I noticed that the friction point of the clutch is lower than usual. And I also noticed this weekend that if I am at a stop light waiting my turn I idle without being in gear and without the clutch being depressed.

As my turn gets closer, I depress the clutch and put it in 1st gear. I noticed this weekend that the idle drops and the car struggles to idle with the clutch to the floor.

are these 2 related?

Clutch tube broke lose in the tunnel?

I have not checked in a while (year maybe), but should be easy enough.

Do you have two nuts on the clutch cable? Anything other than two normal 7mmx1.00 nuts on the cable can work loose over time.

I have 3 spacer nuts just barely bigger than the threaded post and 2 nyloc nuts. The spacers put the lock nuts close to the end so I don't have to move far to tighten.

Click to view attachment
I just checked the tube and the firewall and nothing is moving. Had the wife work the clutch and everything moves properly at the pulley.

The fork does not seem to move much tho.

The pedal at rest seems right too. I can pull it up by hand about 1/2 to 1 inch.

Sometimes the clutch tube moves inside the tunnel without being visible at the firewall.
Pull the access plate behind the shift lever and look while working the clutch pedal.

Since a PO jury rigged the clutch tube with a u-bolt i have many accesses in rhe top of my tunnel. So i lifted the pad and box and reached in and grabbed the tube. Depressed the clutch and the tube did not move. I tried another ho-made access hole and still no movement.

Tighten the cable.
When you push in your clutch pedal, on any car really, you apply thrust force to the crankshaft.
So, if you are bored, go google that and you will find that many believe holding your clutch in at a stop sign is not good for the motor.

So, I would suggest you adjust your cable, and buy a new one tonight.
Your cable is starting to fail, and will break within 90 days if you drive the car regularly....it's how it starts.

The idle issue could be you,have a clutch not disengaging properly, or your thrust bearing is wearing out, or both.

Rich

Well Rich is full of good news.

Tonight it wasn't just waiting at a stop light. The idle drop seemed to happen more frequently. Imagine a 3 point turn.

Technically, they all are stretching from day one. Adjustments will come more often as more strands break and fewer are left to handle the load. Yours sounds very close to crapping out. It's a quick repair.

That's what happened to mine. Had to tighten the cable every couple weeks or so, until BAM!!! Nothing. Sucks being stuck on the side of the road with a running engine. Replace it before its too late.

So how long do you give the patient? How many miles or days or adjustments or whatever til the cable breaks?

I thought I had a few threads showing on mine when I put my Dr Evil Tranz in 10,000 miles and 12 months ago. So maybe, just maybe, the nuts have loosened. I will adjust and snap a photo and keep my cable and tools in the car.

I want to avoid the BAM!

I drive my car a bit. 150 miles a week. Tightened up 2 or 3 times over a month or two.

Then order a new one right now and install it as soon as it arrives.

No, right now.


Go.


Go do it.

Thanks to my recent project of taking partial ownership of a 71 914 that is not going to be built..... I actually have a cable.

I am going to do the adjustment and run a tank of gas thru it. I am going with "glass half full" here, maybe the nuts moved? maybe not.

I can use a broken clutch cable as an excuse to go to work late, or take the whole day off, right?

Its a better excuse than my radiator froze up....lol

CLOSURE IS GOOD, right?

Still no BAM, but i did adjust about 3 or 4 threads. Drove a bit and the idle issue is solved. Engine does not even react to the clutch. The friction point is at about 1/2 pedal and i still have some upward play in the pedal at rest. Notice the new picture. You can see threads.
Click to view attachment

Again, check the ground on the transmission. It the ground is not making good contact, the electricity takes the next path which is .......... the clutch cable. Ask me know I know (WCR05).