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Mine just snapped and it looks like an aftermarket one with no adjustment on either end. Thing is, I need one quick before ticket time comes around.
I've heard the new OEM ones aren't even that durable anymore and that I'd have better success getting one made locally?
Where is a reliable place to get a replacement or quality OEM that would last me a good while or a third party improvement?
Anyone know what "clutch cable mod" this article is talking about?
http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/prof_140.shtml
I'd definitely like to do the mod and keep a spare around for the future.
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Ok, I got lucky living in an area that has some love for these cars and the local Volvo shop had one in stock for me. Got it done in a few hours minus the janky pedal setup by previous owner and a mishmash of nut sizes and improper tools.
The only problem now is the pedal is all the way up and the loop over the cable is not always engaged on the pedal to where I have to keep my foot on the pedal to drive. Is there something that keeps the pedal to a manageable height?
The PO had a bolt stacked with nuts for the top of the clutch to rest on but is a little jerry rigged.
I did find another thread on here that mentioned putting spacers on the clutch fork pivot to lessen the travel but that requires getting into the bellhousing.
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A few things:
There should be a pedal travel stop located on the pedal box itself. From the factory, the stops came with a rubber pad (about a 1/8" thick) to stop the upward travel of the clutch pedal, and prevent metal-on-metal contact. Ensure you've still got that upward stop, and that there's a rubber piece on there. If there isn't any rubber, you can buy stick-on rubber pads from a hardware store like Home Depot.
There should be a clutch lever return spring, which is on the outside of the bellhousing and moves the lever arm such that it effectively raises the clutch pedal when pressure is released from the clutch pedal. This should pull the clutch cable until the clutch pedal touches the upward travel stop, and should provide some amount of tension to prevent the loop from slipping off the pedal. If the pedal is too high, increase the thickness of the rubber pad I mentioned previously.
There should be two places where you can adjust cable travel/length: 1) where the clutch cable attaches to the bellhousing assembly, and 2) where the threaded attachment fork attaches to the clutch lever. If you fiddle with those two points, you should be able to adjust it to get the travel you're looking for. Make sure you reference your greenbook to ensure you maintain the recommended freeplay.
--
74 164E auto -- looking to convert to manual M410
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Hmm, I found a sedan at a junkyard and pulled that little clutch pedal detent and other miscellaneous stuff like the return spring. The car does have all the little springs but my new cable still feels a little stiff so I will check the recommended free play as soon as possible.
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I'll add--there's one more spring--coiled around the pedal pivot which keeps the pedal up. I know it can break--mine is broken. -- Dave
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I need to replace mine also, so thanks for the post. Unfortunately, this message helps nobody...... Keep your brick rolling!
I am still trying to keep my 71 142e legal and on the road with a hectic life and kids in the Boston, MA area...... it ain't easy...
jeremy
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My son had problems with the clutch cable in his old 144 breaking repeatedly ... turned out that when he put the motor back in he forgot to hook up the ground strap between the motor and unibody. The only ground it was getting was through the clutch cable and basically it was acting like a fuse and burning apart.... added the ground strap and the problem was fixed .... never had the problem again.
Brett
--
Brett Sutherland & the 1.6 million mile 122 CANADIAN --- and has been Joined by a 1990 780 BERTONE TURBO Coupe -- WINDSOR, Nova Scotia the birthplace of HOCKEY
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On a side note, I once had a 145 which really went through clutch cables. After about the third one I discovered a bad engine ground, which was melting the cable end. Know this isn't your problem, just thought I would throw it in.
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I have used GEMO brand aftermarket cables. Not sure where they're manufactured, maybe Germany? Of the three I've bought, one was defective. Although it worked, it would bind a little. I'd use GEMO again though as I'm not sure there are any other choices. I haven't seen others - although I haven't looked either.
It's strange that the one you have does not have adjustment facilities. I can't imagine how something like that could be operable on a 140.
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I've been using aftermarket stuff for about 10 years now as OEM ones are no longer available in this part of the world. I have had good luck with the "made in Italy for Volvo" ones, and I used one for 5 years before replacing it as a precaution. I've heard though (thru other 144 owners here), of aftermarket ones jamming up after just a few months of use, but its origin is not known.
I have tried retrofitting a hydraulic system from a 122, but unfortunately the pedal mods were a bit more complicated that I thought and gave up the idea.
I guess the clutch cable will just have to be a routine replacement item to avoid snapping at the most inconvenience places. Just like the routine change of timing belts on the newer Volvo motors..
--
...and the bricks keep on rolling
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If you're good at it and traffic is not too bad you can drive pretty well with no clutch!
(Maybe not in Malaysia or Singapore!)
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Definately not in Kuala Lumpur & Singapore where you stop more than you move during rush hour.
On the other hand, when we used to live in the country side, the clutch cable broke once...We put it into 2nd, hung on tight, cranked the starter, and after a few seconds, the engine roared to life, and we were on our way. For once, having the A cam was an advantage... with low end torque, in 2nd gear, we could slowdown to almost near standstill...and enough to hit 25-30 mph to get to the shop. (and managed to get an OEM part at that time - somewhere in the mid '80s)
--
...and the bricks keep on rolling
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You can shift OK if you have a good feel for the ratios. Just a matter of getting it rolling
in the first place!
(Backing is a bit more stressful, but I've done it.)
(That steering lock can be a killer!)
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I have a 240, so the cable is probably different. But looking at the construction, I could probably replace a broken cable with steel aircraft cable using a thimble loop on one end and a hook or similar at the clutch arm.
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.
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posted by
someone claiming to be cdu
on
Thu Sep 23 08:39 CST 2010 [ RELATED]
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I did something similar with my 164.
When the first clutch cable broke I just made a new one out of steel cable and swagging the bits together.
It worked fine for about a year; it eventually started binding up a little so I replaced it with an OEM. I'm not sure what intern designed the clutch cable mechanism on the 164 but it required 4 thumbs and 6 elbows to get that sucker in there.
Anyhow -- the home-made setup worked pretty well and would have lasted a lot longer if I had put a little more effort into finding the right gauge cable (the stuff I used was too small so it sawed through the housing and through a bit of the firewall as well. Oops!) I had just threaded the new cable through the housing and swagged / crimped the ends on after the cable was in place.
So -- if my clutch cable broke again and I couldn't source OEM parts, I'd take the cable housing off and take it to an industrial supply shop and have them put together something for me with the right ends and the right gauge.
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Thanks, I may try that in the future but would that still allow you the adjustment of the stock cable? I would also imagine the friction inside the housing would remain to wear away the future cable?
A local Volvo shop actually has an OEM cable in stock so I may go that option since it's not too expensive.
How difficult are they to install?
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posted by
someone claiming to be patrick of montreal
on
Sun Sep 26 02:09 CST 2010 [ RELATED]
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It is an easy change, kind of like changing the gear cable for a bicycle. Make sure you have a couple of decent jack stands as a little room helps, I crank up one side of the car and use 2 stands for extra security, a car hasn't fallen on me yet!!!!
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My clutch cable in my 164 snapped a couple of weeks ago. I bought a Centric-branded clutch cable from autopartswarehouse.com. It was an exact replica of the factory part (had the adjustable nut attachment thingy on the end), except that it had a nice rubber boot to prevent dirt from contaminating the inside of the cable.
I want to say it was about $30, and they did overnight shipping for only $14. I called them to place my order and arrange for the overnight shipping (my 164 is my daily driver, and I don't have a spare car, so I had to have it pronto). All in all, I was very pleased with the service I received, the quality of the part, and the car's been driving great since the install. I'm in no way affiliated with the company, fyi.
--
74 164E auto -- looking to convert to manual M410
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Ive snapped mine at the pedal way to many times to keep using the stock cables, ive reused the housing with standard 1/8" stainless cable (wire rope) from the hardware store. i now have infinite adjustment and cheap easy replacement if it ever breaks again. at the clutch fork end i use regular clamps and steel loop liner setup, and at the pedal a single clamp attached to a hardened utility hook around the pedal arm. keep the housing lubed with a light teflon based oil, a little strange but so much better than stock, the clutch feels much lighter now.
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