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hard to push clutch


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Just got done fixing a friend's '92 Loyale sedan 5 spd, it has a new clutch kit, plate, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, and cable, the flywheel was also turned.

 

The problem is that the clutch pedal is really hard to push, the clutch slips on hard acceleration, engages RIGHT off the floor, and the pedal rides low when your foot is off it.

 

I haven't hooked the hill holder up yet because I have to pull really far to get it to the fork. The clutch should work right without the HH right?

 

It's probably that I have it adjusted wrong, but I've tried adjusting it in both directions, at one end it won't go into gear, at the other the clutch slips alot. The only thing I can think is the fork is bent... Or the flywheel was ground too far. The guy did say he had to take alot of material off to get the step right.

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If it engages right on the floor, it's usually because the cable is too loose... tighten it up a little. I actually like that feel, as long as you can still get it into first and reverse... when it gets just a little looser yet, it won't completely disengage, so won't go into first or reverse very well, if at all. However, a pedal that's really hard to push is usually because of an old cable that's about to break... but you have a new one? Sounds like something isn't right, other than the cable adjustment, to me, but I'm not really sure what.

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Just got done fixing a friend's '92 Loyale sedan 5 spd, it has a new clutch kit, plate, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, and cable, the flywheel was also turned.

 

The problem is that the clutch pedal is really hard to push, the clutch slips on hard acceleration, engages RIGHT off the floor, and the pedal rides low when your foot is off it.

 

I haven't hooked the hill holder up yet because I have to pull really far to get it to the fork. The clutch should work right without the HH right?

 

It's probably that I have it adjusted wrong, but I've tried adjusting it in both directions, at one end it won't go into gear, at the other the clutch slips alot. The only thing I can think is the fork is bent... Or the flywheel was ground too far. The guy did say he had to take alot of material off to get the step right.

 

Did you have the flywheel turned to XT6 specs or "normal" EA82 specs? Also, did you use an XT6 pressure plate or normal EA82 pressure plate? I had an XT6-spec flywheel and a normal EA82 pressure plate, and I had similar symptoms. It's drivable, but they really should match.

 

Try to find out what step the flywheel was ground to by the "guy".

 

Jacob

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Did you have the flywheel turned to XT6 specs or "normal" EA82 specs? Also, did you use an XT6 pressure plate or normal EA82 pressure plate? I had an XT6-spec flywheel and a normal EA82 pressure plate, and I had similar symptoms. It's drivable, but they really should match.

 

Try to find out what step the flywheel was ground to by the "guy".

 

Jacob

 

as far as I know it was the stock flywheel, I can't imagine considering the condition of the rest of the car that someone put in an XT6 flywheel.

 

I think he said the step was .088 or something, I may have the decimal in the wrong place.

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as far as I know it was the stock flywheel, I can't imagine considering the condition of the rest of the car that someone put in an XT6 flywheel.

 

I think he said the step was .088 or something, I may have the decimal in the wrong place.

 

Right. I assumed it was a normal EA82 flywheel, but it can still be ground to XT6 specs. I'd try to get a better idea of what he ground the step to.

 

Jacob

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XT6 step is .815" and "normal" EA82 step should be .900". But I've seen a lot of EA82 flywheels with the XT6 step so it's hard to say....

 

The clutch cable would be my first suspect - it is routed under the steering column and the heater core hoses right? Is it an OEM cable?

 

It definitely shouldn't be hard to push so something isn't right.

 

GD

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When you pull on the cable it compresses the sheath - which is trapped between the pedal bracket and the fork bracket. If it's running over the steering shaft it has to make an S curve bend over the steering shaft and then under the heater core hoses..... the cable and sheath are relatively inflexible and that much bending causes the cable to bind inside the sheath. It will wear out the cable in just a few hundred miles if it's left that way. The first cable I ever replaced on my wagon 10 years ago was due to a similar failure. I bought the car that way and the cable snapped on an on-ramp comming home from work one day.

 

GD

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When you pull on the cable it compresses the sheath - which is trapped between the pedal bracket and the fork bracket. If it's running over the steering shaft it has to make an S curve bend over the steering shaft and then under the heater core hoses..... the cable and sheath are relatively inflexible and that much bending causes the cable to bind inside the sheath. It will wear out the cable in just a few hundred miles if it's left that way. The first cable I ever replaced on my wagon 10 years ago was due to a similar failure. I bought the car that way and the cable snapped on an on-ramp comming home from work one day.

 

GD

 

Mine is on the steering shaft....has been all along i guess because it's worn down the splines on the shaft....:eek: Does that mean someone has replaced the cable at some point? Since it works fine, should I bother to move it?

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Mine is on the steering shaft....has been all along i guess because it's worn down the splines on the shaft....:eek: Does that mean someone has replaced the cable at some point? Since it works fine, should I bother to move it?

 

YES. Change it immediately. The steering shaft will chew a hole in the outer sheath of the cable and cause premature failure and it allows water to get into the cable. Eventually the cable will snap.

 

GD

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One more clutch cable possibility , I was given a 82 wagon a few years ago , because after installing a new clutch and cable , the guy forgot to reconnect a ground wire from the body to the motor . VIP ! the car used the clutch cable as a ground - it melted and started a fire that did enough damage to send it to the scrap yard , after i grabbed a few parts . Anybody ever heard of this before ? thanks , all the best , Murph

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It may actually need a new cable at this point. The damage to the inside of the cable sheath may be such that re-routing it won't even help much. A new cable (dealer only) is probably in order. Fortunately they are reasonably priced - around $25 or less for a replacement cable.

 

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Okay, lubed and re-routed the cable and added a return spring, made a huge difference. still need a new cable but I think after that the problem will be fixed. On to other things, thanks for eveyone's help.

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