Xantia Mk1 Clutch pedal cable clip broken! BACK on the road!

[reanimation]

I've had a good years of comfortable motoring and a string of life-dramas with this car that have had nothing to do with Ciroen themselves. This 18 year old car has been amazing to us despite what it's been through. I've been expecting my luck to end... So I've not been on here much

The clutch was very high anyway so for the last two MOTs we've been wondering when the clutch would wear out or start to slip badly...


A few weeks ago the clutch cable pedal clip snapped meaning no clutch. I've read up on all the fixes for the clip and still need to order one from GSF

I read online a chap had snapped 2 and made a metal version of the plastic clip, and snapping all those means he needs a new clutch really...
Also I've read that the cable takes a high friction route, after 18 years I bet its a rough old thing!

I don't really want to do the clutch itself myself, car is on the road. However I'm now debating to get a clip AND cable and hopefully do that only once. How difficult is fitting the cable for a non pro mechanic?

Thanks in advance

[Xaccers]

Clip snapped because the clutch needs replacing, hence why the pedal was high.
You may have been able to adjust the clutch pedal by screwing the lock nuts on the end of the cable further down the threaded section of the cable but eventually the clip would snap.
Replace the clip, cable, clutch and bushes that the clutch forks sit in.

[reanimation]

Thanks.

My plan was to fit clip, and new cable myself at the roadside outside home. Then drive it to my garage or clutch specialist. Didn't fancy tackling the actual clutch myself, specially not on the road in autumn.

I may consider a garage doing it all maybe. Is there a recommended citroen garage in Manchester? I trust my usual garage generally for general cars.


Age old problem there is job will most likely be what the car is worth. Would this be a good time to buy a tidier newer model or stick with the old devil and invest, prob could do with a pipe replaced here n there and brake replacement, and those strut tops... eek!

[Xantidote]

Definitely advisable to replace the cable at same time as doing the clip.

Was the clutch pedal getting noticeable heavier? My clip failed just as I was pondering on the pedal seeming to be getting heavier - all of a sudden, bang. My car's now on it's 3rd cable, but only suffered the 1 clip failure.

Clip and cable definitely doable yourself, but you need to be a bit of a contortionist, and not have a bad back at the time

[citroenxm]

Clip IS a right PITA to do IF the car was still on the original Black Clip.. There should be remains of a black clip if it was.

If a replacment White clip has broken then its deafenatly not worth just fitting a clip, as the replacments are of stronger design and dont useually break again...

Theres not a lot of room to move or work when dooing these, but you do need to be on your back looking up the pedal box, with a torch... If its original, they fitted the bolt to the clutch pedal before the brake pedal was installed, so you need to undo the old bolt(13mm spanners both ends) a little then cut the head off the bolt and push it out towards the heater.. there is room that side... fit the new clip and BALANCE the spring clip in the open position, refit the pedal and spring etc, and fit a new bolt with the nut between the brake and clutch, I use some tape to hold the nut in the spanner while screwing it at the other end with a socket.. then fit the new cable and push it into the clip, while its there press the spring clip into place and hope it grabs the cable end...

The other way to do the spring clip which is what Ive done only on the last one I did was bend the ends of long nosed pliers to a 45 deg angle.. this then helps to grip and push the spring into place in the clip...

It IS and really IS a fiddle to do! A proper clip should of been fitted orginally...

[reanimation]

Thank you for those very helpful replies, has certainly made me a tad more relieved as it was a yelowy 'white' plastic piece and black metal clip, so maybe it's already had one. (I've had the car over 3 years)

I'm potentially now encouraged to replace the clip and cable myself then and limp it 5 miles to my garage for the clutch...

I have noticed the clutch get heavier but I though that was first of all when we had a wimpy new Vauxhall 1.2 hire car over a year ago with crazy light pedal, and more recently with a petrol Mondeo 'other car' pedal lighter and smoother. I certainly knew I was running out of luck that week so defo 6th sense attached to the whole thing!

[PhilGreaves]

Has the clip been changed before? Ours had and was fitted incorrectly causing it to snap prematurely. We got another clip fitted and the car went without a clutch change for another year ..Mind the clutch change didnt cost that much.

If you're unusure about how much the clutch change should cost at a garage etc let me know and i'll look through our service history. I know that on this site most people do work themselves so if like me you have to use a garage you don't have anybody to verfiy prices with. We had the clutch done this summer so price should still be reasonably accurate.

good luck

Phil
P.S nothing holds the road like a xantia so if you have a good one i suggest you hold onto it!! Stop press is that a sinker xantia?! if so you raelly cant beat those...

[mendedit]

'course if you like things done properly you remove the dash, not difficult just time consuming ( up to a week without braking anything ).
My guess would be a Citroen delership would charge more to replace the clip than the clutch!

[reanimation]

Thanks Phil, Not sure if it was changed. My garage is fairly reasonable, usually charge £25ph or so and I have a mate who can get clutch cheap from major part company so could be done for around £200 i bet, they must have done loads of 405's and 306's.

Thanks about the car too, It's bruised and battered but still solid. It's a basic non-turbo diesel, paranoia with old rubber pipes and strut tops but it has been amazing and every other car (including the Mondeo) feels harsh and unrefined! another prob will be that a break in 2 years ago resulted in a broken steering lock and from this summer that is now an MOT fail!!! :-S

It seems crazy how cheap really nice clean smart looking newer xantias are now, way less than a grand in most cases. I was tempted to rid on of our dailies or both and buy one really nice Xantia, suppose better the devil you know, and an old one with less gizmos to go wrong!.. hmm

Mendedit. I agree, dash out is prob best way but will try keyhole surgery way first. I'm used to struggling and I have long fingers!

Thanks

[citroenxm]

Pleanty of ignition switchs over here... in fact pleanty of s1 xantia parts.. so many Im letting a set of doors albeit stripped out going to scrap.. ill recover the glass lock motors and window winders plus door mirrors but really have no where to keep it...

never short of anything at the moment...

[reanimation]

Thanks CXM I'd forgotten how amazingly helpful and enthusiastic you Citroen owners here are. Ill have to try you for spares! I've only just had my drivers door welded back on! I blame the criminals for that too!

[citroenxm]

Oh no, door hinges ARE a weakness.. I need to attend to an Estate door thats giving at the top, Also a customer has a P reg hatch which is really bad.. Need to do that at some point too...

I have poeple come from Liverpool to see me for work, but no doubt Manchester is a bit far. Yes I could possibly do a clutch in a day but its pushing it. Now, If I had a loan car which I used to a few years ago...

[bigblackfalco]

I've had a good years of comfortable motoring and a string of life-dramas with this car that have had nothing to do with Ciroen themselves. This 18 year old car has been amazing to us despite what it's been through. I've been expecting my luck to end... So I've not been on here much

The clutch was very high anyway so for the last two MOTs we've been wondering when the clutch would wear out or start to slip badly...


A few weeks ago the clutch cable pedal clip snapped meaning no clutch. I've read up on all the fixes for the clip and still need to order one from GSF

I read online a chap had snapped 2 and made a metal version of the plastic clip, and snapping all those means he needs a new clutch really...
Also I've read that the cable takes a high friction route, after 18 years I bet its a rough old thing!

I don't really want to do the clutch itself myself, car is on the road. However I'm now debating to get a clip AND cable and hopefully do that only once. How difficult is fitting the cable for a non pro mechanic?

Thanks in advance

I've had exactly the same problem on my S1.
Replaced the clip myself (much swearing and aching the next day!!).
Bought the cable as intended to do it all together, but then after checking the routing of the cable, realised that the belly pan would need to come off completly and I know all the bolts are seized!
So decided to take it into garage about 2 months later.
Thought a new cable would solve the heaviness, but it only slightly improved it.
The clutch has always bitten high, so it must be on it's last legs.

Thought about calling it quits when the clutch goes, but it's a great car still. Has never not started or let me down. Better the devil you know and all that!

[reanimation]

That last reply doesn't leave me confident to replace the cable myself.
My garage doesn't sound as experienced (and cheap) as I'd hoped they not seen car to be fair. They have already suggested scraping (or selling) the car. hmm annoyingly it is an option


So maybe need a local specialist. Is there one in Manchester? Might make another thread to ask...

Also my mate at the spares company says there's 2 clutch choices coming up, and I might need the cars spares number. Where would I find this. Might right GSF tomorrow....

Cheers

[citroenxm]

Yea the choice will be a matter of perference... and Im guessing that it will be either an Auto Adjust Cable or Manual Adjust.. Personally, Id go for the Manual adjust cable every time... Not sure I like the idea of auto adjust...