I've been having a issue with the 914 dying when I press the clutch to down shift or coming to a stop. The RPM's just drop to 0 and the car dies. It happens randomly and only when I'm coming to a stop or down shifting. When I'm shifting up it has never happened and the RPM's are great. The car runs perfectly otherwise. It will crank right back up when it dies at a stop or of coarse you can pop the clutch if its still moving and it will start right back up. If I take the car out of gear and just press the brake when stopping it doesn't happen either. It's very strange and I can't figure it out. Please any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Does it start and idle OK? The only time the engine dies is when the clutch pedal is pressed?

I'd be curious to know if you drop it into neutral and get off the clutch quickly, does it still die? I'd wonder if the clutch actually had anything to do with it vs it just wanting to die without the momentum of the decel keeping things turning. Or, if in neutral and idling fine, does pushing the clutch do anything then? I wouldn't think so, but just a couple thoughts to try.

Yes it Idles great and starts every time.

Thanks for the response yes when I'm traveling at any rate of speed if I drop it into neutral and then brake to a stop it doesn't die. It Idles great and starts right back up when it does die. sometimes it will have an issue with RPM's struggling when you start it back up and attempt to idle after its died. But to start and go it goes right back great.

Do you have carbs or FI?

You should be coming to a stop in neutral anyway. The only time you should be pressing the clutch pedal is when you're shifting. Sitting idling, starting the engine, and stopping the engine with the clutch pedal depressed accelerates wear on the crankshaft thrust washers which is bad news bears for your crankshaft end play.

is the clutch engagement point near the floor or up high?

Thanks for the response but I maybe didn't explain correctly. when I press the clutch to put in neutral it still dies. If I just pull it out of gear and press the brake at stopping it doesn't die. when idling, starting and stopping normally it is in neutral. Just can't figure out why it randomly dies. Have been told it could be the throttle body needs to be cleaned or could be the ground straps. And its fuel injected.

It's kinda in the middle probably closer to the top.

Check to make sure the clutch cable is not interfering with the throttle cable in the center tunnel by the pedal cluster.
When this happens it usually results in the engine revving when the clutch is depressed, but stranger things have happened.

Thanks I'll check that out..

clutch doesn't fully disengage and when you stop it drags the engine rpm down? any sort of grinding or hard effort to put it in gear when the engine is running while at a stop?

Check your ground cables. I have seen cars that would not start unless the clutch was pushed in because the ground cable broke, pushing the clutch in completed the circuit. I understand this is not exactly what is happening on your car but it's worth a look.

Sounds like an electrical problem. The clutch cable has been known to become a "last resort" ground when the regular grounds aren't right. Check:

– Ground strap connecting the transaxle to the trunk floor
– Ground to body near the relay board
– Ground to body near the fuse panel.

The main one in this case would be the transaxle ground. If it hasn't been changed in 40+ years, put a new one in.