Xantia 1.9td clutch cable easy to change?

Post by **graham593192** » 28 Mar 2006, 08:26

How easy is it to change the clutch cble on a 1.9td xantia
The missus has just had hers snap on her on the way to work. I rang the AA for her and they said they couldn't fix it as it was a difficult one to do so they had to tow it to a garage as its to difficult.
I've told them to tow it back home as i'm not paying a garage to do it unless it is really difficult.
Is it really difficult? i've changed one on a couple of other cars and that seemed really easy.

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 28 Mar 2006, 08:45

Its not difficult, more infuriating. It is awkward and fiddley. The biggest problem is removing the pedal securing bolt if needed. It might be the plastic clip that holds the cable to the pedal that has gone. Search for plastic clutch clip on here.

Post by **graham593192** » 28 Mar 2006, 09:16

thanks. sounds like an afternoon of work!
It on a tow truck heading in my direction now!
Think i'll change the cabler and the clip aswell.

Post by **RichardW** » 28 Mar 2006, 11:03

It's most likely the clip that has snapped. If you look in the footwell, you will probably find (half) of the metal part of the clip. Takes about 3 hours to change the clip (not recommended if you have a bad back though!) - and you need to do most of that probably to change the cable anyway. Not sure how easy it is to get the cable out once the end is free - hopefully it will be easier than my mate's 306 HDi where we had to dismantle half the air conditioning

Mind you, if it's a manual adjust cable, getting the spring back on the pedal is entertaining!

Note that if the clutch has got heavy enough to snap the clip, then replacement is probably looming. Changing the cable might lighten it a bit, but these clutches go heavy as they wear (does it also come in at the top of the pedal?). Got to do the clutch on our ZX TD soon for the same reason....

PS - someone had trouble getting a replacement cable to go into the clip - cured by filing about 1mm off the end of the nipple. Top tip: get yourself a straight 13mm ratchet spanner - this will make undoing the (nyloc

) nut on the pedal bolt much much easier.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 28 Mar 2006, 11:53

hi, this isnt too bad a job. A torch, long nose pliers and a long screwdriver are all thats needed to get this tricky metal retainer into the plasic cable end (the Manual says to remove the dash!! no way!).

It may take a few attempts, but I usually have it in place after 10 mins upside down under footwell.
One suggestion i was given once was to spend 10 mins removing drivers seat to gain access while lying down, (i.e. not half out of car)
The rest of the cable replacment is strightforward, but car needs to be on stands/ ramps, as the cable runs down from bulkhead and along subframe, before rising again to gearbox.

Think I coould do a cable change in about 30 mins... ?

John

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 28 Mar 2006, 17:32

A bought a set of 3 very long nose pliers when I changed my clip and cable. One pair is straight one has a 90 degree bend in them and the other about a 45 degree bend. They are about 12" long.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 28 Mar 2006, 22:22

jgra1 wrote:hi, this isnt too bad a job. A torch, long nose pliers and a long screwdriver are all thats needed to get this tricky metal retainer into the plasic cable end (the Manual says to remove the dash!! no way!).

It may take a few attempts, but I usually have it in place after 10 mins upside down under footwell.
One suggestion i was given once was to spend 10 mins removing drivers seat to gain access while lying down, (i.e. not half out of car)
The rest of the cable replacment is strightforward, but car needs to be on stands/ ramps, as the cable runs down from bulkhead and along subframe, before rising again to gearbox.

Think I coould do a cable change in about 30 mins... ?

John

WOW!!! I've done about three of these clips and its not a 30min job.. Seat out of course, buy a new nut and bolt, cut the head off the old bolt, remove clutch pedal, replace NEW clip, fit NEW bolt opposite way round, then spend the next 45 min getting the retaining clip to hold the clutch end in place........

You can do mine for me next time I get one to do....

Regards
citroenxm

dusan.g · Post by **dusan.g** » 29 Mar 2006, 08:29

There is a discussion about a clutch cable, so I'd like to ask ...

The clutch in my Xsara 1.6i was changed 4 months ago at 173.000 km. Would you recommend also to change a clutch cable? Just in case... And if yes, what brand of cable should I buy? Bendix, PEX, Pimax, original Citroen, ... ?

Thank you very much for your answer.

IanR · Post by **IanR** » 29 Mar 2006, 12:26

Just did this job on a 1.8 Xantia Petrol.

Approached from the underside (not sure if this is better or worse than taking the instruments out, experiences of thse who took the other route might be useful)

Main issue is with getting the through-bolt out as it fouls the brake pedal. The solution I found was to prise the inside cheek-plate away far enough that the bolt-end can be slipped out of the hole. The clutch-pedal can then be rotated in its mount, and the bolt extracted from behind the (lifted) brake pedal.

This cheek-plate is thin and springy, and shouldn't suffer any harm as a result. A 13mm spanner jammed beween it and the pivot will keep it back while you rotate the pedal. You need to remove the brake-light connector from the brake pedal to give more room.

I reinserted the bolt the other (right!) way round, though in doing so I put three extra washers under the bolt-head so as not to have the outside end protruding close the brake pedal. Not too likely it would foul anyway, but if it did it would certainly make you pay attention..

Leave the cable off until the pedal is remounted, prop the pedal fully up (so the plastic clip's end goes inside the cable-guide) and give the cable a good firm push from the clutch end, while holding the outer still at the bulkhead, to seat the bullet.

Other thing you will need is a small inspection-lamp or torch, as space is limited.

Hope this helps. It's not a quick job, allow two or three hours.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 29 Mar 2006, 13:09

hmmm why is the pedal coming off?

I am sure its for a good reason, but I havent had to do that before.

Guys, honestly, I replaced my Xantia clutch cable last week, removed from gearbox, went under dash (seat inplace) and removed spring clip, pulled cable from bulkhead, and removed cable from eyes under car..

had the other one back on and working 20 mins later..

Its not a job I envy, but this is maybe the 3rd time i have done it, and always similar duration? its just fiddly getting the metal spring clip back in while holding a torch and half out of car upside down

i think i enjoy the 'key-hole' surgery of it.. !

J

IanR · Post by **IanR** » 29 Mar 2006, 13:34

jgra1 wrote: its just fiddly getting the metal spring clip back in while holding a torch and half out of car upside down

I'm wondering if there are different designs or differing amounts of underdash hardware, as that would have been impossible on mine. The plastic part itself was barely visible until the pedal was taken out, let alone the clip.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 29 Mar 2006, 13:38

I admit its a long way above me....

hmm dont know..

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 29 Mar 2006, 21:00

jgra1 wrote:hmmm why is the pedal coming off?

I am sure its for a good reason, but I havent had to do that before.

Guys, honestly, I replaced my Xantia clutch cable last week, removed from gearbox, went under dash (seat inplace) and removed spring clip, pulled cable from bulkhead, and removed cable from eyes under car..

had the other one back on and working 20 mins later..

Its not a job I envy, but this is maybe the 3rd time i have done it, and always similar duration? its just fiddly getting the metal spring clip back in while holding a torch and half out of car upside down i think i enjoy the 'key-hole' surgery of it.. !

Hi there,

Pedal comes off to REPLACE THE ORIGINAL FEEBLE Clip as this topic started talking about....

Regards
citroenxm
J

Post by **graham593192** » 30 Mar 2006, 22:31

changed the cable and plastic clip today. took about 3 hours.
Took the seat out and had to take the peddle out as there was no way i could even touch the plastic clip never mind change it or reach the cable even with some long needle nose pliers.
Also removing the old cable and putting the new one into the bulk head was a pig of a job as I couldn't get my hands anywhere near it. Had to use a long stick from undernieth the car to push the cable upwards into the hole in the bulkhead.
Found the easiest way to get the new cable into the plastic fitting was to refit the peddle and then get my assisstant (it is her car afterall so she had to help1) to push the cable through from the engine end while I lifted the peddle and located the cable in the plastic fitting.
The new cable seems to have some sort of self adjusting mechanism in the middle of it rather than having to be adjusted and the clutch end with the adjusting nuts.
Took a look under the bonnet of my 1.8 16v after finishing and there's so much more space under the bonnet to work on the engine and other stuff. Not as much as my old sierra though, i could climb in and stand next to the engine which made it so easy for reaching down the back of it!!

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 30 Mar 2006, 22:35

Hi there graham

3 hours sounds good to me... I knew the clip is a pig to get at, and how the other person above (forgot his name now - sorry) could do it in half hour is beyond me!!

WELL DONE!

Regards
citroenxm

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Xantia 1.9td clutch cable easy to change?

Xantia 1.9td clutch cable easy to change?

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