I'm fairly new to the Mk1 world ('84 diesel Jetta coupe) and just became hip to your videos. Very clear and concise. So refreshing in the land of bad RUclips car instructions! Keep up the good work.
My cable needed replacing, and when I bought my 89 cabby, I bought a clutch cable, as I figured it would break. Well it has broken and I am having a hard time replacing it. I replaced the clutch cable on my 87 cabby in 15 minutes with no issues. I am now on hour 3 with no progress. I had to cut the old cable to get it out and now when I push the new cable through the firewall it seems to be catching on something. I have put a zip tie through the plastic eyelet and pulled, but the cable gets stuck in the tube with about 1.5" sticking out under the dash. I put the cable in the freezer for an overnight stay to shrink it as much as I can and will try again tomorrow. Other than that, sny suggestions?
Hey I picked up a 1991 earlier this year and am starting to do some maintenance. The clutch is stiff but has been totally drivable, figured I just wasn't used to an older car's clutch compared to my MK7. I'm running into a couple issues while looking closer at it, - Both the adjustment nut and the circular plastic piece below on the cable won't budge and there is no up and down freeplay. Right above the circular piece doesn't look to even have threads to screw up to. Think I should just cut the cable below and replace? - I can't seem to pull the clutch release lever that the cable attaches to at all with my hands whereas you seem to be able to pull it without a ton of effort. Any ideas? Thanks for the videos, they're helping me better understand this car!
Short answer, yes just cut the cable and get a new one. Long answer: I’ve never seen a clutch cable where that adjustment screw is seized. Sounds like you definitely should get a new cable for that reason alone. You definitely should have a bit of free play in there. So if there is no free play, then you definitely need to adjust the cable. It sounds like the cable is adjusted too far out and that it is constantly engaging the clutch a bit. Not a HUGE issue, but really not ideal either as unnecessary wear is being placed on a few components (throw out and thrust bearings). The clutch cable is also only $7 from fcpeuro (I linked it in the description because the price was so good). Also just use their cheapest shipping option. It seems to always arrive significantly quicker than the estimates the site provides. Feel free to shoot me an email or a dm on Instagram. Email is listed in the “about” page of the channel
It seems like on my 84 diesel, I do not have the clearance to lift the pedal-side of the cable off of the hook on the end. The bulkhead of the rain tray is barely rubbing against the top of the pedal at a certain point, any ideas besides removing the entire pedal assembly? (which I think I'll have to remove the steering column and a bunch of other crap)
You could cut the cable, feed it inside, and then yank it off. Just make sure you think the new one will go on first. Otherwise you still have to do more work. You could also just loosen the 4 screws holding the pedals. That would probably give you enough room
I only lubricate the end with silicone lube from a tube. The spray evaporates quickly. No need to spray the inside of the cable; there already is a plastic sleeve in there. I don’t think lubricating the cable will make the plastic last longer.
Hi Olli, bei meinem Golf 2 kommt das Kupplungspedal nicht mehr alleine bis nach ganz oben zurück. Manchmal bleibt es auch ganz im Boden liegen. Neues Kupplungsseil hat auch keine Besserung gebracht. Ich vermute den Fehler hinter dem grünen Deckel am Getriebe. Wie ist deine Einschätzung? Greetings from Germany.
Hallo Thomas, dieses Erscheinungsbild habe ich noch nie gesehen. Aber, ja unter dem grünen Deckel kann man schauen ob da was fehlt. Darunter ist das Ausrücklager und auch eine Feder. Wenn das Pedal nicht wieder nach oben zurück kommt, gibt es Probleme mit dem losfahren als ob die Kupplung noch gedrückt ist? Es sind drei Federn im System. Die große ist teil der Kupplung und drückt auf die Kupplungsscheibe. Die kleine ist hinter dem grünen Deckel. Die kleine sorgt nur dafür dass das Pedal nicht immer an der Kupplung druckt. Und eine Feder gibt es auch noch direkt am Pedal damit es auch wieder ganz zurück kommt. Da es ein Kabel ist, müssen die zwei kleinen Federn dafür sorgen dass sich das Pedal wieder richtig zurück bewegt.
@@OlisGarage Hi Olli, vielen Dank für deine umfassende Antwort. Dass es unten am Kupplungspedal auch noch eine Feder gibt, wusste ich nicht. Das Pedal ist quasi immer ein paar Zentimeter nach unten gedrückt. Wenn ich im kalten Zustand losfahre, funktioniert die Kupplung auch erstmal. Nach ein paar Kilometern dreht die Kupplung dann aber durch und ich trete das Gas dann quasi ins Leere. Außerdem riecht es dann vorne im Motorraum nach verbrannter Kupplung. LG 😀
Great video, excellent advice to check the length of the replacement clutch cable. On mine it had a longer cable and couldn’t be adjusted correctly, would always grind second gear, because of this. I got the proper length cable, and solved the whole shifting issue. Adjusting the cable gap is as you described 3 or 4 mm (1/8”) at the cable conduit, than from the inside of the car by measuring the free play at the clutch pedal to the floor with no floor mat, should be 15 mm (5/8”). This is described in the “Bentley Manual” (a must have for any VW owner). Have you done a video on charging the grommets on the shift linkage, and adjusting the shifting linkage? I need to adjust mine. Thank you.
Flip your clutch retainer clip around, you want the big tooth on the driver side. Looks like you didnt flip it in this video. If the tooth is on the pass side, it will try to pull the rubber part out. Tooth on the driver side will put more pressure on it, making it feel more firm. Darn right handed people ;)
I’ll have to flip it then! Thanks! I don’t think it will matter that much, but the diagram I put in the video also shows that it should be the other way. Good catch
I'm fairly new to the Mk1 world ('84 diesel Jetta coupe) and just became hip to your videos. Very clear and concise. So refreshing in the land of bad RUclips car instructions! Keep up the good work.
Thank you! That’s my goal - concise but detailed videos with torque specs
I want to replace the clutch cable on my Golf MK2 but I can't find the clutch cable damping, is it bad if I just use the old one?
By far the most helpful clutch cable install video..thank you sir.
Great thanks.
My clutch needs the rubber replacing at engine end of cable . Look forward to that thanks to your easy step video.
Glad it’s able to help people!
AutohausAZ has these rubber parts. Check them out online.
Hello super thank you..vidéo au top merci d expliquer tout ces détails pour le remontage c est important ..Christophe de France
De rien! I am glad it helped.
Thank you a lot for videos: from South Africa
You’re very welcome! More will be coming. I have a ton of parts to install.
Awesome VID straight forward and no nonsense!!
That’s the goal!
Thank you so much for this video, my clutch just broke on me while driving on my mk3
My cable needed replacing, and when I bought my 89 cabby, I bought a clutch cable, as I figured it would break. Well it has broken and I am having a hard time replacing it. I replaced the clutch cable on my 87 cabby in 15 minutes with no issues. I am now on hour 3 with no progress. I had to cut the old cable to get it out and now when I push the new cable through the firewall it seems to be catching on something. I have put a zip tie through the plastic eyelet and pulled, but the cable gets stuck in the tube with about 1.5" sticking out under the dash.
I put the cable in the freezer for an overnight stay to shrink it as much as I can and will try again tomorrow. Other than that, sny suggestions?
Thank you!
Hey I picked up a 1991 earlier this year and am starting to do some maintenance. The clutch is stiff but has been totally drivable, figured I just wasn't used to an older car's clutch compared to my MK7. I'm running into a couple issues while looking closer at it,
- Both the adjustment nut and the circular plastic piece below on the cable won't budge and there is no up and down freeplay. Right above the circular piece doesn't look to even have threads to screw up to. Think I should just cut the cable below and replace?
- I can't seem to pull the clutch release lever that the cable attaches to at all with my hands whereas you seem to be able to pull it without a ton of effort. Any ideas?
Thanks for the videos, they're helping me better understand this car!
Short answer, yes just cut the cable and get a new one.
Long answer: I’ve never seen a clutch cable where that adjustment screw is seized. Sounds like you definitely should get a new cable for that reason alone.
You definitely should have a bit of free play in there. So if there is no free play, then you definitely need to adjust the cable. It sounds like the cable is adjusted too far out and that it is constantly engaging the clutch a bit. Not a HUGE issue, but really not ideal either as unnecessary wear is being placed on a few components (throw out and thrust bearings).
The clutch cable is also only $7 from fcpeuro (I linked it in the description because the price was so good). Also just use their cheapest shipping option. It seems to always arrive significantly quicker than the estimates the site provides.
Feel free to shoot me an email or a dm on Instagram. Email is listed in the “about” page of the channel
@@OlisGarage Cool thanks for the quick reply! Got one on order.
The clutch pedal spring seem to have broken off, how do I fix that?
It seems like on my 84 diesel, I do not have the clearance to lift the pedal-side of the cable off of the hook on the end. The bulkhead of the rain tray is barely rubbing against the top of the pedal at a certain point, any ideas besides removing the entire pedal assembly? (which I think I'll have to remove the steering column and a bunch of other crap)
You could cut the cable, feed it inside, and then yank it off. Just make sure you think the new one will go on first. Otherwise you still have to do more work.
You could also just loosen the 4 screws holding the pedals. That would probably give you enough room
Really helpful, definitely subscribing 👏🏼
Glad you found it useful! My goal is to keep uploading useful repair videos. I’ve got a bunch in the cue (either filmed or parts ordered).
Do you spray silicone grease down the cable ? Or only the ends. Thanks 👍
I only lubricate the end with silicone lube from a tube. The spray evaporates quickly.
No need to spray the inside of the cable; there already is a plastic sleeve in there. I don’t think lubricating the cable will make the plastic last longer.
Good job
Hi Olli, bei meinem Golf 2 kommt das Kupplungspedal nicht mehr alleine bis nach ganz oben zurück. Manchmal bleibt es auch ganz im Boden liegen. Neues Kupplungsseil hat auch keine Besserung gebracht. Ich vermute den Fehler hinter dem grünen Deckel am Getriebe. Wie ist deine Einschätzung? Greetings from Germany.
Hallo Thomas, dieses Erscheinungsbild habe ich noch nie gesehen. Aber, ja unter dem grünen Deckel kann man schauen ob da was fehlt.
Darunter ist das Ausrücklager und auch eine Feder.
Wenn das Pedal nicht wieder nach oben zurück kommt, gibt es Probleme mit dem losfahren als ob die Kupplung noch gedrückt ist?
Es sind drei Federn im System. Die große ist teil der Kupplung und drückt auf die Kupplungsscheibe. Die kleine ist hinter dem grünen Deckel. Die kleine sorgt nur dafür dass das Pedal nicht immer an der Kupplung druckt.
Und eine Feder gibt es auch noch direkt am Pedal damit es auch wieder ganz zurück kommt.
Da es ein Kabel ist, müssen die zwei kleinen Federn dafür sorgen dass sich das Pedal wieder richtig zurück bewegt.
@@OlisGarage Hi Olli, vielen Dank für deine umfassende Antwort. Dass es unten am Kupplungspedal auch noch eine Feder gibt, wusste ich nicht. Das Pedal ist quasi immer ein paar Zentimeter nach unten gedrückt. Wenn ich im kalten Zustand losfahre, funktioniert die Kupplung auch erstmal. Nach ein paar Kilometern dreht die Kupplung dann aber durch und ich trete das Gas dann quasi ins Leere. Außerdem riecht es dann vorne im Motorraum nach verbrannter Kupplung. LG 😀
Great video, excellent advice to check the length of the replacement clutch cable. On mine it had a longer cable and couldn’t be adjusted correctly, would always grind second gear, because of this. I got the proper length cable, and solved the whole shifting issue. Adjusting the cable gap is as you described 3 or 4 mm (1/8”) at the cable conduit, than from the inside of the car by measuring the free play at the clutch pedal to the floor with no floor mat, should be 15 mm (5/8”). This is described in the “Bentley Manual” (a must have for any VW owner). Have you done a video on charging the grommets on the shift linkage, and adjusting the shifting linkage? I need to adjust mine. Thank you.
No video on shift linkage yet. I have the parts though. Just have to take the time to make the video
@@OlisGarage thanks. I have one car that really needs the bushings. Like you I have the parts. I just been busy with other projects.
@@andrerodriguez7603 what is the part number for the longer cable? My 1981 rabbit LX pickup has the longer cable
Did you removed fuse box to get easily to the clutch?
Nope. There’s no need to
I just bought the mk1 now when I press clutch it switches off.
Does this also work on a Volkswagen cabriolet
Absolutey. Same car as the rabbit convertible!
And the next video should be "how to drive your car after the cable has broken" :-)
Haha! That actually isn’t a half bad idea. It just takes a little finesse
Where do you order parts for the cabriolet I have same like you have .?
Honestly from all over. I use Amazon, fcpeuro, autohausaz, mk1autohaus, eBay, and wherever else I can find the part. That’s why I include part numbers
Nice!
clutch cables make my car to vibrate..what's wrong with it*
Flip your clutch retainer clip around, you want the big tooth on the driver side. Looks like you didnt flip it in this video. If the tooth is on the pass side, it will try to pull the rubber part out. Tooth on the driver side will put more pressure on it, making it feel more firm. Darn right handed people ;)
I’ll have to flip it then! Thanks!
I don’t think it will matter that much, but the diagram I put in the video also shows that it should be the other way. Good catch
@@OlisGarage I felt it removed alot of slop out of it, lmk what you think.
My clutch arm isn't coming all the way up ??????????
Kermit frog 🐸