First Breakdown, (going to a British car show)

[theDreamer]

We had our first breakdown yesterday, Sunday 11th. We left our house well before 7a.m. hoping to get to the Brits on the Lake car show in Port Perry by 9:00a.m. I was exiting the super slab (highway 401) and when I went to down shift to slow down for the off ramp, NO CLUTCH! The pedal was just swinging in the breeze. First thing I thought of was the dreaded “broken clutch cable”. But when I pulled onto the highway after getting fuel I ran it through the gears with no problem. I hadn’t touched the clutch until I went to pull off. What had happened while blasting along the motorway? I drove the car around the off ramp and up to the stop and was able to pull it out of gear but no amount of blipping the throttle would get me into a lower gear so I coasted around and up to the entrance of the first service station. The car was off the road but was blocking part of the entrance so the wife and I pushed it up to a safe place.

First thing was to figure out which end had let go and if it was fixable. To pull the pedal box cover off you need a Philips head screwdriver. We had nothing. The wife walked to four different stores and nobody had anything. Of course being Sunday the car dealers and other shops were all closed. I went back into the gas station we were stranded at as Linda called a good friend to ask if he could come rescue us.

There in the store I found a screwdriver worth about a dollar with multiple tips for the small sum of $15:00. Fine I paid it and went back to the car. Took the cover off but everything was as it should be. So, the problem had to be at the other end. Now, the only things I’ve seen or read show or talked about the cable connecting to the adjustment mechanism on the lower side of the bell housing. Well I crawled around and I couldn’t see the cable anywhere. Meanwhile the wife was tracing the cable’s route around the front of the engine and then back ending on the upper right side of bell housing. We removed the rubber boot to find the ball end of the cable intact but not connected to anything. Strange, no adjustment mechanism, no fasteners, just the standard light bulb shaped socket in the clutch arm that allows the ball to pass through and then the wire to slide up into position. BUT what holds it there? Did something fall out, break or otherwise change? I don’t know but I’m searching for the answers.

In the meantime our friend had agreed that if we could not get it fixed that he’d hook up his trailer and come get us. The wife suggested we reconnect the ball end with the clutch arm and then use a small machine screw and a couple of nuts to fill the larger opening that allowed the ball to pass through. I said a couple of zip ties would do the trick. No sooner had I utter the words then she was off to the gas station’s office to see what she could find. Minutes later she returned with two zip ties and she proceeded to complete the fix. I got in and the clutch seemed to work. I fired up the car, selected 1^st and eased out the clutch and the car moved forward. I tried reverse with the same result. Happy our little bandage fix worked we called our friend to tell him what we had done. He was happy and since his shop is near the event venue he said he’d drop by to see us. If the fix failed he’d be ready to come get us. Well it held together all the way to the event and back home. We’ll see what we can do about a more permanent remedy this week.

Question is, how does one adjust the clutch cable on a C20xe Caterham? I’m thinking of moving the pedals to the closer position for my short legs and it along with brake and throttle will require adjustments. In the section of the Owner’s Manual under Ford Engine & Transmission it shows the adjustment mechanism, a threaded portion with a large nut to make the adjustment and a smaller one to lock it into position. But what keeps the cable ball end locked into the clutch arm, tension?

First photo shows the car with the bonnet off as the wife tried to find a screwdriver. Second shows the pedal box. The third shows the clutch arm sans cable. We were in a hurry so forgot to take an after shot of the fix but… I took one out in the garage this morning. The next is Figure 4.3.11 out of my owner’s manual Ford Engine & Transmission section. The same figure 4.3.11 is listed in the section for the Vauxhall Engine & Transmission section.  The last photo is the car at the very poorly attend car show. The weather fit the British theme as it changed every half hour to 45 minutes.

[MV8]

That cable does not look like an original type. The shank of the swedged fork end should be thicker than the width of the slot in the fork between the larger insertion hole and the smaller seat hole. I suggest fitting a common, 1/2-3/4" long bolt similar in size to the id of the insertion hole (3/8"?) with a nylock nut so this does not happen again. Aside from the shank issue, the setup you have may be better than the original cable design. The morse cable type end at the pedal prevents the typical cable failure point.

Edited August 12 by MV8

[panamericano]

Did someone mention carrying a tool bag with tie wire, zip ties, tools (minus the one you will really need)?

[Davemk1]

I have no idea on your tech question but I have to say that your wife is a keeper!

 

dave

[theDreamer]

3 hours ago, panamericano said:

Did someone mention carrying a tool bag with tie wire, zip ties, tools (minus the one you will really need)?

Yes, I admit it’s my own dang fault for not being prepared. Also, yes to the one thing you don’t have being what you need. We have owned many British sports cars like my Europa and the wife’s Austin Healey Sprite so I knew better than to venture out without the basics. Funny, I never left the driveway on a motorcycle that wasn’t packed with tools and MacGyver-esque materials for any type of misadventure.

In my motorcycle roll I found zip ties, safety wire, electrical wire, electrical tape, aluminum foil tape, racer tape even two sided tape. There was an array of nuts, bolts, washers, grommets and even some fabric plumbing washers. Not to mention shop cloths, hand wipes, folded paper towel and vinegar packets.

Before our next outing there will be a roadside fix-it kit.

[theDreamer]

43 minutes ago, Davemk1 said:

I have no idea on your tech question but I have to say that your wife is a keeper!

 

dave

Yep, 50 years last month. With all the cars, motorcycles, racing on two and four wheels we have done she knows her stuff. Not to mention she was in the motorcycle/automobile industry for over 45 years.

[IamScotticus]

I can send you a grommet.

See your mailbox.

But the zip ties are probably better.

The slot in the pedal box that travel cable is usually for a preload spring, 15lbs or so. 

 

BTW...

That frame rust is what you get from that pedal box cover collecting condensate.   Consider venting it on top.  

Edited August 13 by IamScotticus

[theDreamer]

8 minutes ago, IamScotticus said:

I can send you a grommet.

See your mailbox.

But the zip ties are probably better.

The slot in the pedal box that travel cable is usually for a preload spring, 15lbs or so. 

I read a good post about this spring thing on the C&L7 Club BlatChat. Funny, in any of the books or manuals I have read I found no mention of the need to preload the release bearing with a spring or two. Another thing on the ever growing list.

Check your email.

ta

[slowdude]

On 8/13/2024 at 4:34 PM, theDreamer said:

I read a good post about this spring thing on the C&L7 Club BlatChat. Funny, in any of the books or manuals I have read I found no mention of the need to preload the release bearing with a spring or two. Another thing on the ever growing list.

Check your email.

ta

Yep I've seen the back and forth on this. I don't think it hurts to have a consistent pressure on it to keep CRB from blowing out, but it reeks of unhinged internet commentor in a tinfoil hat ranting (surprisingly I'm OK with the ranting).

 

I have a CX20E throw out bearing on the T9 to K series. I think it's just the one that fits the clutch fork.