it.

I've got one of our Club members, Paul (ledzep) working on the pawl now. Will report back when the dust settles.

 

[Racer X]

Sounds to me like the TOB isnt riding smoothly on the quill.

Was the clutch fork and bushing repaced? They are both very important in regards to the TOB working smoothly.

I couldnt believe the difference in pedal feel and smoothness when I installed a fresh set of clutch fork bushings.

I didn't replace those two items because I don't know where to find them. I made sure to **** them decently. Additionally, the problem seems to surface after about 20 minutes of driving, however, today after spending a couple of hours tooling around Manhattan, and all it's lovely traffic (not really though), the pedal feel has gotten much lighter, and I'm not having the issues getting it into gear as much.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

SHOnut carres them.

BTW, before I founf out the cause of my problems (same as yours), the crunchy feeling in the pedal throw came and went with HUMIDITY. Rainy day, pedal was slick and smooth. Dry day, sticky and crunchy.

 

[Racer X]

SHOnut carres them.

BTW, before I founf out the cause of my problems (same as yours), the crunchy feeling in the pedal throw came and went with HUMIDITY. Rainy day, pedal was slick and smooth. Dry day, sticky and crunchy.

YES!!!!! In fact, it's going to rain here soon and the pedal has been a lot easier. And at one point in particular, while I was driving I hit a large spot of standing water that had formed on the expressway, and my pedal became feather light after that.