clutch? clutch?

[Harlequin]

so , yet another question!

random event - trundling up the A23 yesterday , changed from 4 >5 just north of haywards heath (road works) when `clunk` the pedal falls to the floor!

well first reaction was ` oh s**t that's the cable gone` , pulled into pease pottage services , and pulled the pedal back up... stiff resiatnce and it stayed in place


happy yet `uh oh` came to mind. , tried it again and clunk fell the floor


but finally pumped it about a dozen times and voila it was fine again.


now back home and a little concerned...


edit for clarity:

its a synergie 1.9TD 1997 R reg

so if you`ve read this far any idea`s? cant see any liquid in the bay anywhere ....

[Gibbo2286]

That's a pretty muddled question cable or hydraulic?

The clutch pedal has a helper spring which will hold the pedal down if there's no resistance from either a cable return spring or the clutch springs via the hydraulic circuit, being able to pump it up suggests hydraulics with damaged master cylinder seals or air in the system, can't see how a cable would pump up unless there's some dodgy self adjust mechanism on it that's slipped.

Contaminated (with water) hydraulic fluid could have frozen in these cold days and broken the seal between the master cylinder piston and bore which would probably self cure when the temperature rises.

[RichardW]

Previous posts suggest this it's a 1.9TD which would imply cable clutch - so my guess would be the auto adjuster on the cable is playing up. Probably needs a replacement, which is a whole heap of fun on a Xantia

[Harlequin]

sorry my apologise , yes its a 1.9TD , and reading through service box its a cable

[citronut]

my daughters Synergie did exactly this about three months or so back but no probs since,
this is a cable clutch as well

very strange

[Harlequin]

does appear to be the adjuster - apparently its part of the cable?

[Hell Razor5543]

The auto adjuster is definitely part of the cable (I know this as I had fun with mine just before Christmas), and is held low down on the front subframe. If you have to get a replacement, GSF do them for about £21 (Citroen want about £40!). Fitting mine (the second time around) took me about 2 hours, but this was in the dark, using torches, and it was drizzling!

If you do have to replace the cable, before starting, wrap the auto adjuster and the securing clip in yards of good tape. I would rather be swearing at getting the tape off than a securing clip that has come off and released the auto adjuster (you can probably guess how I learnt this!). Once the cable is fitted at both ends (and routed properly, obviously) you can take the tape off before securing the auto adjuster onto the subframe. It is held in place with a simple C bracket and bolt (10mm, I think).

I have worked out how to reset and secure the auto adjuster (assuming it isn't faulty), and I will get pictures posted at some time (once I have some sort of on-line photo account!).

I hope this helps.

[RichardW]

You shouldn't need to re-set or hold the adjuster on a new cable, just fit it, then pump the pedal a few times, and it should take up the slack. Worked on my mate's 306 HDi when we fitted a new clutch and cable anyway....!

[Hell Razor5543]

I agree that, if all goes well, you do not have to worry about the auto adjuster. However, just before Christmas Gracies' clutch cable failed. When I started to replace it, I then found a routing problem, where it had been sent through a handbrake cable guide, and the handbrake cable was worn. As I had intended to replace both the handbrake cables anyway, I paused working on the clutch cable (oops, big mistake. I should have either removed the cable or completed that job first!) and sorted the handbrake cables. I then found that, during the time I was sorting them out I must have knocked the clutch cable, as the securing clip had broken and released the auto adjuster . THAT is why I recommended using yards of good tape to hold the clip in place.

The reset routine I have worked out is to allow a good cable to be re-used, rather than binned. I have a good cable in situ, and one in the boot that, once reset, will work. It is only 24 hours older than the one fitted.

[Old-Guy]

Wouldn't cable-ties be more secure and easier to remove than "yards of good tape"?

As an aside, my "emergency repair kit" includes a collection of various width cable ties (all long), length of fencing wire (for holding exhaust), and a roll of Gorilla Tape (stronger and stickier than Duck tape).

[Hell Razor5543]

Not really. The securing clip goes most of the way around the auto adjuster bellows, holding them in the closed position. It is flimsy (ish), and, if you are not careful, can come off easily. I wrapped the tape on in such a way as to "tighten" the clip in place (and around the full length of the auto adjuster). There was no way that was coming off on its' own. Once I had the cable fitted, I argued with the tape until it came around to my way of thinking, got it off, dis-engaged the clip (bayonet fitting), slid it down off the bellows, and then off the cable (the clip does NOT go completely around the cable, hence its' flimsiness). I dont think that cable ties won't overcome this weakness.

The following pictures relate to the procedure I have worked of for resetting an auto adjuster that had become released (i.e. failed securing clip, broken pedal clip, etc.) and are for a cable that is otherwise in serviceable condition.


Clickable Thumbs - click for full-size image

The following link explains how to reset the auto adjuster;

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=42676" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks to myglaren for posting the pictures, and to Trevor Worcester for being my assistant. Their help is much appreciated.

[Harlequin]

thank you chaps!

after not having any more issues , it finally `went` again , pulling onto my driveway tonight - so time to bite the bullet and buy one .

now though , the question - whoch one? i get 2 lengths as optiosn.... how can i tell which `box mine has? ML5 (T) or a BE3? one cable is 1365 , the other is 1578

[Hell Razor5543]

As far as I am aware, if you have a clutch cable you have the BE3 gearbox, as the clutch on the ML5T is hydraulically operated. However, the experts will confirm this.

GSF charged me about £21 for a cable, while Citroen wanted £43. ECP don't acknowledge the existance of a clutch cable on a Xantia. When you get one, I would strongly advise wrapping the bellows assembly (including the security clip) in packing tape. The clip is fairly weak, and if it gets damaged it could allow the auto adjuster to release, causing all sorts of problems. I am not sure if cable ties would work.

[citronut]

if you send me the last 8 digits of your chassis/VIN No. i will look on service citroen to get the OE part No.

[Harlequin]

thank you ! will send it over now