Drivetrain Clutch issues, please help!

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 29, 2021

So I've had issues with the clutch since I bought the car a year ago. At first it was incredibly stiff and was having a hard time going into gear and the clutch would chatter. I've replaced, the shifter, the quadrant and firewall adjuster. That help a bit but the cable was still binding. Lastly I replaced the cable with the 5.0 resto cable from LMR and for like 2 months it seemed really good. The actually shifter was still a bit notchy but much better. But in the last month it has slowly gotten worse and worse. It's dragging, notchy and is hard to press down again. I'm also having trouble keep it tight cause the nut and jam nut keep slipping. Can this happen with new cables? Should I get the more expensive one? Is there possible something else that could be wrong that causing it to do this? Any advice helps. Thank you!

90sickfox · Jan 29, 2021

The throw out bearing rides on a retainer. When that retainer gets worn it causes the same symptoms you're having. The fix involves removing the transmission and replacing the bearing retainer. It isn't very complicated but you have to make sure you shim the bearing race. The shims are inside the retainer behind the bearing race and must be swapped over. Permatex sealer is used to seal the retainer where it bolts to the transmission.

There's also an issue that may involve the firewall where the adjuster goes through. With heavy clutches the firewall can flex enough to crack in that area. When that happens the cable will rub on the inside of the firewall adjuster or quadrant causing similar issues like yours. The fix for that is to take a plate of metal cut to fit that area and drilled for the adjuster to go through.

It could also be heat related. If the cable is too close to headers it'll cause the plastic inside to melt and and lock up the cable. Only fix is to route a new cable away from the header.

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 29, 2021

90sickfox said:
The throw out bearing rides on a retainer. When that retainer gets worn it causes the same symptoms you're having. The fix involves removing the transmission and replacing the bearing retainer. It isn't very complicated but you have to make sure you shim the bearing race. The shims are inside the retainer behind the bearing race and must be swapped over. Permatex sealer is used to seal the retainer where it bolts to the transmission.

There's also an issue that may involve the firewall where the adjuster goes through. With heavy clutches the firewall can flex enough to crack in that area. When that happens the cable will rub on the inside of the firewall adjuster or quadrant causing similar issues like yours. The fix for that is to take a plate of metal cut to fit that area and drilled for the adjuster to go through.

It could also be heat related. If the cable is too close to headers it'll cause the plastic inside to melt and and lock up the cable. Only fix is to route a new cable away from the header.

How close would you say is too close to the headers? Cause it is a bit close, but that's just the how the bracket routes it. Also, I just removed the cable and it's all tough and binding like the old one was doing. Could it be because I don't have the dust cover for the transmission? Could that be gunking up the throw out bearing or the bearing retainer sleeve and getting the cable all dirty and making it stick?

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 29, 2021

AbhorrentSpecies said:
How close would you say is too close to the headers? Cause it is a bit close, but that's just the how the bracket routes it. Also, I just removed the cable and it's all tough and binding like the old one was doing. Could it be because I don't have the dust cover for the transmission? Could that be gunking up the throw out bearing or the bearing retainer sleeve and getting the cable all dirty and making it stick?

Also, what is the best way to route the cable?

General karthief · Jan 30, 2021

Open the hood on your daily driver, see all that dusty crap all over it? That's dirt/dust from a foot or so above the ground. Imagine what's fly'n around that close to the ground. Add clutch dust and whatever leaks and stuff. I'd say that cover is fairly important.
On the cable issues I'd say given what I've read here that stock cable works best, as for routing the cable, obviously it can't touch the headers, a couple inches would be best but an inch air gap and a quality cable should last a long time.
Example: I have the original cable with 150k miles. Still good.

Monkeybutt2000 · Jan 30, 2021

When my car was stock,it kept burning up clutch cables. Car had long tube headers on it and there was no way to route the cable besides right on the header. Well,come to find out the headers were for an AOD car. Anyway,get the MM cable. It's alot longer and you can route it pretty much how you want.

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 30, 2021

So now that it's the middle of the day and I've had some time in the light to really inspect the cable. It is fraying really bad on the part that is exposed under the car and it's causing it to bind up really bad. I can only imagine it's because I have no dust cover. Ordering new cable and dust cover now!! Thanks guys!!

limp · Jan 30, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
When my car was stock,it kept burning up clutch cables. Car had long tube headers on it and there was no way to route the cable besides right on the header. Well,come to find out the headers were for an AOD car. Anyway,get the MM cable. It's alot longer and you can route it pretty much how you want.

For what its worth, the 83 I recently inherited, had the clutch cable looping around the front of the engine mount and routing under the engine, out of the way of anything..

Monkeybutt2000 · Jan 30, 2021

limp said:
For what its worth, the 83 I recently inherited, had the clutch cable looping around the front of the engine mount and routing under the engine, out of the way of anything..

That's exactly how I have mine.

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 30, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
That's exactly how I have mine.

Same, but it was fraying horribly on the exposed bit on the clutch fork. I don't have a dust cover so maybe that was it? I'm not 100% but it seems the only likely cause of it fray so badly in only 2 months.

Monkeybutt2000 · Jan 31, 2021

AbhorrentSpecies said:
Same, but it was fraying horribly on the exposed bit on the clutch fork. I don't have a dust cover so maybe that was it? I'm not 100% but it seems the only likely cause of it fray so badly in only 2 months.

I doubt it. I don't have one on my McLeod bellhousing because it's not setup for one. Get the MM cable and put a heat shield on it.

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 31, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
I doubt it. I don't have one on my McLeod bellhousing because it's not setup for one. Get the MM cable and put a heat shield on it.

I already ordered the BBK cable. It said it was thicker for heavier clutches so... Hopefully that will hold up.

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 31, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
I doubt it. I don't have one on my McLeod bellhousing because it's not setup for one. Get the MM cable and put a heat shield on it.

So if that isn't the cause of my cable fraying apart in only two months, what could be? It was the cheap 5.0 resto cable. Figured that would be that crappy. Plus it was only fraying near the clutch fork. Could the clutch be throwing material out and cutting the cable?

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 31, 2021

General karthief said:
Open the hood on your daily driver, see all that dusty crap all over it? That's dirt/dust from a foot or so above the ground. Imagine what's fly'n around that close to the ground. Add clutch dust and whatever leaks and stuff. I'd say that cover is fairly important.
On the cable issues I'd say given what I've read here that stock cable works best, as for routing the cable, obviously it can't touch the headers, a couple inches would be best but an inch air gap and a quality cable should last a long time.
Example: I have the original cable with 150k miles. Still good.

So after I inspected the cable further, I found the two month old cable is fraying only by the bell housing and making it hard to push in. I know a bunch of people that don't have a dust cover. What else could be causing this? Maybe material coming out of the clutch fork area? The cable is just cheap 5.0 resto crap? I can't really find anything able cables fraying at under 1,000 miles

Monkeybutt2000 · Jan 31, 2021

IDK,do you have

AbhorrentSpecies said:
So if that isn't the cause of my cable fraying apart in only two months, what could be? It was the cheap 5.0 resto cable. Figured that would be that crappy. Plus it was only fraying near the clutch fork. Could the clutch be throwing material out and cutting the cable?

IDK,do you have any pics?

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 31, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
IDK,do you have

IDK,do you have any pics?

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 31, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
IDK,do you have

IDK,do you have any pics?

The cable is smooth everywhere else. So when you start to push the pedal it felt fine, until that crap started to get dragged through the cable cover.

Monkeybutt2000 · Jan 31, 2021

WTF? I'm gonna attribute that to cheap ass cable. Without sounding like a dick,you'll regret not getting the MM cable.

AbhorrentSpecies · Jan 31, 2021

Monkeybutt2000 said:
WTF? I'm gonna attribute that to cheap ass cable. Without sounding like a dick,you'll regret not getting the MM cable.

Well if you're right, that's fine. I'll see how the BBK one does and if I have problems with that fraying then, something else is probably wrong. My last cable was old and dragged hella hard but it wasn't all frayed like that. So maybe it is just cheap ass cable.

Monkeybutt2000 · Jan 31, 2021

AbhorrentSpecies said:
Well if you're right, that's fine. I'll see how the BBK one does and if I have problems with that fraying then, something else is probably wrong. My last cable was old and dragged hella hard but it wasn't all frayed like that. So maybe it is just cheap ass cable.

Hope it works out for you,keep us posted.

Drivetrain Clutch issues, please help!

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Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

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wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

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wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

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