Just finished putting my 914 back together after a complete paint job. Strange thing is when I went to drive it for the first time in 6 months the clutch doesn't fully disengage with the pedal to the floor--grinding first gear when you try to shift from neutral. By the way I replaced the clutch, plate, etc about 9 months ago.

The clutch worked perfectly before I tore the car apart to have it painted (the drive train wasn't touched). The car hasn't even been started since I drove it into the garage to dismantel it for painting.

What do you think has happened??? cluthc cable streteched??

Please refresh my memory. To get the clutch to disengage higher off the floor do you turn the adjusting nut in or out. I seem to remember that it is backwards compared to most cars.
Much appreciated,

is the pedal out of adjustment?

there is suppost to be 3/4'' play in it
(you can press about 3/4'' before it starts to resist and engadge)

if there too much play find the arm coming out of the bell housing on the tranny on the passenger side of the car

the clutch cable attaches there to work the t.o. bearing

if there is too much play tighten the nut back there

make sure its tight when your done though i had mine come off while i was on the freeway in 5th gear doing about 70
its hard to go back home through a nerighborhood in 5th w/o it stalling
unless you can shift w/o a clutch

-shag

Just get an 11mm wrench and tighten up the nut at the end of the cable connected to the clutch arm. If you get it adjusted right, the trans will shift everytime without grinding. Make sure you either use a nyloc nut on the cable or a second jamb nut to keep it from backing off later down the road.

i actually went to FLAPS and for a replacement nut for the clutch cable

its one off a bug and instead of being just a nut its a wing nut w/ weird angles that make it fit almost perfectly into the t.o. arm

-shag

I can go ahead and tighten it up a bit to return things back to normal. I'm just puzzled how sitting for six months could have change things. Like I said, it had been working great for months until I parked it to get it ready for painting.

Perhaps the nut backed off somehow or the cable stretched a bit?? I'll take a look tommorow when I'm fresh and it is light. I guess I just wasn't expecting that when I fired my little red toy.

if its over tightened it will act as if the clutch is always partially engadged and you will loose some power and burn the hell out of your clutch

if i remember correctly the specs. are 3/4''-1'' of play at the pedal

-jim

It sounds like an adjustement to me. I learned about the lock nut the hard way. Adjusted the clutch till is was perfect and then later driving down the road, It goes out again! Dam thing backed out. Had to readjust under a hot car on the side of the road that's always fun. Also if adjusting the cable out does no good, first replace the cable, but also check your clutch tube. If you can't always get a good adjustment your tube might be out. That's a fun repair, but it can be done by anyone who know's VW's. Good luck!
Eric