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clutch cable and Bowden Tube

JW Jerry Wolfe Supporting Member

I have been dealing with a trans that I thought was not going into 1st gear correctly.  The car would shudder when letting off of the clutch. Seemingly that the trans was somewhere between 1st and 3rd? Also, I realized that I could  smell burnt clutch.

Anyway, I tried to adjust the shifter but that did not fix the problem. After numerous You Tube videos, I  found the clutch cable termination at the clutch/trans lever was a jury-rigged connection.  My guess is that in shortening the pan, the clutch cable was too long. They cut  the attaching bolt off the cable, then shortened the cable to the correct length, drilled the original attaching bolt, and looped the cable through the bolt and installed a cable clamp. The cable is certain to fail due to the stress of bending on the short radius of this connection.

Or, is this what everyone has on their cars and I'm worrying for no reason?

The videos also suggest that the shuddering comes from the tube not  being bent. My thinking is to install a new clutch cable (of the correct length and configuration), install a new tube, and install the spacers to push the tube into the correct bend.

So, after all this, does anyone know what vendors could supply the correct cable?

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30West30West Supporting Member

First, get the correct cable suggested by Jon T! Adjustments, and future fine tuning, will be easy.

I had a similar issue with first gear when my car (VS) was at full operating temp (interestingly, not during first 20 min or so of operation).  I shortened the Bowden tube so that it had the correct bend (it had been almost straight), adjusted (tightened) the clutch cable at the lever, and voila!!

Good luck!

Gordon NicholsGordon NicholsMassachusetts 1993 CMC Supporting Member

Please....   Don't screw around with this.  Wrapping the cable around a bolt or something instead of setting it up right is only a recipe for eventual disaster at the worst possible time.

Get the proper length cable from Vintage.  Get a new adjuster wingnut to go with it.  

A new Bowden tube wouldn't hurt, either, since none of us (you, either) know whether what you have is any good.  Some of the aftermarket Bowden tubes in the past have gotten stiff over time and don't flex properly, causing clutch chatter.

Look up how to properly adjust the Bowden tube and set it up right.  A Bentley, Haynes or Chilton service manual would be great, or you can do a search on Youtube.

Good luck.

IaM-RayIaM-Ray

IT is a fine goal but hand made cars require a bit more involvement.   I went to a subie engine and tranny to get that, but it still isn't prefect but then my list of maintenance .. circle of checks done each spring grows and keeps me going.  You need to have a good tech as well.  

So I traded idle jets, & carbs for Injection.. When all the stars aline, it is a turn the key and go.

But then the VVT and oil pressure sensors are sometimes the cause of much grief and the MAF sensor as well.  I just got that VVT fixed again, I had tried a jobber part my tech found it and says that Subie's seem to enjoy only the OFFICIAL parts to keep the specs in line ... seems to be true.

P.S. I do try to fix right the first time.

Last edited by IaM-Ray
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