Clutch issues

[BammBamm]

I had noticed i was adjusting my clutch cable alot. The clutch pedal would only come up about half way. it seems like i was almost out of adjustment so i thought i would change the clutch. The old clutch came with the car but looked good when i had the tranny out last. I bought a new friction plate from Autoricambi. The pressure plate, flywheel and throwout bearing looked good. I notice the new friction plate didnt have much more pad than the old one i pulled out. Which leads me to believe the clutch wasnt bad. But i put the new clutch in. It worked fine with the motor off but when i start it I cant put it into 1st or 2nd. If I turn off the car and put it in gear it will take off. I can feel the clutch rubbing while pressed and i get a clutch studder when engaging. the adjustment on the cable is about the same as the old clutch. It seems I have two issues. The clutch cable might be stretching (it was a new cable last year) and a clearance issue with the new friction plate and the old pressure plate. Im guessing here.. please give me your input.

[DieselSpider]

Is it possible that you did not seat the cable in the holder on the transmission properly and with use its settling into the holder? The rubber seal on the end of the cable sometimes hangs up and then slowly gives in making it so you have to constantly adjust until it finally seats. Also if the fingers on the clutch pedal are too close together the dowel on that end of the cable may not initially get seated in the fork getting caught up on the shoulder so that as it wears down either the slot in the fork or the shoulder of the cable end the adjustment changes.

On mine it eventually sheared off the pedal end of the cable when it broke at the shoulder of the metal end near where the dowel slid into place.

The new cable had a metal nose on it at the transmission end instead of a plastic one and was harder to seat all the way into the retainer.

Get a bright light and verify that both ends of the cable are seated properly and also check that the forks on the end of the clutch pedal themselves are not bending as some have reported that as an issue.

[ORFORD2004]

Are you shure that your clutch bracket is well engaged in the ball?

[BEEK]

2 other places to look.

1. check the firewall below the brake reservoir. Make sure it is not cracked and flexing. This is a common problem

2. Check the fork on the pedal. These will often crack and bend.

[BammBamm]

I pulled the tranny. The Fox friction plate doesn’t fit the SDF or the Valeo pressure plates. The the steel backing plate touches the inside ring of the pressure plate. Also the rentention spring on the clutch lever is t hold the lever in place. I have ordered a lever, pivot point, clutch cable. What pressure play does work with the Fox friction disc? I may have to send it back to Autoricambi.

[DieselSpider]

I never mix and match pressure plates and clutches as matched sets are guaranteed to work together. You may be best off just getting a matched clutch and pressure plate kit or finding a vendor that sells the Fox Pressure Plate that's a match for the Fox Clutch Plate.

[BammBamm]

So i put in the original clutch and pressure plate as they didn't have much wear. Replaced the clutch lever as the spring retention spring was worn out. I swapped out the clutch cable as the rubber grommet at the firewall wore away. Over all it is much better but I still have a problem. The clutch pedal helper spring seems to just apply friction to the pedal but doesnt help it go down or up until at the end of the stroke. So the clutch pedal doesn't rise up the last 25% of the throw. is the spring bad or the return spring hook bent? i disassembled the pedal and greased them to make sure there was no bind in the pedal. When neither clutch cable or the helper spring is attached the pedal moves easily. I was think of just removing the helper spring. Please advise.