Just a quick question this one.
How long, on average, would you expect a clutch cable to last?
I know it will depend upon its use, but what do you think? The one on my '93 Polo is the original, and has covered a respectable distance of over 106000, but my dad thinks that the pedal is heavy. This is hard for me to verify, because I use the car all the time.
I thought it might be worthwhile changing, as a 'just in case' kinda thing, because the last thing I want is for it to snap.
Many thanks
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On a 93 car you just might find that there is some sort of greasing point, halfway along the cable, thru which grease can be inserted with a grease gun. There again I could be thinking of '83! Worth a look though. If correctly routed and lubricated it should last very well, your 12 years use looks good!
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Aahh, a greasing point, hadn't looked for one of those!
Looking at the Haynes manual, there is no mentioning of a clutch cable grease nipple. It only says to grease the 'cable attachment point on the pedal' but to be careful not to grease it before pushing it through the steering gear housing 'as there is a danger of grease blocking the breather vent'. What ever that is?
I'll have a look, but i don't think there is a one. I wont be getting the new cable till Thursday, so i have plenty time to look.
Thanks again
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Sorry to have confused you! I now recall (I think) that grease points were fitted to handbrake cables and this was in the days when clutches were hydraulic not cables. Apolgies!
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No worries A.S.! I see where your coming from now.
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There is no average lifetime for a clutch cable.I think you are lucky to still have yours.But as they are unpredictable you are doing the right thing(changing).As they can break without warning
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Steve
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Not sure about modern Polos, but on my 1975 one! after the cable went the new one was much smoother and a bit lighter. It is the same as accelerator cables, you get use to it getting progressively heavier. Euro Car parts probably do them for a tenner, and on the old Polos I think it was a fairly easy 1 hour job. Remember they always go just as your setting out for a wedding.
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Well, I thought it was best to play it safe, as like you say Steve.o, they are pretty unpredictable. I seem to recall, when I was young, the clutch cable went on my dads '86 BX on Scarborough sea front. Not just a simple affair though as we were in the middle of a traffic jam on the north bay. So we coasted onto the curb and left it there for a bit. My dad rang a mate of his who came from home (Northumberland) with a new one and they fitted there and then IIRC.
Dear me MW, 1975! That was the first year of Polo production and there aren?t many of those left. Yeah, you?re right. Euro does them ex VAT and P&P for £8.95, but GSF do them for £7.50. I think this where my local VAG specialist get their parts from, so I?ll give them a try. Their prices are nearly always the GSF price plus 17.5%.
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Not sure about modern Polos, but on my 1975 one! after the cable went the new one was much smoother and a bit lighter. It is the same as accelerator cables, you get use to it getting progressively heavier. Euro Car parts probably do them for a tenner, and on the old Polos I think it was a fairly easy 1 hour job. Remember they always go just as your setting out for a wedding.
Best time for a clutch cable to go I would have thought! Unless, of course, it is your own wedding.
On second thoughts, perhaps THAT would be the best time!!!!!!!!
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If the clutch pedal is heavy you may have to think about putting a new clutch in it at some point as this may be the reason for the cable breaking, especially if this happens repeatedly.
The clutch pressure plate distorts and gets stiffer. When this happens it's time for new new clutch. The good thing is that when it's been done it'll feel like a different car.
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Although the cable has not snapped (yet) I don't think a replacement clutch is exactly far away, because it sounds and feels a bit tired. We'll see what difference a new cable can make, but its replacement is more of an insurance against a failure really, because I don?t fancy being stranded without the use of my gearbox. When the new clutch is due, I might see about having a second hand gearbox put in too, as the synchromesh in the existing one is a bit tired and all the gears whine.
Thanks for all your help people
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I have owned a number of polos. The cables do cause the clutch to feel heavy as they wear and its a doddle to change, so is worth doing if its the orginal. If the clutch is still heavy then the cover plate and release bearing guide tube may need replacing. However, you can usually drive it for quite a while before changing it. Evetually the cover plate distorts to the point where you stuggle to engage gear, even with the cable correctly adjusted. If you place the bearing release tube at same time you will find the clutch much smoother in operation too.
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Just a quick update.
Had the clutch cable fitted today. The new one was slightly different, not seeming to have an 'automatic' adjustment, but that shouldn't make much difference if I ask the garage to check it every service (which I think is actually mentioned in the VAG Service schedule).
The feel of the clutch is different. Not in any way 'lighter', but feels a bit smoother, and in comparison to the old one, quite spongy, especially at the top of the pedal travel. But it seems to be in correct adjustment with good gear selection and no slippage.
I'm finding it hard to adjust to this new 'cable' though (which sounds pathetic). It seems to bite a bit lower, but my dad says the other dragged so much, it was letting the clutch engage quite late (and quickly). It now bites at about 1/2 way (with the last, say, ¼ doing very little in way of clutch control), whereas it used to be more like 3/4. Is this ok do you think?
But I wasn't really wanting a lighter clutch, just an insurance against a failure, what with the old one being just that, old!
Thanks for all the help guys, much appreciated as usual.
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The reason it's biting lower is that it's been adjusted by the garage; I find that manual adjusters are better in that respect, although most new cars have automatic adjustment. One tip for this particular cable, if you intend keeping the car for a while, is to lubricate the adjustment end regularly. They seem to rust quite easily causing great difficulties/lack of adjustment in the future. You made a wise choice in getting it changed though.
Regarding the whine/weak synchro on the gearbox: have you had the gearoil changed? VW went through a phase of claiming that these boxes were "filled for life" and didn't need draining. In my experience that has never been good for any gearbox. Some VW Golf fanatics swear by changing the oil to synthetic stuff but I can't vouch/recommend this. Synthetic is expensive, although a lot cheaper than a gearbox!
Good luck
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Thanks for the tip about lubricating the adjuster. Thinking about it, the old one was a bit rusty in this area, so I?ll treat the new one to a coating of grease. Me and my dad fitted the new one, which is why I wasn't sure if we have the adjustment right, but everything seems to be OK.
With regards to the gearbox itself: the trouble with the gear change initially started with dry connection rods at the base of the gear leaver. We lubed these and this helped immensely, but occasional gear crunching and occasional refusal to engage second, lead to me changing the gearbox oil. I had the garage change it, and they filled it with 75/90 synthetic Oil (which, from memory, was Comma oil), and its checked at every service at my local VAG specialist. This helped a little bit, but I still have trouble with synchros, mainly on second. First is ok, as long as I only engage it at rest, or at no more than walking speed (which incidentally, allows to engage better?)
Synthetic is expensive, although a lot cheaper than a gearbox!
True! But the gearbox for mine should be quite cheap as it?s the 4 speed 'box, which seems quite 'unpopular' meaning they are considerably cheaper than an equivalent 5 speeder. You would probably be able to pick a one from a scrappy for peanuts. Even a recon one is about £290.
Many thanks
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If the cable is a straight run, ages. If tortuous e.g. taken round a pulley like our old 83 GL5 Passat [German car designed for LHD] - about 40,000. After snapping one at 6am, 30 miles into a holiday journey to Cornwall [clutchless g/changes over the Cotswolds to Cheltenham dealer to get replacement! ] I always carried a spare.
You can sometimes feel them beginning to go when one or two strands have succumbed to metal fatigue and the pedal feels stiff, but don't bank on it! In 190,000m I got thru 4 [but original clutch plate and g/box!]
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