240D 4 spd.clutch problem. Pedal adjustment?

[sun tortise]

Clutch has started to engage at the very top of the pedal travel, and just barely; it takes a few seconds to fully engage, and will occasionally slip. This after a long highway trip mostly in 4th about 70 m.p.h. where it seemed to act normally. There is little or no pedal free play. Checking the various posts on the subject, i read that there is an eccentric adjustment. Wondering how to access this adjustment, how to check the clutch disc for wear, and what could make it go from normal to acting like this relatively quickly. The car has about 160K miles, and as far as i know, the original clutch.



Thanks for any advice.

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by sun tortise

There is little or no pedal free play. Checking the various posts on the subject, i read that there is an eccentric adjustment. Wondering how to access this adjustment,

W115, or W123?
Both have eccentric adjustments, but opposite adjust & lock nut/bolt arrangements.

[sun tortise]

Sorry, forgot there were earler 240D's that were different, Mine is a W123.

[t walgamuth]

The adjustment may not be able to compensate for the wear in your clutch. When a clutch is worn it will eventually begin to slip, more in the upper gears first. Avoid making it slip and you can drive it with the slip for a while...probably long enough to locate and purchase the parts needed to fix.

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by sun tortise

Sorry, forgot there were earler 240D's that were different, Mine is a W123.

st:

The eccentric is located at the point where the clutch master cylinder (M/C) push rod connects to the pedal. The bolt in the center of the eccentric is the lock, and the bushing is the eccentric part.
Loosen the lock bolt enough that the bushing may be turned, and turn the bushing to the point that results in the push rod being as far out of the M/C as possible. At that point there should be free play at the pedal pad. If so, adjust for about 1/8 - 1/4" pedal play. If free play cannot be achieved, it is a good sign that the clutch disc has worn to the end of its service life.
There is another check for disc wear that is done at the slave cylinder that is easy to understand with a drawing of the tool and the slave push rod, but not so easy to describe without the pictures.

[oldsinner111]

I learned from old british leyland crap,use a dail indicator on crank pulley to check thrust bearings. Cranks are bad for sliding forward. Had one car I put 5 friction disk in two years

[sun tortise]

I can barely see the eccentric adjustment thru a quarter size hole, behind all sorts of wires, air tubes etc. I don't see how Houdini could get at that to adjust it short of cutting an access hole in the fire wall!

[sun tortise]

With a sufficient amount of cussing, i was able to reach that eccentric sleeve. The lock nut took a 13 mm wrench, and the sleeve itself a 15mm.


By skewing the sleeve with the eccentricity pointing up, away from the master cylinder, it seemed that the pedal has a little less resistance for the first 1/4 inch or so, tho not exactly what would be considered free play on my old Volkswagons.


So tomorrow i will take it for a test drive to see if the clutch works better, and i didn't short out any critical wires while struggling under the dash.



I was astounded to see that just the disc is over $100, let alone the pressure plate and other parts. So if that adjustment didn't fix it, i will probably sell the car and buy a bunch of solar panels and a Tesla or Chevy Bolt.

[t walgamuth]

it takes a few seconds to fully engage,

This suggests a couple of things...first, perhaps the hydraulic clutch has a gummed up master or slave cylinder.
If that is true then bleeding it until the brake fluid comes clear might do the trick. The only other thing I can think of is something not working correctly in the pressure plate.

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by sun tortise

Clutch has started to engage at the very top of the pedal travel, and just barely; it takes a few seconds to fully engage, and will occasionally slip. This after a long highway trip mostly in 4th about 70 m.p.h. where it seemed to act normally. There is little or no pedal free play. Checking the various posts on the subject, i read that there is an eccentric adjustment. Wondering how to access this adjustment, how to check the clutch disc for wear, and what could make it go from normal to acting like this relatively quickly. The car has about 160K miles, and as far as i know, the original clutch.



Thanks for any advice.

I have a similar problem, but also different: My MT 240 D - 1979- seems to be stuck in 3rd.
I can push the clutch in, start the car, roll it fast down the driveway and engage it in 3rd and it drives normally in that speed only. Given my health lately and the fact that I am now working full-time, but in an isolation chamber because of the (new) job, I rarely have time to crawl under, so I am gathering info, for when I tackle it.


Sorry to piggyback on your situation, but am wondering if the two are related???

[t walgamuth]

Sounds like you clutch is not disengaging fully. Could be hydraulics or pressure plate.

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Sounds like you clutch is not disengaging fully. Could be hydraulics or pressure plate.

Curious that you should say that.


It's Pancakes!

[sun tortise]

Adjusted the eccentric, and it made slight or no difference. Drove 20 miles to town, and it slipped slightly a few times in 4th, but got me there. When i turned the car off, and re started it, THERE WAS NO CLUTCH WHATSOEVER! When i stepped on the clutch, it had a weird vibration near the bottom, and would not have even a slight connection in any gear when released. I could shift into any gear with or without stepping on the pedal, but with no motion. After several attempts, the pedal became harder to step on and now only goes halfway down. WTF??? I checked the brake fluid, and it is above the tube that goes to the clutch master cyl.


Open to suggestions before trying the sledge hammer cure!

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by sun tortise

Adjusted the eccentric, and it made slight or no difference. Drove 20 miles to town, and it slipped slightly a few times in 4th, but got me there. When i turned the car off, and re started it, THERE WAS NO CLUTCH WHATSOEVER! When i stepped on the clutch, it had a weird vibration near the bottom, and would not have even a slight connection in any gear when released. I could shift into any gear with or without stepping on the pedal, but with no motion. After several attempts, the pedal became harder to step on and now only goes halfway down. WTF??? I checked the brake fluid, and it is above the tube that goes to the clutch master cyl.


Open to suggestions before trying the sledge hammer cure!

Sounds mechanical now.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by strelnik

Curious that you should say that.


It's Pancakes!

Are you sure that is a 79? I would have said 82 or 83. Knowing what I do about that car, I'd say you have a hydraulic problem....slave or clutch master. l Not an expensive problem but one which will vex in the bleeding of the clutch master.