Help! The clutch pedal went limp.

[dove6r]

Does anyone know what would cause this and what to do about it? It's an ,85 4wd wagon. Someone had suggested that I needed to adjust the clutch recently.

[ARCHINSTL]

Welcome to the Club!
My. there must be more members in BC than any other province/state/territory! The Toy dealers up there must have been really smiling back in the '80s!

Anyway. the clutch glitch never happened to me - but it would seem that the cable broke/became detached. Get under the car and see if the lever moves when someone operates the pedal.

There may be some threads on this here, I think - do a Search.
Also check out this AutoZone link - very helpful info on all aspects of our little guys.
http://www.autozone.com/shopping/repairGuide.htm
Tom M.

[Petros]

Three items could cause this:

1) bad adjuster or the cable end popped out of the adjuster at the top of the clutch pedal. A fairly easy fix even if you have to replace the auto adjuster parts. Also check that the cable is attached at the trans end where the knob on the end attaches tot he lever arm.

2) Broken clutch cable, also an easy fix. Pull on either end of the cable, if it comes free or is frayed, it needs to be replace. It is a fairly easy job to replace it. I have noticed that the cable is pretty durable so getting a cheap one at a pull-a-part ($10 or so) that looks in good shape should do you fine.

3) damaged/worn-out pressure plate, clutch lever arm, or throw-out bearing. Not an easy fix, if it one of these you have to pull the transmission, there are no other options. So check the cable and the adjuster first, if they check out, you have to plan on pulling the trans (or selling the car as-is).

Good luck.

[keith]

Hope its the cable, but if something inside the clutch assembly broke and got between the clutch plate and either the flywheel or the pressure plate, this will happen. I used to have a Fiat that would occasionally break off the head of a flywheel bolt and it would jam into the clutch.