Tight clutch?
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:51 pm
Oh err Mrs... 
Well, I looked further into the dynamics and mechanics of the Polo GTI manual (non-hydraulic) clutch and finally I have found the cause of the judder under foot and the apparent tightness of the clutch when the pedal is depressed.
The issue is not at the pedal end - its at the locking nuts end!
When a new clutch cable is fitted or it's re-tightened (after Pedal Box refit), the tightening of the lock nuts twists the cable inside the cable shroud - this causes it to stick, graunch and give the clutch pedal a bad feel.
Here's what you need to do.
1. Loosen off the locking nuts to the end of the cable end (engine side)
2. Push down lightly and turn the Black tippee shaped stopper underneath the nuts at least twice anti-clockwise. You will eventually feel the inner metal cable turning, and hear it turn at the pedal end too.
3. Push down the Black tippee shaped stopper so it cannot move under the nuts.
4. Pull the cable end towards you to draw up the slack.
5. With the Black tippee shaped stopper held in place, turn the locking nuts down with your fingers, whilst pulling the cable tightly towards you - important.
6. When the first 13mm nut is down, the spring will need to compress fully.
7. Hold the cable end and wind off the 13mm nut one turn with your fingers. The spring will still be quite compressed, but this does not matter.
8. Tighten up the 10mm lock nut onto the 13mm nut to lock it.
9. Start the engine. Note the pedal will move only very slightly downwards underfoot when you rest your foot on it.
10. Check the clutch operation as it's fully depressed.
If you follow this, your clutch will now be smooth all the way to the floor like mine, no graunching, no sticking, no judder; just smooth operation to the floor and back again
That'll give you all something to do over the weekend won't it
Well, I looked further into the dynamics and mechanics of the Polo GTI manual (non-hydraulic) clutch and finally I have found the cause of the judder under foot and the apparent tightness of the clutch when the pedal is depressed.
The issue is not at the pedal end - its at the locking nuts end!
When a new clutch cable is fitted or it's re-tightened (after Pedal Box refit), the tightening of the lock nuts twists the cable inside the cable shroud - this causes it to stick, graunch and give the clutch pedal a bad feel.
Here's what you need to do.
1. Loosen off the locking nuts to the end of the cable end (engine side)
2. Push down lightly and turn the Black tippee shaped stopper underneath the nuts at least twice anti-clockwise. You will eventually feel the inner metal cable turning, and hear it turn at the pedal end too.
3. Push down the Black tippee shaped stopper so it cannot move under the nuts.
4. Pull the cable end towards you to draw up the slack.
5. With the Black tippee shaped stopper held in place, turn the locking nuts down with your fingers, whilst pulling the cable tightly towards you - important.
6. When the first 13mm nut is down, the spring will need to compress fully.
7. Hold the cable end and wind off the 13mm nut one turn with your fingers. The spring will still be quite compressed, but this does not matter.
8. Tighten up the 10mm lock nut onto the 13mm nut to lock it.
9. Start the engine. Note the pedal will move only very slightly downwards underfoot when you rest your foot on it.
10. Check the clutch operation as it's fully depressed.
If you follow this, your clutch will now be smooth all the way to the floor like mine, no graunching, no sticking, no judder; just smooth operation to the floor and back again
That'll give you all something to do over the weekend won't it
