Drivetrain Clutch cable?

flashback87

flashback87

Member
May 18, 2010
345
4
19
Cleveland, OH
#1
My clutch cable snapped in 2018 so I put a new Ford racing adjustable cable on it then.

Things have been fine until this year I've noticed it starts burning occassionally. It happens sporadically amd I can't really pinpoint a specific reason it's happening. But i only smell it after shifting and then it goes away. I don't ride the clutch and im pretty easy on the car and again, I have not smelled it until this year. There is no slipping either.

I don't drive the car much, just a few times a month in nicer weather.

So, I checked out the cable at the bell housing ( no firewall adjuster) and it seems tight but I tightened it down a little more.

I test drove it after tightening it and im not smelling anything but I only drove around the block.

My question is do u think my cable just stretched some over the past 5-6 years and just needed to be tightened? Would a loose cable cause me to burn the clutch?

I've read all about clutch tightness and preload but not sure how to determine for sure I have the proper tension. The cable is tight with no slack but not sure of it the 4-15 lbs of preload.

What do u think?

Thanks!
 
#3
flashback87 said:
My question is do u think my cable just stretched some over the past 5-6 years and just needed to be tightened? Would a loose cable cause me to burn the clutch?
Click to expand...

The Throw Out Bearing on our clutches is designed to rest against the flywheel. If however, it's not fully disengaging when you press the clutch to switch gears then yeah, than cause the clutch smell.

I do not run adjustable cables. The braid is not as good as the OEM cables and more recently we've seen OEM "style" cables are close but not 100% like the OEM.

Your current fix should last for a bit but it may not be a bad idea to have another cable on-hand. We have a cable thread around here someplace. I think MM carries one of the cables that is most like the OEM cable.
 
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#4
Tightening a cable can cause slip, a stretched cable means harder to disengage the clutch since less travel, it won't directly cause slip.... If the cable shows any signs of fraying or melting on the sheath by the bell housing replace it. Burning is probably residual oil leak or something making a nest if it's not driven often.
 
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#7
rednotch said:
Tightening a cable can cause slip, a stretched cable means harder to disengage the clutch since less travel, it won't directly cause slip.... If the cable shows any signs of fraying or melting on the sheath by the bell housing replace it. Burning is probably residual oil leak or something making a nest if it's not driven often.
Click to expand...
No fraying yet but can u explain the residual oil burning?

I was thinking that may be it but I've driven it a handful of times since bringing it out in spring but the smell has not gone away. It's not a continual smell but just when I shift and then goes away after a few seconds.

Thanks!
 
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#9
flashback87 said:
No fraying yet but can u explain the residual oil burning?

I was thinking that may be it but I've driven it a handful of times since bringing it out in spring but the smell has not gone away. It's not a continual smell but just when I shift and then goes away after a few seconds.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Just small oil leaks from sitting that cook off. Burning clutch is pretty distinct smell, it's the resin boiling out of the clutch material.
 
#11
The only cable in production that I currently trust is the Steeda adjustable. Fortunately, I still have an NOS OEM cable & a MM cable. If you can find either of those in good shape, they are the gold standard.
 
#12
This doesn't sound like a cable issue at all, if he's just going by smell.
Rednotch is right, a burnt clutch smells horrible, but nothing like burnt fluids from the engine.
 
#13
FastDriver said:
The only cable in production that I currently trust is the Steeda adjustable. Fortunately, I still have an NOS OEM cable & a MM cable. If you can find either of those in good shape, they are the gold standard.
Click to expand...
What happened to the MM cable? I checked their website and it says it’s not currently available. I used their kit in my car a couple years ago and it was a HUGE upgrade over the unknown brand adjustable cable I had before.
 
#14
Cheapskate207 said:
What happened to the MM cable? I checked their website and it says it’s not currently available. I used their kit in my car a couple years ago and it was a HUGE upgrade over the unknown brand adjustable cable I had before.
Click to expand...
"We're waiting as fast as we can for this item.
We source this cable from Ford, and then modify it to fit a firewall adjuster. We have thousands on order, but Ford will not give us a delivery date. Currently out of stock.

Placing an order puts you in line on the waiting list."
 
#15
#17
I think the only real choice now is the steeda. I don't have a long term review, but I know the adjustable cable I had before it was a train wreck when I took it out and the steeda was clearly better made.
 
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