Saturday night I thought I snapped a clutch cable. I was pushing the clutch in, there was a loudish noise, and the pedals been on the floor ever since.
I ordered a cable yesterday, and it arrived this morning. I put the car on jack stands (for the first time), and after staring at the damn rust for a while I got to looking at the clutch cable.

So here's the weird thing. The cable appears to be intact. If I pull on the end at the tranny, the pedal actually goes back to it's normal postion. So, all you experienced people out here, what should I look at next? What else could cause a cable to seemingly grow a couple inches in an instant? I looked in the tunnel, as best I could, and the tubes all appear to be attached.

Also, is it 'normal' for the clutch cable and accel cabel to be this close to each other? They're almost touching.

And while I'm posting pictures...and at the risk of getting ...what the heck is this thing under the passenger floorboard? Sure, I could ook it up, or trace the wires, but it's easier to ask.

post a closeup picture from underneath the car, where the clutch cable goes into the firewall.

The box is an EGR somthing or other. Its for the emissions system.

We need pics of the cable attaching to the fork and going around the pulley, etc.

It still could be many things.

If the cable is intact.

and you heard a snap.

the pedal cluster is still ok,

then its something in your trani.. Possibly the TO bearing fork broke (odd... but possible)

Take out your trani, and inspect it.

while your at it.. change the lube.


snaped clutch cables wont make loud noises... just a little snap, and your foot goes to the floor..

I bet your clutch tube is loose now and needs to be rewelded in place.

Search "clutch tube repair"

That wouldnt explain why his pedal is to the floor...

but its an easy check, take out the shifter, and wiggle the tube on the left... if it wiggles.. get out the welder.

QUOTE (914-8 @ Mar 21 2006, 11:24 AM)

post a closeup picture from underneath the car, where the clutch cable goes into the firewall.

pic 1

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Mar 21 2006, 11:27 AM)

The box is an EGR somthing or other. Its for the emissions system. We need pics of the cable attaching to the fork and going around the pulley, etc. It still could be many things.

pic 2

Yeah, judging by the rust, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the tube is loose.

Yep, as I suspected, the picture tells the tale.

Your clutch tube is busted. I'm not sure how it even hung in for so long with all that rust!

You've got some work ahead of you to get that cleaned up and solid again.

All of this started two days after replacing the shifter. I checked the tube while I had the shifter out, and couldn't move it at all. I poked at the firewall entry point earlier today , and it didn't wiggle at all...so I thought it might be OK. I just went back and poked again, and the whole @#%@! thing broke loose.
I guess it's time to buy a welder, and learn how to use it . Damn, I was hoping to put off the start of the full teardown until after the summer.

Be careful welding the clutch tube. The gas lines run through the same area!!

Jeff

Thanks to all of you for your help! I'm pissed about the car right now, but you guys rock!

Theres a classic thread about fixing the clutch tube. It involves some surgery of the center tunnel, i.e. opening a little port hole, and welding it back in place. I'd do it that way if I were you - I did mine the wrong way and had to redo it.

The box under the floorboard is an EGR counter. It sits inline in the speedo cable and as far as I know is only responsible for turning a light on after so many thousand miles. I think it is the maintainence period for the EGR valve on emmission equipped cars or something.

Good luck with the clutch tube project!!