Clutch pedal broke while driving
08-03-05, 10:06 PM
#1
Clutch pedal broke while driving
My clutch pedal felt a bit weird while I was driving home. Since I didnt have any tools at the time and the clutch still worked fine, I decided to drive home to check it out. After a while, the clutch pedal no longer came up and was forced to make a pit stop in a parking lot at 2am. When I got out I saw the "push rod" (goes into the clutch master) laying on the floor mat. I figured it came loose and it was an easy fix. To my surprise, the threaded part of the rod was still stuck on the pedal leaving me stranded with no clutch 30 minutes from home.
Since I had no tools to ghetto rig something, I realized I had two options: 1) Face a $150 tow truck bill or 2) drive it home. I chose to drive it home with no clutch
. I pushed the car to get it rolling in the parking lot, quickly hopped in the drivers seat, got the tranny into second gear and drove the car home.
I ordered a new push rod to replace the broken one but when I removed the clutch pedal, I found more damage. Do I need a new clutch pedal? The hole for the push rod assembly doesnt look right to me. The FSM shows this hole as being round, not oval-shaped like mine. Heres some pics...
Before I took the pedal off:
Broken push rod:
Clutch pedal assembly. Is this hole supposed to be like this?
Push rod assembly. Note the bad spacer:
Since I had no tools to ghetto rig something, I realized I had two options: 1) Face a $150 tow truck bill or 2) drive it home. I chose to drive it home with no clutch
. I pushed the car to get it rolling in the parking lot, quickly hopped in the drivers seat, got the tranny into second gear and drove the car home. I ordered a new push rod to replace the broken one but when I removed the clutch pedal, I found more damage. Do I need a new clutch pedal? The hole for the push rod assembly doesnt look right to me. The FSM shows this hole as being round, not oval-shaped like mine. Heres some pics...
Before I took the pedal off:
Broken push rod:
Clutch pedal assembly. Is this hole supposed to be like this?
Push rod assembly. Note the bad spacer:
08-04-05, 06:47 AM
#5
Lives on the Forum
Looks like the bushing ("spacer") broke long ago and this allowed metal to metal contact between the soft aluminum pedal and the hard steel pin. Notice the heavy galling on the pin; this wore the clutch pedal over time. I'd replace the pedal as the hole should in fact be round.
The pushrod is a classic fatigue break right at the end of the threads. Once the bushing broke and the pedal was worn so badly the clevis in the end of the pushrod was able to move around and no longer stay centered over the end of the master cylinder. After enough cycles the pushrod snapped because it was being bent slightly everytime it was actuated.
The root cause was the plastic bushing wearing out. The rest of the damage probably took years to come about. Ever notice tiny aluminum shavings in the floor mat? It would have looked like grey powder.
The pushrod is a classic fatigue break right at the end of the threads. Once the bushing broke and the pedal was worn so badly the clevis in the end of the pushrod was able to move around and no longer stay centered over the end of the master cylinder. After enough cycles the pushrod snapped because it was being bent slightly everytime it was actuated.
The root cause was the plastic bushing wearing out. The rest of the damage probably took years to come about. Ever notice tiny aluminum shavings in the floor mat? It would have looked like grey powder.
08-04-05, 08:13 AM
#6
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
Definitely not a common failure, but I think Damon's got the failure right on the head. It should be pretty easy to find good used parts, maybe replace that bushing with a new part just for insurance.
Dale
Dale
08-04-05, 08:35 AM
#7
Driveline Killer
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Wow I didn't even know such a failure could happen on a car thats only about 10 years old.
It gives me one more thing to worry about while driving my old azz hoopty first gens adn my FC turbo.......
Geez its been about 2 years since my last FD........now I am sad.....
It gives me one more thing to worry about while driving my old azz hoopty first gens adn my FC turbo.......
Geez its been about 2 years since my last FD........now I am sad.....
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08-04-05, 09:20 AM
#8
Hmm thats interesting I just had a problem with my clutch last night where it was sticking and not returning to my foot, I had it towed but it was $43. I hope its nothing major.....
08-04-05, 09:30 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by HYDOUKEN
Since were on the topic of a clutch pedal....a real quick question. Do you guys know of any replacement for this bushing, mine broke off.
-Rob
08-04-05, 09:49 AM
#12
Lives on the Forum
Originally Posted by HYDOUKEN
Since were on the topic of a clutch pedal....a real quick question. Do you guys know of any replacement for this bushing, mine broke off.
08-04-05, 10:13 AM
#13
I've seen this kind of issue before.
Not to failure but the brake pedal on my FC did the same thing
http://www.negative-camber.org/crisp.../pedalhole.jpg
Notice the elongated hole for the pushrod.
FWIW
Crispy
Not to failure but the brake pedal on my FC did the same thing
http://www.negative-camber.org/crisp.../pedalhole.jpg
Notice the elongated hole for the pushrod.
FWIW
Crispy
08-04-05, 02:22 PM
#14
Thanks for the replies. Now the fun part of finding a new clutch pedal begins. I searched the FS section but theres a few wanted ads for clutch pedals with no replies. If any of you have or know where I can get a pedal, please let me know.
Thanks
Thanks
08-04-05, 02:51 PM
#17
Rotary Freak
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Originally Posted by wan
Thanks for the replies. Now the fun part of finding a new clutch pedal begins. I searched the FS section but theres a few wanted ads for clutch pedals with no replies. If any of you have or know where I can get a pedal, please let me know.
Thanks
Thanks
08-04-05, 02:55 PM
#18
Lives on the Forum
Originally Posted by wan
Thanks for the replies. Now the fun part of finding a new clutch pedal begins.
08-04-05, 03:15 PM
#19
Originally Posted by Section8
You may have to bite the bullet and source a new one. I'd call Ray at Malloy and get a quote at least.
Originally Posted by DamonB
If you have a friend who is really handy with a TIG maybe he could work something up for you. Regardless the pedal has to come out of the car.
12-22-07, 09:13 PM
#22
I got a BIG RxTi0N
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12-23-07, 12:04 PM
#24
I got all of my parts from Mazdatrix. It helped that I knew the sales guy and they're within driving distance from me. I ended up buying a used clutch pedal from a local wrecking yard that had some FDs. It was almost impossible to get a clutch pedal on the forum when I was looking for mine. I'll look through my receipts to see if I still have the bill from Mazdatrix with their part numbers. If I recall correctly, all of these parts are available from Mazda. The "spacer" is a bushing. I dont know why I kept calling it a spacer. Must have been a really good brain fart I was on.
12-23-07, 12:15 PM
#25
I got all of my parts from Mazdatrix. It helped that I knew the sales guy and they're within driving distance from me. I ended up buying a used clutch pedal from a local wrecking yard that had some FDs. It was almost impossible to get a clutch pedal on the forum when I was looking for mine. I'll look through my receipts to see if I still have the bill from Mazdatrix with their part numbers. If I recall correctly, all of these parts are available from Mazda. The "spacer" is a bushing. I dont know why I kept calling it a spacer. Must have been a really good brain fart I was on.