Manual Clutch - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

gmanEA · 03-19-2002, 21:21

I have mpefi manual and since i got the car always had a problem with the clutch, I have just ignored it or make do for a year now. The problem is that the clutch would take off right from the floor and is very tough to change into gears, sometimes I get stuck in between gears. Also going into reverse is a tough time without getting a grind from the sincroid rings. Also its the toughest clutch pedal ive used before to push the thing in, I get sore ankle sometimes in the city stopping and starting. Anyway after changing the gearbox oil (which changed nothing) we realised it is a clutch cable problem. So we opened the bonnet and tightened the cable by the nut at the end of the cable (nearly below the windscreen but under bonnet), then the gearbox will work fine, takes off about half way through release, gears change easily and so on. Then after a few weeks the gears gradually get to be a pain in the ass again and it needs a tighten, but each time the nut is going further up the cable.

I think i tightened it too much yesterday coz sometimes accelerating the revs suddenly go haywire like its slipping without getting the power.

Just wondering if this sort of problem is common, if not what is likely to be needed for me to fix the thing up.

Cheers

ben · 03-19-2002, 23:04

not a biggie, but certainly not normal.....might be around the $100's to get fixed....but generally everything is these days.

does the car stall if you release the clutch slowly in first without applying throttle?

ben

gmanEA · 03-19-2002, 23:34

The car doesnt stall when i do it coz i am used to it, but when someone gets in they will stall a lot yes. When it gets to the stage where it is hard to change gears again and the clutch takes off from the start that is when it would stall if you lift the clutch slightly without applying enough throttle.
Same situation is when you are stopped at say red lights on even levelled surface, the clutch would need to be down all the way and the same with the brake, if you lift the brake at all then the car will start to creep forward which is not supposed to happen unless you lift the clutch a fair bit further up. This all would happen until i tighten it again but even when i tighten if this is only a temporary solution and possibly making the problem worse in the longer run, even then still are some problems like the revs slipping.

jamesk · 03-19-2002, 23:52

maybe your clutch cable is worn out and is stretching.

oz_orion · 03-20-2002, 00:04

I have pretty much the exact same problem. My clutch pedal seems to have a little bit of movement right at the end that is a little harder to push then the rest of the scope of movement, and unless I push this little extra bit in, the gears really grind in to either 1st, or Reverse. I also sometimes have a problem with the car getting it in to 3rd while driving.

I haven't looked at the cable, but the problem I'm experiencing sounds like what you described. My girlfriend's mother also drives an EA and she has complained about difficulty getting in to 3rd gear while driving.

Maybe I'm just too used to my old Automatic XE.

James

gmanEA · 03-20-2002, 07:49

The mechaninic originally said that its common in the eas for the clutch to be like tha but he didnt even try to fix it, so we know it can be fixed, I will bring it to someone who can do it, I just hope the damm gearbox is ok still. Its sorta good to hear someone else get the same problem coz hopefully the mechanic has come across same problem before. cheers

03-20-2002, 10:55

Get a new clutch.

gmanEA · 03-20-2002, 11:01

If it came to me having to get a new clutch how much would that cost ?

03-20-2002, 14:09

3 possibilities.

1. Clutch is on way out.

2. Clutch cable is pulling through firewall, as firewall is too weak for pressure and flexes and will pull through in time. Have a look and see if it flexes and there is a crack when clutch is operated. Solution is to weld crack and put XD-E clutch spigot on firewall to spread load. $1 fro Pick a Part or $30 something from Ford.

3. Pedal box has cracked on clutch pivot, as these are too weak too. Hard to see under dash, but get under with a torch and see if there's any flex around clutch pivot. Solution is remove dash and pedal box and weld pedal box plus strengthening gusset, or get ED replacement from Ford, but I think BC found one of these was still cracked when he did his auto to manual swap, so they need a further gusset welded in.

03-20-2002, 14:16

Further to my last post, make sure you're looking at metal firewall when checking for flex, not the moulded insulating blanket on the engine side of it.