Xantia clutch pedal height

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robuk
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Xantia clutch pedal height

Post by robuk »

Hi folks. Im new here and need some help.Sorry if this question has been asked befor .

I own a citroen Xantia 19td 1997 model. for the past week or so the gears in the car have been very hard to get, mainly putting it into 1st, 2nd and reverse gears.I was informed that it needed a new clutch and i booked it into a garage to have the work done, Total cost of £340. I have just got the car back and im not happy at the height of the clutch pedal. Befor putting the car into the garage the clutch pedal was the height of the brake pedal and the bite point was right at the bottom of the pedal. The cluch pedal now sits about 7 inches above the brake pedal and the biteing point is right at the top of the pedal leaving a good 10 inches of play below it. My beloved xantia is so hard to drive now because of the pedal height.you can change its gears within the 1st 2 inches of pedal pressure .upon asking the garage guy about its height he said it was my brake pedal that was too low and demonstrated to me by lifting the brake pedal up and it came level with the clutch pedal.I dont believe what he told me and need your advice. How do i get the pedal sitting level with the brake pedal again.The car is changing gears smoothly again and the pedal is very light, apart from the pedal height that seems to be the only problem. its darn near impossible not to over rev the car at junctions now as the clutch bites on the last inch of the pedal height. I am not mechanicaly minded but need to know if i can get this peddal back to the same height as the brake pedal.if someone could expain to me in idiot terms of how to do this.
Thankyou for responces in advance
Regards
Rob
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Post by Muggerbee »

I did this once !! sounds like the clutch pedal return spring is on back to front
96 Xantia 1.9 TD Sx Clutch pedal bolt cut out and now the right way round, rear caliper pins cut out and now the right way round .. I love my angle grinder :-)

Speed Humps in a 30 = Xantia country :-)
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Post by davewithington »

could of course just be a badly adjusted cable. Not difficult to get wrong if you're not used to the car and adjust using "traditional" methods

Where are you in the country?
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Post by RichardW »

On a 1997 it's quite possibly an auto adjust cable that has failed to do the necessary when the clutch was replaced. I'd take it back, point out that Xantia brake pedals are always lower than the clutch, and that the travel of the clutch pedal should be about 6", and it should bite about half way up, and get him to adjust it. Failing that, adjust it yourself - might be easier said than done if it's auto adjust - but it might be possible to 'reset' the adjuster by pulling the two halves of the outer cable apart either side of the adjuster (on the subframe IIRC).
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Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

if its auto adjust uit is likely that the cable is still adjusted at the point it was before the clutch was done. they have a rachet in the middle that is very hard to release or go backwards.
a new auto adjust cable could sort this out. i regard it at lit that a new clutch cable goes in at new clutch time afterall its only about £30 for a new one.
if its is a manual then they havent adjusted it properly.

was this a clutch fit centre or a proper garage that did the work?

quick clutch fit centres only fit reconditioned clutch plates and they only have half the linnings of brand new orriginal citroen clutch plates and they dont last as long either, I learnt the hard way.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
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robuk
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Post by robuk »

Thankyou for the responces .

Firstly, i took the car back to the guy who fitted the clutch and he said the same thing again. "its not the clutch pedal being high its the brake pedal being too low"i told him the pedal is not right and i should not have to lift my foot right off the floor in order to press the clutch pedal down, The guy turned and walked away ,looked back at me and said "you paid me to fit the clutch and thats what i have done". I got back in the car fuming and drove off .
On my way back home i took the car to croxdales,they had alook at it and said that i should legaly challenge the garage that fitted the clutch as it hasnt been done correctly.I asked them to have a look at the pedal for me and after lifting the bonnet to inspect the cable.He said that they hav`nt bothered adjusting the cable atall. He went to get his spanners and came back but unfortunately the two lock nuts were done up so tight he needed more time to get the job done. He also said that it still has the manufactures original manual adjusted cable still fitted.

I have now managed to get the lock nuts undone "plus gas works wonders" and unscrewed the inner nut right back out and it has dropped the pedal to the height of the brake pedal now.

My predicament is this , although i have leveled the pedal out and the gears are still changing smoothly. Is there any chance if i have adjusted this wrongly then i can burn this new clutch out ?.
The pedal is now level with the brake pedal and its biting right in the middle of its full travel from full rest to fully depressed. Although im chuffed at getting the pedal level again im worried incase i have done it wrong and dont want to shell out another £340 for another clutch.
Looking for advice on the correct adjustment.

Thanyou again for any responces in advance
Regards
Rob
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Post by jgra1 »

Rob, it sounds fine now..

a maladjusted cable will either make gear changes harder, or slip.. an easy test, drive along in 4th or 5th, and while accelerating, dump the clutch pedal.. the revs should rise and fall back again instantly.. if there's a long delay, then the cable may be too adjusted.. but from where you describe the bite point it sounds ok.. so as long as the gearchanges are easy, jobs a goodun :twisted:

John
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Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Rob, you are lucky to have a manual adjust cable my old mobile citroen mechanic used to adjust it how I liked it as opposed to how it should be but that was on a Citroen BX. a little different to the xantia.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
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Post by flying clutchman »

You were more likely to do damage with the cable adjusted too tight. If it selects gears cleanly then it's fine. You would normally expect the clutch pedal to be considerably higher than the brake pedal, mainly 'cos the brake pedal is lower thanon a convential brake pedal.
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