CLUTCH HELP REQD !?

[davo172]

Read a few posts of heavy clutch problems on 172/182 's was wondering if changing the cable cures the problem, just wanted to know if anyone has done this and if it cures the problem. Is this a job you can do your self or is it one for the experts !? Anyone got any idea how much it shouuld cost to get done :S ? ? ?

 

[DrR]

Heavy clutch is not a problem, it's jus the way they are.
New clutch cable is about £20, i replaced mine myself, was a c**t of a job, but i reckon would be easy the 2nd time i'll have to do it.

 

[davo172]

Cheers for quick reply mate . It never used to be this heavy. Did changing it make yours much better or not worth doin ?

 

[DrR]

Maybe if it's got heavier then there could be a problem, but the only vehicle i've driven with an equal as heavy clutch is my mates 1989 landy.
I only changed the clutch cablecos it was creaking on long drives.(still does french crap)

 

[davo172]

How long did it take ya to change cable mate ? might try it.

 

[DrR]

Well there was a clip where the cable goes through to behind the pedal, that bit alone prob took me 1.5 hours to undue, was just no way of reaching it, had to hack at it with a long screwdriver till it came out. Rest prob an hour, have to remove the air box and battery, and the cable runs behind the heat sheild behind the engine.

 

[davo172]

bump

 

[davo172]

anyone else cured this proroblem by changing the cable ? ?:rasp:

 

[bmh.01]

I changed mine and it stopped it getting sticky when it got hot after driving it for a while. They did change the design of it which imo makes it slightly lighter but its not the world of different. Its a mega laugh of a job tbh especially for something so simple, leave a good few hours because it will take you that long you won't believe it but it will.

Access is your problem, piss easy on a 1.2 unreal on a 172. The soundproofing makes it 10x worse too, get ready for scratched arms galore.

 

[amosMk1]

doesn't heavy clutch means its about to die soon ?
how many miles this one has gone through ?

 

[davo172]

Prob gonna have a go and try and swap it, prob wish I hadn't when I start thou . 39k car has done so wouldn't think its a knackered clutch.

 

[bmh.01]

Oh you'll wish you hadn't started after 15 mins, the trouble is that the old cable usually comes out in about 6 pieces so theres no turning back!

 

[Mark5290]

Jack up front end and put on axle stands, remove front wheels and lower engine cover so you have a bit more room to work, remove battery and airbox, pull off clutch cable from the gearbox release fork, make a note of how and where the cable is routed, i think there is 4 or 5 clips to remove from the bulkhead heat shield/insulation, some of them unscrew and some of them you need to lever off, you need to pull the insulation away from the bulkhead so you can get your hand down there to grab hold of the cable, now inside the car above the brake pedal you will find the clutch cable self adjuster mechanism, push the cable end out of the securing clip, tie a bit of string around the end of the cable as it will make it alot easier to find the hole through the bulkhead when fitting the new cable, the cable is also routed awkwardly under and behind brake pipes, now you need to release the outer cable end that goes through the bulkhead inside the car behind the pedal assembly, you may find it easier to remove the inside brown insulation behind the pedal assembly so you can see the hole the cable comes through easily, it is held in with a couple of wide headed plastic plugs with hexagon heads, to release the outer cable you need to squeeze in together the 2 plastic wings that pop out when the cable is pushed through the bulkhead hole, the 2 wings are very awkward to get at and squeeze, you may need someone else outside of the car to pull the cable out, attach the new cable end to the bit of string and pull back through the bulkhead hole, when the new cable outer end is inline with the hole you need to get your hand/arm down between the bulkhead and insulation with the palm of your hand facing the bulkhead so you can get a grip of the cable, now shove the outer cable end through the bulkhead hole until you feel/hear the plastic wings pop out, refit cable along original routing points, take care when refitting the cable into the white plastic clip on the bulkhead as they can break easily(oops), pull inner cable end around behind the pedal assembly and secure in the clip, refit the other end of the cable into the gearbox release fork, now you will find the clutch pedal is on the floor, push it up and down a few times as it is on a self adjusting ratchet mechanism, now refit everything else you have taken off.

Phew - lol.

 

[davo172]

LOL. BIG THANKS to mark for that I take it you've done more than one cable then ? ?. With that description I'll have a go !! thanks mate. Did it make the clutch much easier on yours ?

 

[bmh.01]

Always sounds easy doesn't it lol.

 

[edde]

doesn't heavy clutch means its about to die soon ?
how many miles this one has gone through ?

It cna do but check/chnage the cable as this should be chnaged when you do a clutch and fixes most of the issues anayway.

Prob gonna have a go and try and swap it, prob wish I hadn't when I start thou . 39k car has done so wouldn't think its a knackered clutch.

I might have been if its been stupidly treated (and thats not the same as a hammered car often a good driver driving a car hard is better on the clutch)

 

[davo172]

Cheers edde will try cable . Had car from new so it aint had a hard life but does mostly town, stop start driving. This is when it becomes a pain mostly. thanks.

 

[davo172]

Anyone else swopped cable and noticed a lighter clutch ?

 

[Mark5290]

I take it you've done more than one cable then ? ?.

Erm no lol, you don't want to know how long it took me to do it, i would say most of the time taken was figuring out what needed to be removed, removing things that did not need removing, and how to get at the cable as you are very limited on space, the hardest bit i encountered was pushing the new outer cable through the bulkhead hole as i did not use any string(grrr) and you can not see the hole from the engine bay at all, you can only feel it with your fingers when you have your hand down between the insulation and only one hand at a time, so i was trying to feel for the hole and feed the cable through using one hand - lol.

Knowing what i know now, the next one will be a piece of piss, the cable i replaced with help from my brother was on his 182, in the end his car had a new clutch kit fitted under warranty to cure his clutch problems, but for what the cable costs it is worth trying it to save a visit to the dealers.

 

[davo172]

bump:rasp:

 

[edde]

Anyone else swopped cable and noticed a lighter clutch ?

Yep it does get lighter. Depends how heavy yours is though.

 

[davo172]

BTTT

 

[Mostro]

Did you do it then Davo?

 

[davo172]

Yes done it. Thanks for the instructions mark5290 pain to do thou wouldnt do it again pay someone else to !! . clutch is now fine

 

[Schweppy]

I changed mine and it stopped it getting sticky when it got hot after driving it for a while. They did change the design of it which imo makes it slightly lighter but its not the world of different. Its a mega laugh of a job tbh especially for something so simple, leave a good few hours because it will take you that long you won't believe it but it will.

Access is your problem, piss easy on a 1.2 unreal on a 172. The soundproofing makes it 10x worse too, get ready for scratched arms galore.

I've just had a new clutch on my 182 and i havent been able to explain whats wrong with it but you hit it on the head! Sticky when hot LOL!!!! Seriously tho, after the cars been running for a while, it makes a horrible creaking noise and is very sticky!!! Is that to do with the cable then coz only the clutch was replaced!!!

 

[Fred@BTM]

1.5hrs to change the cable! do you guys have massive hands or something? takes 30min if that

 

[Schweppy]

Fred, what do u reckon on the sticky clutch when the car gets warmed up??? New cable jobby???

 

[bmh.01]

1.5hrs to change the cable! do you guys have massive hands or something? takes 30min if that

Its fiddly and awkward, thats my excuse and i'm standing by it :rasp:.

Would be 1000x easier without the fecking soundproofing around the back of the bay, and I now know you can access the hole in the bulkhead if you take the drivers side archliner out that would've helped a lot at the time.

 

[sketty]

my clutch was heavy like u say urs is n now it went light and now its gone totally