Seicento Sporting SPi 2000 68K miles

Had a new clutch and cable about 15 months ago and it's done around 8K miles since then.

Coming home tonight, I de clutched at a junction and there was a crack noise from under the dash. Clutch pedal sank about an inch or so.
Could just get the clutch to work to get me home but it wont fully de clutch.

Anyhoo, had a quick look when I got home but it's too dark to really get proper look.
The cable moves with the pedal, the quadrant looks to be in one piece.
The clutch adjuster lock nut is still tight.....
Seems to be a lot of play in the quadrant where it pivots at it's centre but if I remember right, isn't that pivot hole an elongated hole?

So, something has happened but not sure what till I can get at it better in the daylight.

Any ideas folks....
Wonder if it's something in the clutch itself
Never done clutch work so I'm a noob at it...

Phil

Mystery solved...

Couldn't find anything broken so adjusted the cable to get the pedal back in position.
De clutched fine...

Still puzzled so I sat in the car and pumped the clutch a dozen times and the cable snapped at the gearbox end inside the outer covering.
Looking at it, all but two strands broke yesterday hence the noise and I was lucky to get back as it was...

Anyhoo, just had a walk down to Autosupplies and got a new cable ready to fit tomorrow.

Ain't life grand

Phil

When fitting a new clutch, it is best to replace the cable as well as it has probably had a hard life. The routing and design is pretty poor on right hand drive versions.

cc1 said:

When fitting a new clutch, it is best to replace the cable as well as it has probably had a hard life. The routing and design is pretty poor on right hand drive versions.

Click to expand...

It had a new cable when the clutch was changed.
Just found the bill and spookilly it was exactly to the day, two years ago...



Phil

A little advice from a former mechanic for anyone with any vehicle with any normal non DMF style clutch.
Every time a clutch is fitted.
Clean well with 120 grit the spigot the thrust travels on and grease it liberally
That is where many cable failures start at
If well lubed the pressure to press the clutch is much less especially after a few months and even years.
Servicing today seems to not involve lubing anything but if the clutch thrust has to travel up and down a dry spigot it will quickly become sticky thus it takes no time for cables to break.

We have had in our family several Seicento's and 2 broken cables to date.
I still drive a 99 Abarth that I re-shelled 5 years ago. 1242 engine and LPG

Got it done today...
Bought two cables (different lengths) as I didn't know which mine was.
Turns out this car uses the longer one (700mm ish)
Will take the shorter one back and swap it for another longer one for a spare.

Job took about 2 hours and very fiddly but if I had to do it again,I would
use different methods.....

Clutch is now a lot lighter to operate so I guess the old cable was having problems for a while....

Onwards and upwards


Phil