Clutch feel 3500s?

Philippe Holland

Philippe Holland

Member
Hello, can anyone tell me please what the clutch should feel like on a 3500s, especially compared to a modern car?
I have fixed the gearbox rod/finger/bush problem that was stopping the car from engaging third gear and can now use it.
The previous owner changed the clutch master and slave cylinders and the clutch disengages and engages. It appears to be adjusted correctly.
However the engagement is quite abrupt and the pedal travel short. There are no funny noises. The pedal does not appear to pump up either.
Does this seem normal or do you think that the clutch cover could be getting tired? Any advice gratefully received. Many thanks, Philippe
 
Difficult to know what you mean by it "appears" to be set up correctly. Make sure that it is before you get in too deep elsewhere. On the travel, do you mean that the bite point is close to the floor, or that you only have to touch the pedal and the clutch operates?

The clutches are fairly heavy to operate, but I've never considered them excessively so, and when correctly ste up and working properly they have a nice "feel" to them too.
 
To set the clutch linkage up:

Pull back the carpets in the footwell.
Adjust the brake pedal height to 6&7/8" from the bottom of the pedal straight down to the floor.
Set the clutch pedal to the same height by adjusting the pushrod under the master cyl.
Wind the pedal stop bolt all the way down.
Push the clutch arm on the gearbox fully rearwards, at that point the bottom end should be one spline forward.
If not remove the arm and reset it.
Extend the pushrod on the adjuster to push the slave piston well back, and then with an assistant operating the pedal to the stop, adjust the pushrod until, with the pedal on the stop, the slave piston just touches the circlip.
Then wind the pedal stop upwards by one turn, and check that with the pedal on the stop you have at least 25 thou clearance between the piston and the circlip. If not wind the stop bolt up a touch more.
 
Thank you Harvey. I drove the car for the first time properly this morning. It has been in hibernation for 36 years!
The clutch is quite meaty but all seems to be fine. Where's the 5th gear? Joking aside it does get quite buzzy in 4th, but
I had forgotten quite how brilliant these cars are. My 3500 auto is very tired but this S feels remarquably tight.
It has only 40,000 miles or so. I'll introduce the car in another thread.
Still, lots to keep me busy and the hands dirty! Thanks again for your advice.
Philippe
 
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