I was doing stop and go traffic on the interstate a couple of nights ago and my clutch popped and the pedal went to the floor. I pulled onto the shoulder, and since I was in first gear, I managed to make it off of the interstate. Turning the key off when I had to stop, and starting it in gear to get moving again I made it home. Anybody have any idea if this is a common chevy problem or if the parts store would even sell clutch linkage pieces anymore? I got this weekend to fix it or else. Thanks for your help!

 

what exactly broke? the clutch master cylinder connects to the clutch pedal, right?

 

It broke where the pedal itself links to a pushrod that goes through the firewall (and into the slave cylinder). There's a bolt that goes through the pedal. I can get the pushrod back onto the bolt, but it's so short that it falls off again after I use the clutch 5-10 times. The problem I have now is that it's completely impossible to see up in there, much less get a friggin ratchet up there. I wonder how a mechanic would fix this??

 

There is supposed to be a C clip holding the rod to the pedal. It probably broke. You can measure the stud and go to lowes or a hardware store and get a new one.

 

Yeah little piece of white plastic holding the clutch pedal to the linkage. Friggin cheapo GM!!! The car's more than 20 years old. Like they couldn't have used a metal snap ring. The problem is I can't get my fingers in there to replace it. I'm wondering if I have to take the whole dashboard off to get at it from the top or something. Getting a little pissed.

 

yup i snapped that little plastic piece before.. same exact situation you are in.. i used a rubberband for a while cause i was lazy.. then i went to the races one weekend and had to worry about the rubberband breaking everytime i touched the pedal.. next day, i made a hard plastic sleeve from a tube and put a washer and a c-clip on it.. i dragged the next day free of worry..

 

zip tie. done.

 

cross-reference this thread for info on the bushing that connects the clutch pedal and the clutch cylinder rod:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...re-1988-a.html