Synergie clutch cable problems (not the usual)

[Ianhw77k]

Very recently my car started developing the usual clutch problems of the pedal hitting the floor and not returning, after this happened I decided to google the problem, which is what lead me here.

So, everyone said, fit a new clutch cable, easy job, should only take you half an hour!

I picked up the pattern part clutch cable, laid it alongside the old one and everything looked good. The plastic end that goes through the floor was a bit on the large side (about 2mm too big) and gave me my first troubles as it wouldn't fit through the square section plastic guide the sits behind the pedal but a bit of filing soon sorted that. Usual pattern part flaws I told myself.

So, I fitted the cable, even though it looked ever so slightly longer than the old one (we're talking a cm at most) it was a bit more difficult than I thought. I checked both ends were attached before I released the bit of plastic that holds the self adjuster bellows together, then I went to try it. Nothing!
I checked the pedal end again only to find out the cable had jumped off at some point during the fitting process. OK I thought, I'll get the wife to hold the clutch arm in with a crow bar while I re-attach the pedal end. Bit of a fiddly job but I got there in the end.

Then I let the car off its jacks, put all my tools away (big mistake) and decided to test it out. Pedal was smooth but very hard to push down. I started the engine and put it in 1st, let the clutch up and nothing! It is barely engaging and even trying to let it move the car 10 feet results in a nasty burning clutch smell.
I know the clutch is good as it was only fitted 2-3 years ago, along with a new cable.

The questions are, have I knackered the cable? Can I do anything to sort it out?

This was supposed to be a 1 hour job and a £50 part. It has now cost me over £200 in lost work time and counting!
I am going into my garage now to take the old cable apart and see if I can find any clues that might help me. I haven't managed to get the new cable off the car yet as I keep mangling my hand trying lever the clutch arm, it's tight as a drum under there!

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[citronut]

hi Ian

my workshop is in East Sussex,

my daughters 1.9TD Synergie had the pedal hit the floor a few tomes, but started working again after pulling it back up, till one day it hit the floor not to come back up again,

at this time i was unable to sort it as i had not long before broke finger,

so i asked my friend who rins a cit indy on Bexhill if he could look at it, as it happens my daughter lives just around the corner from my friends workshop,

he fitted a new cable and its been fine ever since,

if you send me the last 8 digits of your chassis/VIN No. i will get you the OE part No., you can then ask were you bought your cable from, if it is the right one,

just5 out of interest were did you buy it from, not that orible E bunch

[Ianhw77k]

I got it from a fairly new motor factors in Heathfield.
I think I may have sorted it, I nearly had it before but the biting point was still too high and I feared it would start slipping.

Anyway, what I've done now is remove the cable all together. I needed my 5ft wrecking bar to lever the clutch arm over to give me enough slack.
After that, if you jiggle the cable around a bit and then pull it tight from the pedal end it pulls the whole adjuster bellows thing back together, like it was when I first bought it.
After that I got the wife to put a couple of cable ties over it, while I held it, to hold it all in place. This didn't work as they just slipped over the rubber bellows. So, I removed one of the large metal washers from the old cable, cut a slot in the washer just big enough to pass over the thinnest part of the outer cable and I used this washer to attach the cable ties to. This seems to be holding so the next step is to refit it, snip off the cable ties, remove the washer and hey presto, it should all work.

That's the theory anyway. I'm just waiting for the wife to get back from the school run as I'm sitting with my little daughter at the moment.

I will try to put a picture up of what I did. Thanks for the offer of help Citronut, looks like you may be able to help me with my next little problem, but I'm hoping to get this one sorted first.

[Ianhw77k]

Good news and bad news:-

Good news, the clutch is now engaging.

Bad news, the biting point now seems a lot higher than it used to be so I'm not sure whether to trust it not to slip under load.

I've given it a short test drive up a few local hills and it is difficult to tell whether it is slipping or not. I'm now wondering if leaving it overnight with the clutch under tension may have ruined the springs. I certainly hope not as I've changed a clutch in one of these before and without taking the engine out it is a nasty job!