HELP Neon Clutch

Ok, as per my previous posting, I had the clutch cable snap on my yesturday.
Shouldn't be a big deal changing it, right?
After calling around about a a few Dodge dealers, (cable is considered a
dealer part by everyone I taked to) I managed to locate on within 100miles.
Now, after some fun getting the gromit out of the firewall and the cable
disconnected from the peddle, it was time to look at the bell housing end.
The cable broke right at the end where the cable hooks onto the release
lever in the bell housing.
This is where everything goes down hill.
THE END OF THE CABLE IS MISSING IN BELL HOUSING.
I believe it is lodged somewhere near the release lever as I can not get the
lever to move more then about a quarter of an inch.
Now bringing the car to get fixed at Mr. transmission or the dealer has come
to mind, but I hate the closes dealer, and Mr. transmission can't touch if
till near the end of the week.

Any suggestions? I really need help on this one.

BTW, the car is a 1995 Neon, 2 door, 5 speed manual with approx 380,000km
on it.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

 

Hi Mike,

2 things come to mind.
1) The clutch may have had a throwout bearing go bad, causing to be very
stiff which in turn caused the cable to break.

2) You just don't have enough leverage to push the lever. They are pretty
stiff to begin with.

I doubt the end ball is lodged anywhere.

Brad

 

The biggest thing that bothers me is where that end ball for the cable
has gone too.
That is why I did not proceed to pry the lever.
One question, would you know if the bottom of the Bell housing comes
off in a simular fashion to the bottom plate in an automatic
transmission?
I think that the cable broke due to age and milage, as the car is over
ten years old, and has an almost unheard of milage on it. (380,000km
give or take)
I am going to take another look at it tonight, but probably will have
to bring it in as my girlfriend is getting cranky without her car, and
I hate having to drive her to work at 6am in the morning.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

 

As per previous postings this week, I have a 95 neon with a piece of
the broken clutch cable stuck somewhere within the bell housing.
Called arround to get quotes on dropping the tranny to get this piece
out so that I can connect the new cable and get the gf back on the road
so I don't have to drive her to work.
The only two places that will touch the transmission is the Dealer and
Mr. Transmissions.
What is the big deal with transmissions?
If there was not snow on the ground, I would be dropping the
transmission out of the car, right where it sits in the driveway.
One of my neighbors ones a garage, but said that I could use the
equipment in it, but I was on my own to work on it.

Still don't see what the issue is. I would figure that messing with the
timing belt or anything inside the actual engine would be more of a
risk then droping a transmission.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

 

The only two places? H'mm. Where-all did you call?

Nothing. That's why I want to know who-all you called.

DS

 

Called Speedy Auto Service, Canadian tire (was originally looking for
part and labor price before I bought the cable at the dealer)
Mr. Transmission (they would drop the trany for $425 + tax)
Dealer (they would do it for $95 an hour, forgot how many hours they
quoted)
and a couple of other places. Not very many people will touch
transmissions.
Also keep in mind that I was calling places within 10 to 15 miles from
home, as I would have to tow the car there.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

 

Well, there's your problem. You're calling all the wrong kinds of places.
Speedy and Canadian Tire are not real shops. There are no real mechanics
there. They are *parts changers*. They can remove an old exhaust system
and install a new one. They can remove old brake pads and install new
ones. They can remove an old brake caliper and/or rotor and install new.
They can change oil and other fluids. They can change filters and wiper
blades. They can change tires. They can remove an old alternator and
install a new one. They can replace dead headlight bulbs.

They cannot diagnose beyond the very rudimentary. They cannot competently
do "involved" jobs that require disassembly and reassembly beyond the very
rudimentary.

What you need to find is a *mechanic*. Get in the yellow pages. Every town
has lots of independent car service shops. Call half a dozen of them,
describe the problem, find a shop that sounds good and go there -- problem
solved.

DS

 

The real scary part about transmissions is the low level of integrity
of most transmission shops. They know most people are not prepared to
do any of the work or even understand the problems. They have a open
door to take advantage and they do so.

 

That is the kicker. I know the problem, and what has to be done.
I can not justify paying $425CND + taxes for them to drop my tranny to
take a half inch piece of wire and a washer out of the bell housing.

 

So do it yourself. You said you had a facility available to you. The
time you spent in here, you could have fixed it by now...

 

$425 CND to drop the tranny in a front drive car? That's fair. It's a pain.
Maybe I'm used to getting paid too much, but I hate misery, and that's not
much money.

 

So take off the access plate and fish it out yourself. Even if you leave
it alone, odds are it'll just sit in the bottom of the bellhousing and
never interfere with a thing. The odds of it happening to get kicked up
while the starter is cranking the engine (the only time it could do any
real harm) are next to nil.

 

well its not the dropping thats the problem ... its the catching a very
heavy and expensive part at that

id do it though

 

remind me to never let you near a car of mine ... thats just disgusting
.... would you like it if i slashed your tires ... you could drive to
work on the rim

just hope your kid dont need to get to a hospitol pronto

 

Well... after $1350 with in labor and parts, the car is ready.
As I had figured, the clutch was finished.
This is getting very close to being a new car. I think the only thing
left to replace machanically is the block and heads. ($500 for complete
engine assembly with 100,000km on it)

As for the thought of running the car with the broken cable piece in
the bottom of the bell housing, um... Isn't that kind of like leaving
tools inside someone after heart surgery?

Mike
mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

 

No, it isn't at all.
Do not attempt to analogise that which you do not comprehend.

DS

 

Maybe it is just me, but I would consider the transmission (incuding
clutch), to be a major component of the car.
Leaving a half inch piece of cable and a washer that is over an inch
across, bouncing around in the bellhousing would be as bad as leaving
tools inside someone. It is going to cause damage, and something is
going to happen that is going to cause a major problem.
Mike

 

How is it going to cause a major problem? What is it going to harm? How
is it even going to get up off the bottom of the bellhousing? If there
were precision exposed parts inside the bellhousing, I'd agree. There
aren't, though.

 

You don't get out much, do you?

Have you ever even LOOKED inside a bellhousing?

 

Yes, it's a major component of the car. No, you really don't understand.