Clacking clutch pedal...

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:57 pm

I was on the freeway yesterday when the clutch pedal was making a sort of clacking sound when the clutch was disengaged (pedal in). The same thing happened to the '83 we used to have. Is there a specific reason this happens? It also did the same thing today, but the question is, should I be worried?

Post by **Petros** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:02 pm

how many miles on the clutch? It could be the pilot bearing (in the back of the crank), or the throw out bearing, or a damaged disk. All three could make that kind of noise.

I have seen the center part of the friction disk get full of cracks, but since it is riveted together it stays together, but makes all kinds of bad noises when the clutch pedal is in. With the clutch is engaged the noise stops because the pressure plate hold it still.

If you had clutch chatter (a kind of stutter or shudder that occurs right when you let the clutch out), often a fatigue cracked disk is the result. it may hold up for several years this way (not likely) or several months. when mine finally failed it would still drive but the peddle no longer disengaged it, so it was almost un-drivable.

I suppose a bad pilot or throw out bearing could cause that too, but whether the T/O or pilot bearing, or the disk, the trans has to come out to fix it. Personally I would keep driving it until I had the time to pull it out, or it got so bad I could not stand it. Not likely you will damage other parts if you let it go a little longer, the damage is already done to the parts that need replacing now.

Good luck,

jimpomm · Post by **jimpomm** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Is it just one clack or a series of clacks?

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:28 pm

My clutch pedal pops and binds. Its annoying as all get out. I need a new clutch, clutch cable, and a good clean and lube of the pedal assembly.

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:36 pm

The clutch has about 37k miles on it. It's really bad now, but it still goes. After some of the clutch burned up after it was slipping badly after I attempted to climb a steep hill after coming to a stop, it chatters real bad sometimes, but usually if I rev it to about 2.3 k or so it will engage rather smoothly, but the clutch feels a lot weaker than before.

The pedal will usually emit a "clacking" sound once or twice when I push the pedal in. Sometimes it's loud, other times it's softer.

I think all the components are damaged now and when I bought it, it would chatter and slip some under a heavy load. I'll keep driving it some more until I can get the money to have someone install it. I'm going easy on it. Actually, I couldn't resist and I went 4 miles up the Angeles Crest Highway to about 2,000 ft elevation. It was doing okay without slipping or anything, but I could only do 40 mph at close to half throttle uphill in 3rd gear. It was really fun with the turns and all, but my mom made me pull over and then I realized it was leaking coolant and it happened to be a loose hose clamp and I had to improvise with a quarter to tighten it. Afterwards, I just turned around and went back down, which wasn't as fun as going up hill. However, I need to take care of the cat converter...

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 3:40 am

tercel4wdrules wrote:then I realized it was leaking coolant and it happened to be a loose hose clamp and I had to improvise with a quarter to tighten it.

Need to carry a tool roll with some screwdrivers and a few wrenches, pliers, wire, tape, fuses, extra coolant, brake fluid, etc.

Eventually when you have more experience you can move up to what I carry around...a 30-40 lb satchel of tools...so you can be ready for that opportune "on the side of the road" rebuild experience we all crave.