A Couple Of Questions

[robmc52]

Evening all

A weekend of twiddling with the XM beckons, including replacing some dead panel lights. Can anyone explain how to disconnect the speedo cable so I can get to the back of the instrument cluster?

Something else that needs looking at is the clutch pedal. Russek says there should be no free play at the pedal but I would say that about a third of the total movement of mine is just that. The biting point is quite low but the action is smooth and progressive, does the slack just need taking up with the adjusting nuts at the gearbox end or is there something wrong with the cable.? I've tried to decipher the drawing of the self adjusting mechanism but haven't quite got it yet. Going to have another look when the headache has gone.

Cheers
Bob

[xmexclusive]

Hi Bob

If the speedo is a wire drive one then the cable has a white plastic sliding collar on the end of the outer sheath. Pull this collar back away from the rear of the speedo head and it should release the drive cable.

Regards

XMexc

This post has been edited by xmexclusive on December 01, 2007 01:10 am

[Peter.N.]

Hi Bob

You dont say whether you car is a Mk1 or 2. If Mk1, as XMexec says, if Mk2 its an electronic speedo and is connected via one of the multiplugs so is automatically disconnected when you remove the panel.

The clutch auto adjust is contained within the cable, if it has a lot of slack the adjuster has probably been damaged. The easiest and cheapest way to remedy this is to fit a spacer on the gearbox end to take up the slack. I have used a suitably sized nut with a slot cut in the side to enable you to slip it over the inner cable with good effect.

Peter.N.

[robmc52]

Thanks for the advice guys, it's a mk1 Peter, the speedo drive is easy to see from outside the car but awkward to get at once inside.

Bob

[aengus-xmv6]

hi Bob, how many miles on the current clutch?

Sounds like either the clutch is close to worn - is the pedal travelling all the way back on it's own, or staying low to the floor, but returns back if you help it by lifting it with your foot?

There's a spring in the adjuster cable and that could get weakenned in time if constantly on the clutch, but wear of the clutch if it's high mileage is probably the cause IMHO.

regards
Dave

[robmc52]

Hi Dave

The slack is in the pedal linkage somewhere as far as I can see, there's no move ment at the gearbox end of the cable until the free play is taken up as the pedal is depressed. (does that make any sense?) The pedal returns on it's own freely, the clutch works fine, the take up is smooth and progressive, if there was no free play at the pedal the biting point would be higher (ie, where it should be). If possible I'll have to have a look under the dash to see if I can spot where the slack is, if the cable is moving at the pedal end can I assume that the automatic adjuster is up the spout? The clutch was replaced about 4 years ago and has only done 6-7000 miles since. The action isn't heavy either.

Bob

[Peter.N.]

Hi Bob

You won't see any slack at the gearbox end unless you pull on the cable, it should cause the pedal to return to normal height. The linkage that connects to the pedal, including the right angle where the cable goes throught the bulkhead , is all part of the cable assembly, there is no other linkage.

Peter.N.

[robmc52]

Hi Peter

No problem with the pedal, it returns to the high position without any help, the free play
(approx a third of the total stroke of the pedal) doesn't result in any movement of the operating lever. According to the Russek manual there should be no free play at the pedal hence the question in my last post, is the free play taking place within the automatic adjuster? Still can't quite work out from the drawings in the manual exactly how the adjuster works, is it altering the length of the outer cable in effect? I need a scratching head smiley for this.

Bob

[Peter.N.]

Hi Bob

Yes, that's exactly what it does. There is a spring around the outside of the cable at the top end behind the engine, which is trying to lengthen the outer cable thus taking up the slack. There is a ratchet arrangement which locks the outer cable in position, what has probably happened is that the ratchet is damaged and won't lock the cable. This usually happens when someone has disconnected the cable and let it go! This extends the outer and makes the inner to short. To adjust it you need to make a tool out of a straightened out wire coathanger with a hook on the end that you can engage with the end of the spring and compress it, by pulling, while you pull on the inner and fix it on the lever, you really need three hands for this job but I have done it by myself. If people are not aware of the spring compressing procedure, they usually pull on the end of the inner cable until they break the ratchet!

The cure, other than replacing the cable, which involves removing the front seat so you can lay on the floor with your head under the dashboard to try and attach the cable to the pedal. Is to take the slack out of the cable at the clutch lever end. The slack won't be immediatly obvious, as the spring is still trying to take the slack up, but when you put your foot on the pedal, the movement compresses the spring instead of moving the clutch. You will have to pull on the inner cable to see the slack and then insert something between the end of the cable and the pedal to take it up. A nut with a slot cut in the side so you can slide it over the cable usually suffices.

Peter.N.

[robmc52]

Hi Peter
Thanks for that comprehensive explanation, it's all become clear to me now! I'll try the coathanger trick if I can find one, we're posh in our house we've olnly got wooden hangers!

Bob