Aarrghh!! Having Strange clutch problem..

[sandman]

Having the strangest clutch problem with a friends car.
This is a Mk3 with a 1380.
Problem is that the clutch pedal is very low/close to non-exsisting.
We've changed virtually everything; new Clutch plate, diaphram (orange), new release bearing, new arm, new slave, new aeroquip hose, new clutch line (lhd car), new master and new clevis pins.
I've even removed the entire pedal box to compare it to another!!
We've bled the system 3 times so air is not an issue.
Ive removed tye flywheel (lightened) 2 extra times just to make sure all is in correct order etc.

But still same problem; the clutch grabs very low (pedal hits the floor mat)
Have also checked gaskets under the masters and no supprise there; two gaskets and a plate.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong or what to do?? I've run out of ideas myself.

[Andrew1967]

How about the shaft that the bearing fits on and the arm goes into ?

The hole where the ball of the arm fits into can wear badly.

[Dean]

i had the same problem, and everything was new, etc etc etc ( there was similar post somewhere)
but at the end of the day there was not enough throw, and the only way to get the clutch to release was to have the release bearing in contact with the diaphragm , but then the bite point is still on the floor

pad had the same problem, and just found the angle of the arm ball on the end??? was at the wrong angle, and just gave it a bonk, which sorted it out.

others say to bend the arm, but you will still have the same amount of throw that the pedal can travel.

but

i ended up. taking off the clutch pedal , i cut a slot around the back of the arm just below the first bend after the spindle hole. ( think it was i check later)
i then bent the arm which opened up the slot, ( which when fitted would lift the pedal higher)
i then welded the slot back up.
refitted, and now i have a really good pedal, clutch bite point is not on the floor anymore,

i did not have enough throw, and cutting and lifting the pedal, increased the throw, it does not bottom out the master nor the slave,

its a similar trick as replacing a early drum brake pedal with a later disc brake pedal to achieve a high and better brake feel.

it is totally fine and made my car a joy to drive when you have a normal bite point and not having to bury my foot in the carpet hoping its released and not going to crunch

but i must say its was my last resort, after going through everything thing to find the problem, many people gave some very good advice, and it did help to improve it but it still did not improve it enough

[sandman]

I forgot to mention that - also changed the plunger and the pin that goes into the slave.

Have also adjustes the return stop and throw-out stop.

[Dean]

i did all that too and it still was not good.

[Spider]

Has it been getting progressively worse or is this following a recent assembly?

Does the pedal feel spongy anywhere? (yes, I see you say you bled it).

Also, there were two length pins that go in to the top of the arm and in to the slave. The ones you buy new these days are the longer one.

[Mini7org]

Having seen Pad4 earn his wooden spoon over the Blyton weekend, the things to check are the length of the plunger pin in the slave (after replacing the old one that had a blob welded onto it's end before he went to Blyton) and the pivot point pin on the arm, which made a massive difference. (fixed with a big hammer) If it has any wear on this pivot point it seams to act ten fold on the ends.

[pad4]

Pad here ....

its the ball on the end of the arm - just bash it over a couple of thou - and youll get the movement you need - a small amount at the ball is a big amount at the slave cylinder - much more than you get bending the arm as well

pad