Clutch pedal noise

[Member 10617]

This is one I probably should ask "Click and Clack" about because there is a noise involved, and they love people to make engine noises on the radio.

I have just begun to notice a noise when I depress the clutch pedal on my TR3. About half way down, there is a single "click" or "clack" noise -- seems to be coming from under the car -- and it is growing louder slowly.
When the noise occurs, I can briefly feel something in the pedal, as if the pedal is getting hung up on something for a split second.

Any experience with this? Any ideas?

 

[bgbassplyr]

Broken clutch fork pin (bolt).

Requires pulling the transmission to repair. Search the archives or the wiki for info.

Very common problem as this is a weak point with all of the TR's. Be prepared for a complete failure.

Sorry.

I made this sound like a 'for sure' diagnosis but it may be something else. Others will weigh in. I could be wrong and hope I am.

 

[Member 10617]

Doesn't sound good. The clutch and the transmission have just been rebuilt. I'll call the shop next week to have it diagnosed.

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[mallard]

I would first check the easy stuff like pedal box. Check the bushing and the spring on the pedal, and that all the clevis pins are still tight. Also check that all the parts are still tight, like the bracket for the slave cylinder, and that spring. I would hate to find out it as something simple like that after I removed the trans only to find nothing wrong.

 

[Don Elliott]

Before doing a huge job as suggested above, check the link on the front end of the push-rod coming out the front end of the master cylinder for the clutch. All you have to do is study the situation and if I'm correct, you'll need to remove the wiper motor and carefully lay it to one side.

My cross link looked like this in 2004 when I heard this "clicking and clacking" while in Virgina wathching the TR races at VIR. It took me about 45 minutes to change for the spare that I had with me.

 

[RJS]

Yes, rule out the simple stuff first. Double check the clevis pin on the clutch master cylinder push rod. Mine became grooved and starting making a metalic clicking which could be felt in the clutch pedal. But, no doubt, the sound was coming from behind the firewall up by the master cylinders. Replaced it with a nice hard, stainless steel clevis pin. Cost: $1.25

Hope you are as lucky!

Bob

 

[HerronScott]

Replaced it with a nice hard, stainless steel clevis pin. Cost: $1.25

Bob,

I would think it would be better to have a standard (softer?) clevis pin so it wears versus having the hole in the pedal wear?

Scott

 

[Don Elliott]

Scott has a good point. After I changed the cross-link pin and yoke, I stiil (on occasion) could hear the "click" so the next time I had things apart, I looked at the hole on the top end of the clutch pedal. The hole had become oval so I removed the entire pedal assembly under the dashboard and MIG welded the oval hole smaller and re-drilled the hole for the cross-pin round again. Since then it's been smooth and quiet.

 

[Member 10617]

Many thanks for setting out all the possibilities. I started by taking a look at the clevis pin on the clutch master cylinder push rod. I could not see if there was groove on its shaft because each clevis pin has a wide (thick) washer there. I had my wife push the clutch pedal: it clicked below the engine near the fire wall. Then she pushed it again: no click! She pushed it several times: no click! I pushed it several times: no click! It went through the gears -- no problem -- no clicks.

I doubt that it suddenly healed itself, but the symptoms are gone.

Before putting this one to bed for the time being, I oiled the screw pin and spring atached to the clutch operating shaft. I think the noise was coming from that area. I noticed that the return spring was attached to the pin (old item?) and not to a return spring anchor plate. I assume the return spring anchor plate was a later addition. Perhaps the old configuration causes an occasional click (at least I hope so).

Conclusion: I'm going to drive it and if the clutch stops working I'll call AAA.

 

[hondo402000]

FYI Stainless steel is softer than carbon steel just more corrosion resistant, you want a hard pin get a drill bit the size of the hole and use the shank part

Hondo

 

[RJS]

Scott,

Point taken. I would prefer to wear out another clevis pin compared to wearing the hole in the pedal assembly.

Thanks

Bob

 

[HerronScott]

Bob,

That was my thought, but Hondo indicates that stainless steel is softer than carbon steel. What are the pedal assemblies made of?

Scott

 

[Don Elliott]

The clicking on my clutch (see photo above) would go away from time to time as the cross pin would rotate. But whenever there was a clicking sound, it was hitting on the full diameter and moving as it should, then it would fall into the worn area with a "click". I could feel something in the pedal arm too.

 

[Member 10617]

Odd thing is that each of my cross pins (clutch and brake assemblies) runs through fat washers, so I cannot see the condition of the cross pin under each washer.

 

[Member 10617]

The mystery deepens.

The click in the clutch showed up Friday. On Saturday, when I asked my wife to depress the clutch so I could check things out under the car, after one click the click went away (??!!)

Today as I drove the car, the click returned (??!!)

In the garage, I tried to figure out what was happening. I hit on the idea of depressing the clutch pedal very, very slowly (the way my wife did on Saturday) and guess what, the click went away, even when I resumed depressing the clutch at normal pressure/speed (???!!!)

Car 2 - Me 2. We're tied!

At present there is no click, but I know it will return.

My question is: Does this sound like something serious -- like a broken clutch fork pin -- requiring immediate action, or is it likely some part of the clutch mechanism that is sticking or catching momentarily on something? All the springs and clevis pins seem to be in place and tight, as far as I can tell.

My guess (my "hope") is that if it were a broken clutch fork pin, it would have failed by now, but I'm having absolutely no trouble with the clutch.

 

[Member 10617]

UPDATE, 2 August. A TR mechanic friend of mine has written: "It could be just the play between the rod and the slave cylinder. Some play is required so the bearing is not always riding on the pressure plate."

 

[Member 10617]

Here is a summary for anyone who encounters this problem.

Symptom: Noticeable metalic click sound and feeling in clutch pedal when it is depressed.

Some possible causes:

(1) Broken clutch fork pin (bolt). Fix: Pull transmission, replace pin.

(2) Worn link (clevis pin) on the front end of the push-rod coming out the front end of the master cylinder for the clutch. Fix: Replace clevis pin.

(3) Worn hole at the top of the clutch pedal. Fix: Remove pedal and fix.

(4) Play between the rod and the slave cylinder. Some play is required so the bearing is not always riding on the pressure plate.

(5) Need for new spring on the clutch fork arm to hold it against the push rod.

There may be more causes, of course, but this is what I have received so far from the good guys on the forum and other friends. Lesson: Rule out the simple stuff first, but be prepared for a major fix.