306 xsi clutch stiffness

[kevc]

i dont know if this is a common problem but the clutch on my xsi is rather stiff when the car has been driven for a while or stuck in traffic (i presume this is down to the fact that the clutch cable passes close to somewhere hot??), and it seems to creek a fair amount too!
has any one else had the same probs?
how did you cure yours?
ps any way to make the clutch pedal action easier as my wife finds it too hard to depress etc etc

[r_306_XSi]

Hi there,
Yes, I find the same thing - also sometimes the clutch pedal seems to "jump up".
I mentioned this on the service, and they said they'd take a look - so far so good - problem seems to disappeared.
No ideas what the problem is....

[kevc]

now you mention it i have had a couple of situations where the pedal has been 1 inch or so lower than where it feels it should be,if that makes sense!,it only seems to happen when the car has been driven for a good while tho...strange
any one else??

[solara]

Known problem with pug 306s, as clutch cable runs near hot exhaust causing cable lube to dry out.
Changing the cable will help.
I regularly oil my clutch cable at every 6k service interval.
Procedure is done with cable in situ, and getting an oil can under the footwell can be tricky at best. Find it easier using a long piece of thin transparent tubing (similar to wiper jet nozzle tubing) which I fill partially with oil (acts as a reservoir). Depress the clutch with a cut-to-size length of wood, resting under steering wheel. Then manouvre myself into position inside footwell, with one end of tubing into cable bezel, the other end in my mouth, and then blow slowly feeding the oil!!
Job done.

[silverline]

it also depends on how long the clutch has been in to. if its a long time every thing stiffens up. also the lever mechanism where it goes into the gearbox can go dry, spray some WD40 into it, or such like, and it might free up.