2400 coupé clutch cable

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The Dutch Dino
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:34 pm
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Coupe
Location: The Netherlands

2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by The Dutch Dino »

My clutch cable is not smooth. When I depress the clutch it makes a noise as the cable has some resistance and does not move smoothly in its sleeve.

Does anybody have some tips on how to lubricate it? From the top or bottom?
Thanks.
Leo
Dino Coupé 2400x2
The Netherlands
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Tobi
Site Admin
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Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Coupe
Location: Upper Palatinate - Bavaria

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by Tobi »

Better replace it.
maxlouis
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:48 am
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by maxlouis »

I have had exactly that problem on my 2400 Spider and treated it (not quite cured...) by taking off the cable, hanging it vertically and injecting sewing machine oil down the inside of the cable sleeve, whilst pushing the cable up and down. A bit 'Heath Robinson' but it improved by a margin. I do remember Mike Elliot (ex Superformance) saying that because they get so hot and the route is somewhat tortuous, the problem remains perennial - apparently he cured it for one customer by converting to a hydraulic mechanism.
abarth4
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:55 am
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider
Location: USA Midwest

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by abarth4 »

As soon as I am able I will post an article I wrote a long time ago detailing clutch cable replacement and what I did to solve the issue of the cable getting too hot and deteriorating.
Charlie Bates
Metamora Illinois, USA
Fiat Dino Spider 2400 #1186
abarth4
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Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider
Location: USA Midwest

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by abarth4 »

OK. Here's my attempt at uploading the clutch cable I wrote a long time ago and what I did to protect it from exhaust heat. Hopefully the pictures work!
Attachments
Dino clutch cable.doc
(492 KiB) Downloaded 529 times
Charlie Bates
Metamora Illinois, USA
Fiat Dino Spider 2400 #1186
abarth4
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:55 am
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider
Location: USA Midwest

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by abarth4 »

Looks like if you open it in a newer version of MS Word, you need to "enable editing" to view the pictures.... If you have trouble, let me know and I'll see if I can post it up differently
Charlie Bates
Metamora Illinois, USA
Fiat Dino Spider 2400 #1186
abarth4
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:55 am
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider
Location: USA Midwest

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by abarth4 »

I'll try to post up the pictures by themselves. Looks like there's trouble when opening...
Charlie Bates
Metamora Illinois, USA
Fiat Dino Spider 2400 #1186
maxlouis
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:48 am
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by maxlouis »

Excellent piece Charlie; I will think about doing that to mine. Thanks, Matt
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Tobi
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Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by Tobi »

For all who have troubles opening Charlie's article above, here it is.

Hi. My name is Charlie Bates. I've been involved with cars all my life and have had a warm spot in my heart for Italian machinery ever since I can remember. Some of you readers may know me but most probably do not so I'll try to fill you in a little on my background. My schooling is as a mechanical engineer with an automotive & power specialty. I've worked (both in the US and Germany) for Robert Bosch Corporation where I did application development for diesel fuel injection systems. Since 1986 I've been part owner of a Bosch Authorized Service Center shop where we do service and repair on European and Asian cars, specializing in Porsche, Mercedes Benz & BMW automobiles. I've worked in the motorsports industry dealing with CART & IRL teams selling parts & doing some shock development. I currently work for Caterpillar in advanced fuel systems R&D as a test engineer.
I have recently purchased 1969 Dino spider 2400 #1186 and would like to share a repair that I performed recently. When I test drove my car prior to purchase, I noticed that the clutch pedal was very hard to push. The clutch seemed to function normally (no slippage, noise, or chatter) so I knew that I would have to look into it in the near future. Since the clutch on my car is cable actuated, I first suspected a cable problem. The fact that it is in very close proximity to the drivers side exhaust headers made me think that perhaps the cable was getting baked in its housing. This spring, a friend of mine was over in the UK on business, and with him being a car guy, he volunteered to visit Superformance and pick me up a cable while he was there. How could I pass up a deal like that? Personalized hand carry service! As I thought about putting in the new cable, I also began to think about how I could improve on the stock installation so I would not cause the new cable to die a premature death.
When I was working in the motorsports business, we sold a product to all of the teams (especially CART & IRL) called Firesleeve. It is a high temperature silicone sleeve lined with insulating material that kind of looks like a terry cloth towel. It is designed especially for insulating control cables and hydraulic lines in high heat areas.
firesleeve1.png
firesleeve1.png (543.6 KiB) Viewed 11574 times

Well, I thought this clutch cable was a good candidate for a Firesleeve update! It turns out that dash 8 (also known as -8) Firesleeve was a near perfect fit over the clutch cable outer sheath. I had a piece cut to the proper length and slid it over the cable.
cable1.png
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To secure it on the ends, I used a small piece of stainless steel safety wire that I twisted to form a snug fit around the end of the Firesleeve.
cable2.png
cable2.png (522.93 KiB) Viewed 11574 times
From here on out, it was a pretty straight forward clutch cable replacement. Be certain to disassemble, clean and lubricate the bell crank assembly on the bell housing as there are needle bearings there that tend to get gummed up with age.
linkage2.png
linkage2.png (396.2 KiB) Viewed 11574 times
Detaching the clevis end at the pedal took a bit of effort as you almost need to stand on your head under the dash. Replace all the little cotter pins that you come across. They are very cheap and reuse may leave you stranded if they break. Another very important point is to lubricate the new cable prior to installation. I used an aerosol and drizzled lube down the cable until it ran out the other end. Make certain that you have a good chassis ground strap connection as I have seen other cars that have had premature clutch cable failures because the cable was being used as a ground path! Most important is the alignment of the cable in the engine bay. You want it to have a straight shot into the bell crank assembly and where it goes through the firewall. It should also have as big a bend radius as possible. This is not as easy as it sounds! It took me a while to get it routed just the way I wanted it when I did mine. It can be done however! You will notice how close it comes to the headers. That's where the Firesleeve helps out.
finished.png
finished.png (584.57 KiB) Viewed 11574 times
When it's finished, you can rest assured that the clutch cable should no longer be the weak link in the system. I know, some people will say that the Firesleeve detracts from the "original" appearance etc. etc. You know what? I don't find that a problem. I know my cable will work, work properly, and work for a long time. Besides, it's a non destructive repair and if someone ever buys my car and doesn't like it, they can take it off! Firesleeve can be had from most major motorsports supply houses. I just happened to buy mine at Motorsports Spared International in Indianapolis IN. Phone is 317-241-7500. It cost about $35 for the Firesleeve. A small price to pay for extended peace of mind while driving my Dino!
The Dutch Dino
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:34 pm
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Coupe
Location: The Netherlands

Re: 2400 coupé clutch cable

Post by The Dutch Dino »

Excellent! Great reply. This is what the forum is about: saving this info for future reference and being able to search for it in the future as well.
Thanks! I guess I have something to do during winter time...
Leo
Dino Coupé 2400x2
The Netherlands
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