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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Calling all 3.2 converters
Posted by: worn Jul 12 2019, 04:01 PM
Edit: what I was looking for was some sort of response, yeah or nay about clutch cable trave.. My experience with a 2002 era kit (bought years later from someone who decided not to install it) has been that disengagement only occurs at very last end of pedal travel. This with little if any pedal free play. The instructions I got from KEP told me that the clutch would require “1.5 inches of cable travel”. The stock 914 pedal cluster isn’t up to such hurdles - less than an inch in my experience.
I am hoping to hear from others with a 3.2 (the lucky) if they had been able to plug and play or if they too had difficulties generating enough cable travel. I think I have a simple fix, but also am worried that I have made some dumb-ass mistake in assembly.
Thanks,
Warren
Hi folks. I love my 3.2 engine in the 72 914 but am having clutch issues. I bought the conversion package from an enthusiast who decided not to complete their project. The ring works perfectly with the starter and i have no real problems except tgat i am grinding gears going into first and reverse.
The clutch kit directions date to 2002 and state that there should be 1.5 inches of clutch cable travel. This may explain why when i have taken up all of the pedal free play i still cannot quite completely disengage the clutch with the pedal down. It almost works: i can get into first if i shift while rolling. I can get into reverse if i select it before turning on the motor.
I find that the bell crank at the pedal moves a little less than 0.75 inches, and the trunnion at the end of the cable moves by the same amount. This is a far cry from an inch and a half. I can make some work arounds, but figure i probably have made a mistake: no one else seems to be having this trouble. Help! 
Posted by: worn Jul 12 2019, 04:04 PM
I should add that i rewelded the clutch tube into place and rebushed the pedal cluster. Both appear to be in good shape. 5000 mile trip last year and i wanna do a 3000 trip this one.
Posted by: lierofox Jul 12 2019, 04:10 PM
I ended up welding extra material to the lever arm at the pedal assembly on my 914 to make it longer and give it more throw, space was pretty tight with the throttle linkage in the tunnel. The clutch pedal is now a bit heavier due to having less mechanical advantage, but it's a lot more movement in the cable.
Posted by: mb911 Jul 12 2019, 04:11 PM
Clutch cable stretched? Clutch arm needs washer under cup/bushing? Flywheel is cut beyond wearable limit?
Posted by: IronHillRestorations Jul 12 2019, 06:00 PM
I don't know if you can get 1.5" of movement from a 914 clutch mechanism, that's a lot. Did you try adjusting the pedal stop on the board?
Posted by: mepstein Jul 12 2019, 07:31 PM
Try taking up more slack from the clutch cable. It’s a lot easier to check before you drop engine and remove trans.
Posted by: wndsrfr Jul 12 2019, 07:37 PM
Clutch cable stretched? Clutch arm needs washer under cup/bushing? Flywheel is cut beyond wearable limit?
Stick a washer under the pivot ball for the lever arm....
Posted by: 914Toy Jul 12 2019, 08:09 PM
Your symptoms also suggest you may not have your linkage correctly lined up as you are having difficulties in the 1st and reverse “gate”.
Posted by: worn Jul 12 2019, 09:44 PM
I ended up welding extra material to the lever arm at the pedal assembly on my 914 to make it longer and give it more throw, space was pretty tight with the throttle linkage in the tunnel. The clutch pedal is now a bit heavier due to having less mechanical advantage, but it's a lot more movement in the cable.
Thanks. I looked at that and space between the clutch and throttle cables look very tight indeed.
Posted by: worn Jul 12 2019, 09:46 PM
Your symptoms also suggest you may not have your linkage correctly lined up as you are having difficulties in the 1st and reverse “gate”.
I can get into the gears, but the synchros grind. Also, if I start the car in first I get a tiny bit of forward roll with the clutch pedal down, so I know it isn’t disengaging completely
Posted by: jcd914 Jul 12 2019, 10:15 PM
Do a hydraulic clutch conversion.
You can then pick a master cylinder and slave pairing that gives you the 1.5 inches of travel.
Jim
Posted by: Steve Jul 13 2019, 09:16 AM
I had a stage 2 kep clutch with my 3.2. I used 1/2” free play with no problems.
Posted by: worn Jul 13 2019, 03:52 PM
I had a stage 2 kep clutch with my 3.2. I used 1/2” free play with no problems.
Thanks. That is just what I wanted to know. I am assuming that almost everyone converting to the 3.2 is using the KEP kit. Another thread suggests that the pressure plate is maybe from a VW bus meaning perhaps a different need for movement. The instructions I got indicate a larger cable movement than the stock 914 pedal cluster gives: they suggest an inch and a half, while the 914 pedal cluster provides a bit less than 3/4 inch.
So I was wondering if anyone doing a 3.2 had to make some allowance.
I can drive the car, but what is at stake is my wife’s comfort over 3,000 miles. As my mentor once said “A committee will be formed to establish blame”. We are getting old and I don’t want her to do anymore car pushing.
Posted by: Steve Jul 13 2019, 03:54 PM
I had a stage 2 kep clutch with my 3.2. I used 1/2” free play with no problems.
Thanks. That is just what I wanted to know. I am assuming that almost everyone converting to the 3.2 is using the KEP kit. Another thread suggests that the pressure plate is maybe from a VW bus meaning perhaps a different need for movement. The instructions I got indicate a larger cable movement than the stock 914 pedal cluster gives: they suggest an inch and a half, while the 914 pedal cluster provides a bit less than 3/4 inch.
So I was wondering if anyone doing a 3.2 had to make some allowance.
I can drive the car, but what is at stake is my wife’s comfort over 3,000 miles. As my mentor once said “A committee will be formed to establish blame”. We are getting old and I don’t want her to do anymore car pushing.
It is a modified 228mm bus clutch. Start with a 1/2” free play and see if you can engage first and reverse without grinding.
If the fork hits the trans before it disengages, you most likely need a washer behind the pivot fork.
Posted by: John Jul 15 2019, 11:33 AM
Hi folks. I love my 3.2 engine in the 72 914 but am having clutch issues. I bought the conversion package from an enthusiast who decided not to complete their project. The ring works perfectly with the starter and i have no real problems except tgat i am grinding gears going into first and reverse.
The clutch kit directions date to 2002 and state that there should be 1.5 inches of clutch cable travel. This may explain why when i have taken up all of the pedal free play i still cannot quite completely disengage the clutch with the pedal down. It almost works: i can get into first if i shift while rolling. I can get into reverse if i select it before turning on the motor.
I find that the bell crank at the pedal moves a little less than 0.75 inches, and the trunnion at the end of the cable moves by the same amount. This is a far cry from an inch and a half. I can make some work arounds, but figure i probably have made a mistake: no one else seems to be having this trouble. Help!
Do you still have the pedal stop bumper in place, and have you tried first removing the rubber bumper and/or tried adjusting the stop for more pedal travel? I have that same setup in my street 3.2, but my parts were purchased back in 1990 or very early 1991. The only problems I had were related to the ring received from KEP didn't fit the flywheel the first time around and they had to do something to it. After that, it was all good as I can recall. It's been a while since I've converted one, but I know that I never had to shim the pivot ball to get more clutch cable travel. I know there is very little free play in my pedal.
I recall once upon a time, back in college I was driving my car to school one day and my clutch wouldn't totally disengage with the pedal all the way to the floor, it turned out that the roll pin for the pedal shaft had started to shear and the pedal and shaft would move with respect with each other. Something to check nonetheless.
Posted by: porschetub Jul 16 2019, 01:14 AM
Presuming all parts are newish shimming the ball pivot is only needed for a machined/resurfaced flywheel ,I found out this with a used 6 bolt flywheel,was still in spec but needed the shim with new clutch.
Posted by: a71914 Jul 16 2019, 11:18 AM
I had the exact same problem with my 3.2 conversion. Although I used the clutch kit from Patrick Motorsports.
The solution was to add a washer under the pivot ball for the clutch fork.
Posted by: Dave_Darling Jul 16 2019, 11:55 AM
Is it the stock 901-based transmission?
--DD
Posted by: mepstein Jul 16 2019, 12:07 PM
Is it the stock 901-based transmission?
--DD
Must be if he's using the kep conversion package. A 915 just bolts on to a stock 3.2 clutch pack.
Posted by: worn Jul 19 2019, 07:03 PM
Is it the stock 901-based transmission?
--DD
Sort of. 5th is a flipped HB.
Posted by: larryM Jul 20 2019, 10:26 PM
washer under the pivot ball for the clutch fork. - that is a really OLD & effective fix by Rich Bontempi (HPH) - originally the solution for shaving a flywheel during re-surface to make up for the lost FW material
fwiw - my 3.2 upgrade with 901 uses the 915 FW & KEP stage 1 clutch package both gotten from GPR before Dave died
my setup - NO problems with "slack" as OP describes
(yes Stage 1 KEP is a 225 Bus clutch disc & PP)
- but there may be variants of the 225mm Bus PP so ya might wanna ask The Samba 'bout that
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