clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

Clutch pedal seems to have come disengaged from the linkage.

General discussion of the incident at https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/post...4-post142.html

Anybody have pics of what the correctly-assembled linkage is supposed to look like under the dash?

It was dark when mine failed, and I didn't do a knock-out job of poking under the seats and the dash, to search for any parts that might have self-disassembled.

Will go at it in the morning when I'm in better shape, and the light is better.

Would be helpful if I knew what missing parts I should look for, and also how they should be fitted when/if I do find them.

This is the only diagram I was able to locate.
Somewhat lacking in clarity.

Attachment 354576

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

honestly just look to see if the rod poped off if not check the lines for fluid to see if any split.

if u dont see any of that wrong then u know its the master or slave cyl that went bad


does the clutch pedel have any resistance at all when u press on the pedal if not the rod prolly poped off

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

I'm having coffee now to gird myself.

Last night, when it went, the pedal had zero resistance after it failed.

It just flopped down to the floor, and I could lift it with my pinky.
The pedal arm just swings like a child's swing set.

Presumably, if the "rod popped off," something self-disassembled.

What missing parts am I looking for?

Anybody got a quick pick of what a non-rod-popped-off connection is supposed to look like?

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

look in the v6 section for a post started by gumby in the last week he just had this happen i think he has pictures posted

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

OK... found gumby's thread.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/6...op-clutch.html

Thanks!

That helps a little.

The pizza-by-the-slice shop that we pushed it to in-front-of opens at 11:00 I think.
I'll Camry myself over there, and inspect, and shoot some pics/vids if an improvised solution is not readily apparent.

I swear I'm not making this up.

There is an auto parts shop next to the pizza shop.
Not sure if they are open on Sunday though.

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

Got it fixed with a pair of channel locks.

"Just" popped the two pieces back together.

It does take some contortioning to get under there to work on it.

I got the two parts to line-up that needed to go together, but I could not pinch hard enough with my fingers to make the white plastic bushing on the clutch shaft (newish-looking part that comes through the firewall) snap fully onto the pin on the clutch pedal.

A pair of pliers would easily provide sufficient force to get the parts to snap together, but I could not maneuver the jaws of my channel locks into the small space where the joint is positioned when the mechanism is at rest.

I was able to hold the pedal and the shaft together (barely) while my buddy slowly pressed the clutch pedal. This caused the pedal and the shaft to extend to a more-accessible position. Only then, I was able to get the channel-locks on the two parts and make them snap together. It would have taken a small miracle to do this by myself. Maybe a some sort of super-long needle-nose type pliers could reach the joint where it is positioned when the pedal is at rest. The channel-locks were never going to get into the at-rest location without somebody pushing the pedal to at least the halfway position.

Close up of joint.
Attachment 354549

Floorboard shot.
Attachment 354550

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

is it me or r u missing the clutch saftey switch ?

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

I have a clutch safety switch function. It will not crank unless clutch is depressed.

Not sure where to look for the actual switch.

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

In your picture behind the clutch you can see the clutch safety button. Yeah when you push the clutch in it eventually pushes the black button back there. My linkage fell apart otw home from work otherday.

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

Santa brought me a new clutch pedal bushing.

This is the tabbed "plastic" bushing that allows the clutch pedal to connect to the clutch cylinder.

I explained it to my wife that the clutch cylinder arm is a stick with a loop like a "bubble wand" from dime-store amusement soap bubbles. The clutch pedal works like a teeter-totter ridden by two children. One of the children is your foot and the other child is holding out his arm to stick in the loop of the bubble wand. The objective is for the child to stick his wrist in the bubble wand, and keep it there while you drive the Camaro. The bushing makes it possible for the child to keep his grip on the bubble wand.

Here we have the bushing that absolutely must work as intended, or you won't have a functioning clutch pedal.

Five bucks (plus 15 bucks shipping) from GMPartsdirect.com

Third Gen clutch pedal bushing GM part number 14091384

Attachment 340885

Attachment 340886

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

Packaging and a few more pics.

Attachment 340882

Attachment 340883

Attachment 340884

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

Disassembly of the linkage is probably not going to be an issue, since you probably won't be working on this part unless its already self-disassembled itself.

You must first remove (what's left of) the old bushing.

I wasn't sure whether to first mount the bushing on the clutch cylinder rod, and then onto the clutch pedal stud.... or vice-versa. I saw some pics on the net of new clutch cylinders sold with the bushing already installed, so I assumed that mechanics would just smoosh the bushing over the pedal-stud. If such practice is acceptable, I figured it reasonable to install the bushing on the clutch cylinder rod first.

I used a liberal amount of TETRA brand synthetic gun grease to facilitate installation of the bushing. Its a very tight fit on the clutch cylinder rod.

Once the bushing was on the clutch cylinder rod, it took little effort to snap it onto the greased stud on the clutch pedal. Notice how there are three little tabs on the inner face of the bushing that engage a slot on the clutch pedal stud. If these tabs are damaged, you are in for trouble with your clutch pedal linkage. Maintaining a supply of spares is strongly advised.

It is CRUCIAL that the little tabs on the bushing not be damaged during the installation. The plastic seems tough enough to endure installation without damage - especially if you use grease to smooth the way. I have serious doubts that this bushing can endure cycles of removal and re-installation. So, if you are doing work that requires disassembly of the clutch pedal from the clutch cylinder rod, in my opinion you are playing with fire if you do not install a NEW BUSHING each time you separate the two parts.

Here's the money-shot of the bushing installed.

Attachment 340880

Here is a pic showing the linkage as it appears with the clutch pedal fully-depressed. Also in this pic, you can see a metal spring-steel CLEVIS clip that holds the brake-pedal linkage together. We can only wonder why no such clevis clip is utilized on the clutch pedal. I ordered some of the clevis clips (sold in a pack of 5) when I ordered the clutch pedal bushing, in hopes that the clevis clips could be used on the clutch pedal. Absent considerable modification, the brake pedal clevis clips CANNOT be installed on the clutch pedal.

Attachment 340881

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

Here's the old perished bushing. Notice how the little tabs on the inside of the bushing are damaged. These damaged tabs are the reason why my linkage kept self-disassembling.

Attachment 340877

Attachment 340878

Attachment 340879

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

When it eventually happens again, all you need to do is to cut the retainer tabs off and get another clip like is on the brake pedal (in the pic with the entire pedal assembly, it's under the white brake light switch). Apparently the early style pedals used this retainer, and it will never come apart until you want it to. I personally hate that bushing as it is such a pain to get everything back together, but I suppose it's better than having the pedal flop I used to have :eek: .

Re: clutch pedal failure - 1988 Camaro V6 5-speed
 

when you were reassembling the pedal are there any electrical connectors connected to the clutch pedal? and did you replace all the bushings, or just the one? I need to replace all my bushings and I have no clue how to do it so I am just trying to get a general idea on how to do it!! thanks....