Clutch cable maintenance

[Devin]

I've been spending a lot more time in my '90 lately and I've noticed over the last few days the clutch feels a little "crunchy". I'm assuming it is the cable, but before engagement was smooth all the time, but now I can feel some changes to it whenever I clutch in. Is this anything to be worried about?

 

[BaySHO Performance]

Please be more explicit on what you are feeling or hearing, and what you are doing when it happens.

 

[DeepPower]

Try to adjust the clutch cable, with the car parked level and quiet, use your foot to pull the clutch pedal up. If you hear a soft click that means the clutch successfully adjusted for tension. See how the clutch feels now.

Also, take a close look under the hood at where the end of the clutch cable connects to the transmission, as that's where the cable usually frays.

BTW if you own a Gen 1 or Gen 2 SHO with a clutch you should always have a spare clutch cable or two on hand.

 

[BaySHO Performance]

I have never known the clutch cable tension self adjust. It always has to be done manually to get the quadrant on the pedal to adjust by pushing the TOB closer to the clutch fingers. Pulling up on the pedal releases the quadrant, which is not what one would want to do.

 

[Devin]

Please be more explicit on what you are feeling or hearing, and what you are doing when it happens.

It is whenever I clutch-in and it feels gritty, like sand is rubbing on something.

 

[sperold]

It may not be the cable at all.
It could be the Throw-out=Bearing (TOB) letting you know it is getting tired. They make a lot of noise when they dry out or the ball bearings reach their endurance limit.

I think it is something you have to put-up-with for now. You may get more life out of it by not having the clutch pedal pushed in while waiting at lights, put it in neutral and give it a break.

 

[DeepPower]

It may not be the cable at all.
It could be the Throw-out=Bearing (TOB) letting you know it is getting tired. They make a lot of noise when they dry out or the ball bearings reach their endurance limit.

I think it is something you have to put-up-with for now. You may get more life out of it by not having the clutch pedal pushed in while waiting at lights, put it in neutral and give it a break.

Yes, now that I remember, when the clutch has a crunchy feel and the clutch cable is not frayed at the transmission, then it's the throw-out bearing. You have a new clutch in your future.

 

[Devin]

Really? I only have about 50K on this clutch and a ceramic TOB...

 

[Devin]

I bought a replacement clutch cable. Any gotchas on the replacement process?

 

[zoomlater]

Sperold recently had this discussion

Clutch Cable Install

95 SHO MTX My current clutch cable actually broke in the engine compartment, right at the attachment point at the transmission wig-wag arm. So that part is pretty straight-forward. I got a new cable, and a copy of the clutch mechanism diagrams for the apparatus under the dash. I squirmed...

shoforum.com

 

[Devin]

Well this sucks




The replacement cable is clamped in the wrong spot.

Any ideas?

 

[Devin]

The one on the O'Reilly's site is also incorrect for this model. SHO Source must be using the same one.

 

[BaySHO Performance]

I don't see anything wrong with it. The inner and outer cables are both the same length. The only difference I can tell is that the bellows are shorter on the new cable.

 

[Devin]

Well it'd help if I wasn't an idiot. The bellows are shorter, but I was worried that the clutch pedal side wouldn't reach because of how short it is, and the cable was clamped. Well, turns out if you hold down the clamp and pull on the cable, it actually pulls through!

 

[Devin]

All done. Took a bit of finagling but the replacement works great. No more crunchy pedal feel.