A friend is having issues with there beetle clutch. Story is: Bought car and drove back from Norfolk to Lincoln fine. parked up for a few weeks, then went to drive and pedal went straight to floor. thought the cable had snapped but it is fine, turns out the return spring had snapped, so replaced that but still unable to get clutch to work properly. Its super super light clutch as well and pedal doesn't always return all the way. is it still something with the cable and spring or is it an engine out and clutch change job?
Classic beetle? I would start by checking the bowden tube, while someone operates the clutch. You often find that the metal tube that runs through the chassis spine breaks away from the chassis, giving the symptons you describe. It's only tacked in place at the back. If all looks OK from underneath when the clutch is operated, it's engine out time. Modern beetle? Air in the hydraulics
classic beetle started off with clutch pedal to floor symptom. found return spring broken so thought it was that. also thought it was cable but seems ok and now moves arm but still super light and not engaging clutch properly. i need to go and try and adjust the cable properly.
Its the super light clutch that made me think of the tube. If it breaks away from the chassis, the tube just flexs, giving a sort of light clutch feeling, but not really moving the clutch release arm on the gearbox. When you say the return spring was broken, do you mean the pedal one, or gearbox end one?
gearbox one. didnt think there was one on the pedal end. makes sense about the tube, as the arm doesnt seem to move that much and the clutch isnt disengaging the engine as if you put it in gear and try to start it with the pedal down it jumps lie the clutch pedal isnt down
Hmm, it does sound like either the tube, or an arm snapped of the clutch release arm. Odd that it drove home ok though.
@Dubs I could move the clutch arm with one finger, only resistance was the return spring. Pretty sure it's something inside. It's now in my garage and I'll drop the engine to have a look. It's a mint beetle. It has twin carbs which I think will interfere with me dropping the engine. Will I need to take them off first?
It does sound like you will need to drop the engine then. Yes, you will need to remove the carbs first, theres not much wriggle room in the back of Beetles.
Don't think should be able to move this by hand //cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5ac3f34363661/VID_20180403_191524.mp4
Got that too. I could actually still work the clutch long enough to get home after tightening the nut at the end.
Yes, thats foooked. I will take a guess at snapped clutch release arm. Are you going to put your EJ20 in it when no one is looking?
Yes still got it, in a bit of a sorry state. Just front beam to sort out and then I can get it in the road and have some fun in it
