336 Gearbox Clutch Problems

[DreamsOfA47]

Hello all,

I have a very vexing issue with my clutch. When I depress the clutch pedal the pedal doesn't come back up off the floor. While the pedal is on the floor, the clutch assembly is disengaged from the engine and the car is in neutral. Upon releasing the pedal it comes up about 80% of the way and then stops. Frustratingly the last bit of throw is the bit that allows for the engagement of the gearbox. The only way to get the last bit of throw is to pull the pedal back with my toes. This means the car can't be put into gear without physically pulling the pedal back after the pedal has been depressed. I've replaced the clutch disc, pressure plate, T/O bearing and clutch cable and I've greased all the fittings and shafts and cables and joints and everything I can think of. I've also greased the T/O bearing as described in the manual and I'm at a loss for what to do now. Any advice from y'all who know more? I've also ensured that my clutch cable is properly seated in both the front and rear cable abutments and has been properly affixed and tightened to the clutch arm.

You may have read this problem expressed in my build thread, but I thought I'd start a dedicated thread for those who maybe haven't seen my build but have good input or experience with a similar issue. I apologize if I'm  but I'm supremely vexed! I'm truly stumped as to what may be the issue. I'm hoping to drive the car to a mid-engine themed cars and coffee on March 11th. That may not be possible but I'm trying desperately to get this car sorted.

So, y'all any ideas?

[jbcollier]

The clutch pressure plate has a very strong spring.  Disconnect the cable and check and see if the clutch pedal is seized.  With the cable disconnected, it should move freely by hand.

[DreamsOfA47]

Yes I have already tried that and the pedal seems to move freely without too luck resistance. The first thing I tried when I stated having these clutch issues was removing the pedal assembly and ensuring the whole thing was clean and properly greased. Seeing as I’m rather stumped now I figure I’ll take the assembly out again and ensure it is, in fact, functioning properly and I’m not missing anything. I’ll update y’all with that later today or tomorrow was I can get to it!

[dakazman]

   I haven't yet dived into my completely stuck pedal.  I cannot even depress my pedal. I just think it's my 40-year-old pressure plate. I know it's not your pedal assembly from what I've read, coming back 80 percent of the way must mean a stuck release bearing as it rides on the gearbox shaft. Throw out bearing here in the states.
  I'm following your progress.
Dakazman

[DreamsOfA47]

Well, I’ve made an interesting discovery involving the pedal assembly. When I press on the clutch pedal, the pedal assembly rotates itself such that it no longer sits perpendicular to the frame. When viewed from the top via the access panel in the front storage are, the pedal assembly is no longer straight vertical, but canted at maybe a 30 degree angle. So the pedal box may be binding up on itself due to this. The inboard mounting appears to just be a hole in the frame for the pedal shafts to sit and a single bolt passing through the end bracket into the frame and secured with a lock nut (figure 4 and associated parts in the diagram); I’m not sure why the assembly is rotating out of its mountings but I guess that’ll have to be my next step. Interestingly the pedal still rotates pretty freely and without much resistance despite it being canted over so I’m not sure how much of a problem this may be, but it should be fixed none the less. Here goes!

http://www.rdent.com/manuals/europa/s2parts/brakes/je.htm

JB or anyone else with an S1 pedal assembly, have you encountered this twisting problem? If so do y’all have any solutions?

[jbcollier]

The S1 pedal assembly is bolted to the metal “floor” of the chassis with four nut and bolt sets, two at each end.  It should be solidly in place.  Here’s a photo from above of my pedal assembly:

[jbcollier]

PS: I’ve converted to a hydraulic clutch but the pedal assembly itself wasn’t changed.  I could still fit a clutch cable if I wished.

[DreamsOfA47]

That is definitely a sweet configuration! Is that something of your own design and making? Because mine looks nothing like that and looks like this. It only has one 2-bolt anchor point through the floor and that’s at the outboard end. The inboard end is only 1 not and it doesn’t seem to be strong enough to stop the twisting under load.

[jbcollier]

My pedal assembly was mostly rust.  Unfortunately, my chassis was the same as well.  I made mine up using the old one as a pattern and I reused the pedal arms as well but welded to new pivots.  My car was a right mess of a couple of Europas so maybe a S2 pedal box was in the mix.

Can you stop the inner pivot/mount from pivoting?

[TurboFource]

Looking at Serge’s video there should be two nubs on the side of that little bracket that should fit in holes on the S1 adjustable inner mounting bracket to keep it from turning, a bolt goes through the top one to keep it in position.

[Hachille]

On my S1 I made like this. The clutch pedal is tilted.

[DreamsOfA47]

Alright y'all, I managed to pull the pedal box out and here's what ended up happening:

Upon removing the pedal box I found that even though there is a hole in the frame for some kind of locating device to prevent the pedal from twisting, nothing was passing through it. When I pulled the end-cap off of the pedal assembly it was clear there wasn't enough protruding through it to pass through the frame to prevent the assembly from rotating. Instead of messing with the end-cap I took a tap and cut some threads for a 9/16-12 bolt into the pedal shaft and passed the bolt through the frame with some big washers to secure it all. Considering the only thing holding the assembly in on that side was the single bolt for the end-cap the new bolt is definitely an upgrade! The clutch now works excellently!

[TurboFource]

Great!

So is the bolt now turning in the inner mount as the shaft turns?

[jbcollier]

Good news!

Good diagnosing!

[GavinT]

Result !