How stiff is your clutch pedal?

Nikolaymk · Post by **Nikolaymk** » 19 Oct 2003, 01:59

Hi,
I recently found a fix for my Xantia 1.8 very stiff throttle pedal - the cable needed to be rerouted around the engine bay, eliminating all the sharp bends which it didn't like. Does anyone have an idea where is the best place to disconnect this cable in order to run some WD40 in? It may improve further.
My clutch pedal is still quite stiff. A friend with a 306 complained from the same. Is it a common thing for french cars? Or is it a matter of replacing a link, cable or (god forbid) the clutch unit itself. My car has done 52K miles (around London though). Is it possible that the clutch is worn?
Many thanks

puddle jumper · Post by **puddle jumper** » 19 Oct 2003, 02:23

If your clutch cable is stiff - beware the dreaded plasic clip on top of the clutch pedal - get a spare in now (and a clutch cable)

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 19 Oct 2003, 08:26

Heavy clutch only generally affects the TD cars as these have a pull type clutch rather than a push type found on other cars. The pull type is better suited to the high torque output of the Turbocharged engine.
The friction plates very rarely wear out on these, the clutch just gets heavier and heavier until the release bearing is pulled through the fingers and you end up with no clutch. Often the plastic cable to pedal linkage snaps which is the first warning the clutch is past its best.
As yours is a 1.8 the problem may lie in the cable - my car was originally owned by a London based company and it lasted 131k on its first clutch so 52k is far to early to suspect a worn mechanism.
The Peugeot 306 is known to get a heavy clutch operation due to the routing of the cable - it runs very close to the exhaust manifold and dries out leaving rough pedal operation. I suspect this is what you may be experiencing.

Guru Meditation · Post by **Guru Meditation** » 19 Oct 2003, 19:24

Lol I have a ZX TD 108000mi clutch is well heavy changed the cable made bugger all difference, must be the mech.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 20 Oct 2003, 22:55

I think that the release bearing may have gone through the fingers on my 94 Xantia TD.
Symptoms are noise from clutch when the engine is running, which quietens when I put my foot on the pedal. And noise when the clutch is being slipped. Also the clutch pedal doesn't really rise fully when you take your foot off, although it does rise a small amount.
The fault developed suddenly one night driving home, I put my foot on the pedal and the clutch released with a bit of a bang, and started making the noises. Since then it's got worse and the car is undrivable at present.
Does this generally need a new pressure plate or just a release bearing or are both required?

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 21 Oct 2003, 01:47

Both are required - since the bearing has worn thru the fingers.
You don't want to do this big & expensive job just replacing the worn parts you can see - you allways buy some extra insurance against having to do the job over again in near future.
Thus these parts are allways replaced :
Clutch kit (pressure plate, friction plate & bearing)
Crank axle oil seal behind flywheel.

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 21 Oct 2003, 02:57

Its a different design of clutch on the td, it has the release bearing permenantly secured to the centre of the diaphragm spring by a wire circlip, the release bearing is pulled by the mechanism and this also pulls the diaphragm spring with it, moving the pressure plate and disengaging the clutch.
The weak link in the clutch mechanism inside bellhousing is ultimately the circlip, this has to transmit the pulling force of the release bearing on the diaphragm spring, if it wears or breaks the bearing becomes seperated from the spring and no force is transmitable.
If this is whats happened to your clutch, after disconecting the cable from the release arm you will be able to pull the release arm all the way forwards with no heavy spring resistance.
Dave

Fox · Post by **Fox** » 21 Oct 2003, 17:45

Mine has a nice and heavy clutch. Has been like it ever since I bought it 18 months and 13k miles ago, and the clip went the day I bought it [:)]

Paulmi16 · Post by **Paulmi16** » 22 Oct 2003, 01:23

Our 306 2.0 petrol suffers from a heavy clutch. Changing the cable make a slight difference as the old one had 'dried out' with the heat from the exhaust manifold. My friend who is a Peugeot specialist says the clutch is within tollerance, despite pulling a car trailer and using it as a van which i would.
Mr Haynes (who is never wrong) gives a procedure for greasing the clutch pedal.
Paul.