Creaky Clutch

[aslives]

I've got a 1979 / 2000 and recently had the clutch cable replaced because it was "squeaking" and my mechanic said it was frayed and the cable housing had deteriorated.

The noise is gone but the clutch doesn't feel smooth. The best way I can describe it is that there is a creaky feeling to it - sometimes a little click.

Is this par for the course? How smooth should the clutch feel?

[GeorgeT]

You might try lubricating the clutch pedal where the cable attaches.

[narfire]

Take a close look where the cable goes through the fire wall. When the cable becomes pooched the cable can then flex the firewall enough to generate a crack at that point when you use the clutch. Not uncommon.
Not a difficult fix if it is cracked but you will have to remove the brake reservoir and I removed the brake booster as well. I had pop-riveted a piece of steel over and then welded it to the fire wall. Put a wet towel inside the car and under the area being welded if you have to go that route.
Chris

[joelbert2k]

Also, while you're looking around, make sure the ground strap is connected. It should be a large gauge wire (not as large as a battery cable) run from the body/frame to the engine. Usually it's connected to one of the bolts on the bottom of the bell housing that hold the dust shield in place. If that is missing or not connected it forces the electrical system to use the clutch cable as the ground strap and that will destroy it over a short time.

[So Cal Mark]

the pedal is probably cracked if the upper end of the cable was frayed. Once the pedal cracks it pulls the cable at an angle

[spidernut]

I had the same issue with mine. Here's what I did to correct it:

From inside your car, look up at the hinge part of the clutch pedal assembly where the pedals are held to the firewall. There is a pivot pin that is comprised of a bolt going through a tube with plastic bushings inside. The plastic bushings harden and dry out over time. Spray lubricant is insufficient to fix the problem. The pedal assembly can be removed (a pain in the behind by the way) and the bushings can be cleaned and lubricated.

When I did this on my 80, it stopped the squeaking of the pedal and the rough travel of the pedal you are talking about and made it smooth as silk. I also put a very large washer on the firewall side of the clutch cable to distribute any stress across a larger area and prevent the cable from pulling through the firewall.