Expert van - clutch issue - cable/adjuster problem?

[aaamusements]

Couple of weeks ago started to get problems changing gear in my Expert van (1998 R) with cable clutch. At one point I was unable to select first, to the point that I called the RAC to get it towed. However while I was on the phone I managed to get it into gear and drove home.

The next time I tried it I was unable to select first at all, and had to start it in first, and change gear by some fancy (and at times desperate) clutch work and struggling!

It seems that the clutch is not releasing fully - in gear with the clutch fully depressed, the van still pulls forward (but can be held on the brakes).

I had the clutch cable replaced (roadside) by the RAC in the recent past, but can't remember when. This was due to an apparent failure of the adjuster (clutch pedal would descend to the floor with a clonk on several occasions and had to be pulled back up - eventually failed completely). I will contact the RAC on Monday to find out when it was done, as I understand the work would be guaranteed?

I have linked a video below to illustrate the extent of the movement at the clutch end - does it appear to be insufficient?

Many thanks.

[spider]

Grab the end of the cable and try to pull it out of the arm. How much movement do you have when you try this ? The less here = more clutch wear.

The 'adjuster' is part of the cable itself.

[aaamusements]

Grab the end of the cable and try to pull it out of the arm. How much movement do you have when you try this ? The less here = more clutch wear.

Pretty much no movement at all.

[spider]

That would indicate the clutch is nearly worn out *or* the auto adjuster is faulty.

There's normally quite a bit of movement here on most and it gets a bit less as it wears (and the adjuster compensates)

You can try resetting the auto-adjuster. Note: There is a risk it can break doing this (resulting in a new cable) so if in doubt... I'd not recommend it, press the pedal down to the floor (engine off!) and move your foot away to the left or right to let the pedal violently return to its stop. Repeat a couple of times.

Caution: Please note my 'note' before trying this! As I'd not want myself or the forum to be held responsible for it.

[aaamusements]

If the clutch was seriously worn then wouldn't the problem be more likely slippage, rather than failure to disengage?

Not disputing that you're probably right - if the original clutch is still in then it's done nearly 160k, and I don't doubt that it's somewhat worn by now!

I'll give the reset thing a try if I get nowhere with the RAC - got nothing to lose as it will be scrap without a working clutch!

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

If the clutch was seriously worn then wouldn't the problem be more likely slippage, rather than failure to disengage?

no, not necessarily, the clutch pressure plate could be worn out, which means that the spring 'tongues' have got really tired with springing back & forth millions of times for all those gear changes over the years and so you can't enough oomph on the clutch for it to fully dis-engage; so's you can change gear.

My own clutch never slipped, but I had to replace it for this reason 2years ago.

I was shocked at the difference in clutch feel with the new one fitted: pedal pressure was so effortless I initially thought I'd made an error somewhere but soon realised it was all working just fine and that actually for my previous 30,000miles in the car I'd just been nursing a knackered clutch. The previous owner had actually sold it in the first place coz his dodgy knee wasn't up to operating the heavy clutch.

I'd had my clutch cable fail prior, too, unsurprising really as its under increased strain in these circumstances.

If you're only gonna scrap it anyway and you've got time, have a go at doing the clutch, its not THAT hard, and if all fails, well, nothing lost. Also, if you've got a good un, it might just be a whole lot easier to pay a couple of hundred quid to have the clutch done; rather than the time & agro finding something else that's not a complete bag of xxxx.

My costs were £80 for a quality Borg & Beck clutch kit and £20 for Gear Oil, labour my own; but I could've got a clutch kit for about half that.

[aaamusements]

It does sound like that could well be the issue then. It's always been a heavy clutch.

It's not worth repairing, the rest of the van is in a shocking state and I think the turbo may be on it's way out.
The side doors protrude enough to provide ventilation, fortunate really because the rear doors are so badly bent and knackered that they suck in exhaust fumes when I open the windows. One of the rear windows is a piece of black painted board. One rear light cluster is broken and secured with tape. Roof is caved in to the extent that it collects a huge amount of water in the rain, in warm dry weather it springs outwards with an alarming "boooooooong!" noise. Load compensator rattles alarmingly. Interior resembles a poorly kept farmyard...
No rust though!

[spider]

That design of release arm (you can do this on others that have this as well where it will move 'out' away from the normal direction) the 'free movement' decreases as the clutch wears.

When you pull it that way, you'd hear the ratchet too.

As the cable is relatively new I'd as above say the clutch is bout worn out. The new cable could be faulty but that seems quite unlikely.

They do drag rather than slip in some cases as the adjuster keeps moving up to get the 'position' correct.

Talking of drag, that does explain the difficulty in gear selection too.