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View Full Version : 172 soft pedal conversion - test driven and have a problem



cliokiz
09-05-2007, 18:44
Right, had to chop off the bottom part of the standard airbox in order for it to fit, but it went on in the end so all is well with that.

Anyway, i now have a new problem :evil:

When i first started driving today it was fine, went through all gears no problem, about 15 minutes into the drive i started having difficulty getting it into gear. If i switched the engine off and put it in first, then started it, it was ok, and i could continue driving, but was awkward to change gear.

At the next set of lights it just would not go into first gear at all, so i had to pull over. After a few clutch presses i managed to get it into first and start the engine, then drive on, but keeping it in 1st/2nd gear.

As the drive went on it got even worse, with the clutch pedal fully depressed when in first gear the car was creeping forwards. If i applied the handbrake the revs dropped as it was trying to move then eventually stalled.

I managed to reach my friends house, where we checked it all out and everything seemed normal. Gears could be selected with the engine off, but not when started.

I then called the RAC and got them to take me to a specialist clutch garage in Leicester. They had a look at it and took off the clutch pedal stop, and also adjusted the pedal mechanism, then it was able to select gears OK.

So, i drove out the garage and drove around for a while, and it was fine, the only problem was that the clutch pedal was now sitting extremely high, and the bite point is now really high, so much so that it's really uncomfortable to drive.

It seems as though it's not able to move the release arm enough to release the clutch fully, but i'm not really sure what it is.

Can those of you that have carried out this conversion let me know how you have done it, and whether you've had similar problems?

Any advice much appreciated!

Cheers,

Kieran

tony16v
10-05-2007, 08:15
think you may have to adjust the stop rubber on the pedal / pedal box, so the pedal will sit higher... the pedal will have to move more, cos the travel is longer...

cheers Tony.

cliokiz
10-05-2007, 16:49
You're right, removing the pedal stop makes it work correctly. However i don't think it's to do with how far the pedal needs to travel, the pedal stop blocks the mechanism from pulling the cable far enough to release the clutch.

When the pedal stop is on, if i press the pedal down and watch the mechanism, you can see it's stopping against the pedal stop, which is why the clutch isn't releasing properly. If i take this out, the mechanism can move further and pulls the cable further, this releasing the clutch fully.

What can i do to stop it needing to pull the cable so far?

northy
10-05-2007, 17:05
So basically whats happening is - now you have a bigger release arm you need more travel of the pedal to get the full range of movement ???

cliokiz
10-05-2007, 20:56
Seems like it, but the pedal is far too high, as is the biting point, and it's now extremely uncomfortable to drive. Is there no way of fixing this? I've never heard of anyone else having such an issue with this conversion?

Rich
10-05-2007, 21:07
i've never heard of the conversion tbh woth the 172 arm, only the volvo arm

mike16valver
11-05-2007, 10:03
Ok I have just been reading this

http://www.retro-renault.com/forums/engine-mechanical/49-soft-pedal-clutch-conversion.html

I noticed Cliokiz has posted on here.....

But which is the better conversion 172 or Volvo...? or is there any difference?