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Help please with clutch problem (bracket)

Kermit4

Enthusiast
Messages
56
Location
Algarve,Portugal
Hi All,
Looking for some help from the experts here.
Clutch pedal on Kermit (1987 R4 GTL) suddenly went to the floor yesterday with now no resistance in the pedal. Examined cable today and basically the cable looks fine but the bracket holding the engine end of the cable (before it engages with forked shaft) has snapped in half. I managed to remove the broken bit via undoing a nut and bolt but the remainder of the bracket appears to be held in place by a 2nd bolt further back. Problem is this looks like an engine mounting bracket as well using same bolt. If I can remove the remainder of the bracket I can get my friendly metal man to weld it for me but I am reluctant to remove the 2nd bolt in cast it is holding the engine in place.
Any ideas on removing the cable bracket without damaging anything else would be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance
Cheers Ian
 
Apologies for above post as now managed to remove 2nd bolt so broken bracket now separate from engine BUT I need to remove the clutch cable from the bracket. Looks like it is held in place by a plastic end which the cable enters on one side of the bracket and a plastic nut on other side. Both seem seized. Is it just a question of a bit of brute force to separate them so the cable will slide past the cut out in the bracket? Cheers Ian
 
Really struggling to remove the plastic sleeve which holds the engine end of the clutch cable to the engine bracket. I need to remove the bracket to get it welded but the two parts of the plastic sleeve which need to separate to slide the cable through the bracket slot will not separate and I am in danger of breaking the plastic. Any suggestions? I assume I need to separate the plasic sleeve as the groove cut out of the bracket is too narrow for the plastic part to slide through (I guess this is to prevent cable slipping off the bracket). Any suggestions gratefully received as I am now stuck.
 
Just had a thought (really!). Does anyone have an old clutch cable (or spare new one) which they could photograph the sleeve holding the cable on to the engine bracket? At least then I could try to work out what to do! Many thanks.
 
Try usung old screwdriver to make gap wider there is a lip on plastic part of outer cable to grip in hole
 
Cheers. Managed to remove it after major struggle. Got bracket welded at local metal man (5 Euros!!) so just putting it all back together. The pedal end of the cable has now come away from the pedal but I guess that is just a matter of putting the end back on? Thanks for your help.
 
The attachment to the cable is simple - just loosen, attach, then tighten the double nuts.
I had the same bracket failure, but I have two parts cars here.....and BOTH of them had homemade brackets already in place! So you're certainly not alone!
 
Ah, the pedal end of the cable - it's more fiddly than one would expect, but that seems to be the way it is. A bit of time swearing at it often does the trick!
 
So quick update. Bracket now in place after much swearing and bruising of hands. Problem was hands too big and screws too small (story of my life!). Now fixed in place so looking for advice on reconnecting cable to clutch pedal. I guess it is best to start at that end as the gearbox end looks straightforward. Any tips on reattaching pedal end. Is it best to remove the clip from the pedal by removing split pin or is it easier to leave that in place and manouver the cable end into the slot on the pedal clip. Any advice gratefully received.
 
Hey all back together again!! Managed to swear at the pedal end and it went in OK. Cable now back in bracket and all connected up and appears to work OK. Bloody stupid bracket design as it is almost designed to fail and a sod to put back as right at the bottom end of the engine with minimal space to move. I guess easy peasy when engine out but a sod in the engine bay. Anyway less of my moaning. Kermit now back on the road!! Cheers for all the help. Hopefully won't need to ask again for a while!!
 
Congratulations, now the next level in simple R4 repair work is starter motor removal without removing the manifolds or the exhaust pipe! :-D
 
I know my limits!! Actually the starter motor was in the way but rather struggle around it than try that one. Plus the garage fairy stole a couple of washers which I think are hiding under the starter motor. If I ever do remove the starter motor I am convinced at least half of the car is hiding on the ledge underneath it!!
 
Congratulations, now the next level in simple R4 repair work is starter motor removal without removing the manifolds or the exhaust pipe! :-D

Not too bad with the short starter motor type fitted and easy peasy on rhd
845 simpler still
 
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