308 clutch cable replacement - HELP

it goes under the wheel.

There are 2 locations of adjustment on the 308. One is the cable length and the other is the actual clutch level adjustment. The real clutch adjustment is mounted almost right on the bell housing.

Its kind of a feel thing. You don't wanna go too tight or else you will wear out the clutch early. But you also don't wanna go to loose either or you will havw what your issue is.

 

I've done a clutch cable replacement on my GT4 and the cable goes UNDER the wheel and then up to the clutch lever. There is an adjuster in the cable, but there is also adjustment in the clutch lever assembly. Perhaps this is the problem?

 

just a thought, has anyone considered 'upgrading' to the hydrolic system used on the Mondials?

 

I began the reassembly process of my clutch last night. I got everything put back together and then the real PITA...connecting the rear "fork" on the shift arm (on bellhousing) to the lever arm (connected to clutch cable) which bolts to the bell housing. The clevis pin is exactly the same diameter of the swivel on the lever-arm. After messing with it for ~30 minutes, I gave up and went to bed.

I'll try some of the things you did here to see if it helps...

 

I have two questions and some additional tips on this task.

Tip 1 - Remove the drivers seat so you can lay on your back on the floor inside the car while working in the foot well.
Tip 2 - It is NOT NECESSARY to remove the fork at the bell housing end of the cable from the car. The adjuster that connects the cable to the fork has REVERSE THREADS on one end. Just loosen the lock nuts, grasp the cable end with a pair of pliers and turn the adjuster until the adjuster comes off the cable. It will probably also come off the fork.

Question 1 - I have completed the installation, the car is still up on jack stands, I have not started the car. When I depress the clutch pedal there is an odd feeling, a mild grinding. Is this common with a new cable? Am I supposed to lubricate the cable in some way?

Question 2 - Clutch adjustment - At least one post in this thread seems to indicate that the author had some trouble getting the clutch cable adjusted "properly". Seeing how the spring on the clutch pedal takes up all the free play it seems to me that the only thing that the clutch cable adjustment accomplishes is getting the pedal height where you want it. Am I missing something?

 

There are (at least) two different designs for early (throw-out bearing does not touch) vs late (throw-out bearing always touches) so this can add to the confusion when people are describing how things are adjusted. In addition to pedal height, you also make an adjustment to assure the linkage arm at the bellhousing is in the right place when the clutch pedal is "up" -- do you have the figure from the 308QV/328 WSM showing the desired linkage arm geometry?

 

So looking at the instructions you mentioned, I guess that I will use the 328 instructions to adjust the clutch on my 1985 308, because that more closely resembles the clutch system in my car. Do you agree? First adjust the linkage geometry with C then adjust the pedal height with B.
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Yes, that's the 308QV/328 WSM figure that I was thinking of, but why wouldn't you use the 308 instructions? If you look at the figures you can see that they reversed the logic of the return spring at the pedal so this is why they have the separate/different instructions (even though they both have the "throw-out bearing always in contact" design):

308QV
The return spring "pulls" the pedal up into the rest position against the rubber stop (putting maximum slack into the cable).
When in this position, you want as little slack in the cable as possible, but also you don't want a lot of load on the throw-out bearing or adjust the cable so short that you start to actuate the clutch releasing.
Consequently, they are saying it's OK to leave a little freeplay in the clutch pedal travel at the top (15mm max) just to ensure that you don't go below 0 mm freeplay.

328
The return spring "pulls" the clutch pedal down (note there is no fixed rubber rest stop for the pedal).
This puts a small (but known) tension always in the cable and small (but known) force on the throw-out bearing (which I assume they are smart enough to have designed so that it doesn't start to actuate the clutch releasing ).
Consequently, there is no need to specify a freeplay spec as there is always a small tension in the cable when the pedal is at the top.


(PS Neither of these really give the pedal height spec, and I can't recall where that might be, or if it's really given.)

 

The spring on my 84 QV pulls the pedal to the floor ala 328.

 

That's why I said "There are (at least) two different designs...". I don't know the details, but I believe there were some update kits/instructions that could emulate the 328 design so you are right that, one shouldn't just go by model, one should do the adjustment that matches the pedal hardware actually installed in the particular car.

 

Mine as well. (85 QV)

Any ideas on my other question. I think the term I used "Mild grinding" might be a bit too strong and give the wrong impression of what I am noticing. I would actually just say that when pressing the clutch it is not as smooth as it was with the old cable. I can "feel" the cable pulling through. Does this indicate a problem? Is it unusual? Am I supposed to lubricate the cable in some way?

 

Usually the cables come prelubricated (but can't say for sure). About all you can check is that the center cable enters/exits straight into the endfittings (i.e., it shouldn't be making a bend and rubbing strongly on the edges of the endfitting -- note in both figures how this is the case) and that it's correctly in the pulley and not rubbing on anything else.

 

I recall when I replaced the cable on my 77 GT4, I had to lubricate the hell out of the cable so that I would not "grind".

 

Steve Magnusson - My new cable was very clean. I could pull it through the sleeve back and forth and I did not notice anything that felt like a lubricant. I was comfortable laying it down on the white carpet in my house.

Pad - How did you lubricate it?

What lubricant would you recommend?

 

The other strategy for the cable makers (when using no lubricant is desired) is to use a very low friction, but more expensive, ("teflon", UHMW, etc.) liner in the stationary part of the cable -- but can't say what you have. Would've thought that if you (the end user) needed to do something specific they would've included instructions -- does the Supplier of the part have a recommendation?

 

The supplier was Dennis McCann. I guess I could call on Monday. What I got was a cable in a box with about a foot of it surrounded by a sleeve. Looks just like the original which was a bit dirty but I would not say that it was lubricated.

 

NO!!!

 

I slipped the little rubber end off the and It appears that the pedal is not lined up with where the cable enters the passenger compartment. I don't see any obvious way to adjust the alignment. The cable rubs against the side opening. Any Ideas?
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If you rotate the fitting -- i.e., rotate item 52 in:

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partTable.asp?M=1&Mo=662&A=1&B=38798&S=

does the aperature where the cable emerges move (i.e., the shoulder on the fitting isn't square to the hole for the cable) or does it stay in the same place (like the pedal end connection point is shifted laterally relative to the hole in the floor)?

 

I tried three different positions for #52 and it made no difference. I then placed a piece of a washer under one side of the existing washer and the cable now appears to emerge from the center of the sleeve. I also lubricated the cable with white lithium grease. I still "feel" the cable moving when I depress the clutch pedal. It is a little bit less pronounced than before. I compared it to another 308 and it does not feel that way. Of course my cable is new and there is no telling how old the other one is. Is there a break in period for a clutch cable? After driving it for several days I completely removed the cable and inspected it I see no signs of wear. Normally I would not expect any on a new cable, but what I feel makes me think that the cable is being dragged over something metal when I depress the clutch and it sounds to me like it is coming from the point where the cable emerges into the foot well.

 

Well, that's good news indicating that the cable and end fitting are well-made. Any unusual wear in the same area of the end fitting on your old cable?