Clutch cable

I don't think the cable is stretching.

Most likely, the big adjusting "wing nut" is backing off.  It happens more than people expect.

The easiest cure is to remove the wing nut and take it to an ACE Hardware store to match the threads to a regular (non-wing) nut - It's metric, but I can't remember the size or pitch off the top of my head so just match it.

Go home and put the wing nut back, adjust your clutch for 3/4" - 1" play at the top of the pedal and thread the regular nut on after the wing nut and use it as a locknut - Just crank them together nice and tight.  Bonus points if you use a Nylok insert nut as the locknut, but that's not absolutely necessary.

That should cure it.

Thank you Gordon. I have already put a nylok back nut on the cable? Did not help. Does not make sense?

You're not making this easy for us, yah know?

In your three or four adjustments in the past year, do you keep repeating the same adjustment on the end stub of the cable (at the transmission)?  In other words, does it look like the nut(s) is somehow slipping back on the end stud of the cable?  Repeating that 3 or 4 times should mean that you're getting close to the cable end of the stud on the back end of the cable.  If that's true, then one of four things can be happening:

1. The cable is stretching (but I've never seen/heard one stretching that much)
2. The adjustment wingnut is slipping or backing off (You've checked that)
3. The Bowden Tube is somehow messed up and decreasing the bend, allowing the cable to "stretch" by decreasing the distance from pedal to transmission arm (very rare, but possible and this is my current "most likely" failure) or,
4. The tube inside of the tunnel that guides the clutch cable is loosening up from it's welds and making the clutch cable adjustment meaningless.  If THAT is the case, you should be able to see the tube flopping around at the rear where it exits the frame ahead of the transaxle - It should be welded fast to the frame and not flopping around and can be easily re-welded by a competent welder with the car up on a lift.  
   If it's at the front, you'll need to remove the pedal cluster and reach inside of the tunnel to see if it's loose there.  To fix THAT you'll have to cut a hole in the passenger side of the tunnel for access, re-weld the tube end to it's hanger and then (per Stan and Danny's suggestions) weld that removed panel back in place on the tunnel.  It's a big job.

i had a clutch arm? bend to front of the car,bad enough that the cable was too long..replaced that part and all was fine..its the arm that the clutch  cable goes thru before putting wing nut on to adjust..

Ah!  Number five of four:

5.  Inside of the bellhousing, on the other end of the shaft of the clutch lever on the side of the transmission, there are two arms connected to the shaft.  Those arms cradle the clutch throw-out bearing.  If either that shaft or those arms are starting to fail (by slowly breaking off) you will have to potentially re-adjust the clutch free play to compensate until they totally fail.  When that happens, you’ll need to pull the engine and replace the shaft by removing the throw-out arm on the outside, sliding the shaft inside to the right to remove it.  Replace it with a new shaft and new bushings in the case to accept it.

Someone else on here had that happen in the past year or two and documented it in a thread.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Ah!  Number five of four:

5.  Inside of the bellhousing, on the other end of the shaft of the clutch lever on the side of the transmission, there are two arms connected to the shaft.  Those arms cradle the clutch throw-out bearing.  If either that shaft or those arms are starting to fail (by slowly breaking off) you will have to potentially re-adjust the clutch free play to compensate until they totally fail.  When that happens, you’ll need to pull the engine and replace the shaft by removing the throw-out arm on the outside, sliding the shaft inside to the right to remove it.  Replace it with a new shaft and new bushings in the case to accept it.

Someone else on here had that happen in the past year or two and documented it in a thread.

If this is the case, Weddle sells a heavy duty clutch cross shaft. Instead of a couple cheesy welds, the shaft goes through the arms and is Tig-welded all the way round.

Ugh

thank you for your input. Looks as if I may have big job ahead of me.

I will let everyone know as I start eliminating the possibilities.

as it turns out the wing nut was corroded and frozen. Finally got it off and lubed the threaded end of the clutch cable and put on a new wing nut. Was able to tighten it to the achieve the proper clutch pedal travel of approx 1 inch. Worked the clutch a few times and the cable popped.

looked on line and there are many clutch cable lengths. Can anyone share the proper length for the JPS speedster?

Don't think there is a throw out bearing issue. I hope.

thanks,

JPS should be the same length for any pan based model; I believe Vintage Motorcars offers the shortened cable.

okay thanks

Good end to what could have been a bad situation. As it turned out the Bowden tube had a rough end piece which wore through and frayed the cable strands which caused the stretching until they just broke. JPS sent me a new clutch cable and bowden tube. At no charge i might add.

The new tube end pieces are constructed out of a plastic fiber material rather than metal which was used on the original which caused the problem.

all installed worked perfectly.