Oh no...all is lost! or is it?

[jeremylmartin]

Took my son out for ice cream for his 3rd birthday today. On the way back the clutch started feeling weird. By the time I got home I couldn't get it into gear. I took a look under the dash and saw this:





Looks like the clutch cable pulled through the firewall. Is this common? If so what is the best approach to fixing it? I was thinking maybe get two pieces of flat steel and bolt on eon each side so the damaged section of the firewall is sandwiched between. I don't really have access to welding equipment. Anyone else had to do this repair?

[majicwrench]

All is lost. MIght as well give me your car

Common issue, very repairable, i've fixed such damage on many a car. I'll let more knowledgable fiat folks chime in.
Keith

[vandor]

Yes, it's a common issue, there was a thread on this just a few days/weeks ago.
Often the clutch cable seizes because the engine to body ground cable is bad and the cable acts as the ground. Add an extra ground cable!
The firewall will have to be beaten back to place and a reinforcing plate installed on the engine compartment side.
I've also seen people cut that complete section out of a parts car and just lay it in front of the damaged area. It can be bolted or riveted in place. Welding is difficult there because of the proximity of a lot of cables/wires/insulation.
Of course the best repair would be to weld in new metal, but one would have to remove anything flammable from the area.

[BEEK]

suprisingly enough what i used at my shop was a backer from a 2.0 side marker light, with a big washer tacked to it, just bent one side flat tucked it behind the brake booster and poof perfect fit and works. really dont even have to attach it to the fire wall, i usually would rivit it in place but there are a few i didnt and they are still driving

[jeremylmartin]

Thanks for all the advice! I'll be working on it today. Hopefully all goes well.

[narfire]

Going to have to give yourself some room. the brake booster should be pulled and the brake reservoir. Pull the old cable out and as mentioned get the cracked metal to line up as close as possible. At this point I put a bunch of wet towels underneith (behind under the dash as well) and then tack welded the metal. It was this forum I read that because the metal is thin, it is difficult to weld for a rookie (me) without over heating the metal and distorting.
I did what Vandor mentioned as I had a parts car, initially rivit the new piece over the offending area then tack welded it.
I like Beeks idea with the side marker backing plate...

[jeremylmartin]

Well I finally got time to fix the damaged firewall issue. I was able to get the bent portion of the firewall back into position and then I fabricated a new section of thicker metal and attached it from the engine side of the firewall. That was the easy part! I have spent hour after frustrating hour trying to get the clutch cable to slide into the forks on the pedal. I have read several posts on here that do state it is a major pain. However, I am starting to think it is an issue with my new cable. I bought it at Autozone and everything is the same except the little cylinder at the end (the part that slide into the forks) is slightly larger than the one on the old cable. I am convinced that this is making the cable impossible to install. Anyone recently bought a new cable and successfully installed it? I am thinking about taking it to the bench grinder and making it the same size as the one that came out. My car is a 79 - perhaps the cable works as purchased on other years and I just got unlucky?

[So Cal Mark]

make sure the pedal forks aren't bent. You can always lower the pedal down from the box to install the cable, although it adds some time to the job

[jeremylmartin]

The forks look good, I think lowering the pedal is my next step. If I had gone that route to begin with it would likely have been faster. Anything tricky about removing the pedal?

[RRoller123]

Maybe a dumb question, but where are good places to attach a backup engine ground cable?

[narfire]

but where are good places to attach a backup engine ground cable?

I went from one of the two studs on the lower front right of the engine to a stud or bolt that holds the rad in place.

[SoFlaFiat]

Mine has a 1 ott strap from one of the trans/engine bolts to the engine crossmember bolt.

[fiat218]

Mine is on the body and to the starter bolt, factory attached to the body

[RRoller123]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[jeremylmartin]

I finally got the clutch cable installed. Call me crazy but I am convinced the cable I bought had to large an end to ever fit my car. I took it to the bench grinder and made it similar in size to the one I took off and was able to install it fairly easily. The one that came out of the car had an end (the part that slides into the forks at the pedal) that was a 1/2 cylinder with the flat side facing away from the end of the cable. The new one was a full cylinder and was wider by about 50%. I ground off the two ends of the cylinder until it was just a bit wider than the old one and then rounded the outside edges of the cylinder where the other one was flat. It seems to work now and I am happy to have it back on the road. Thanks to all who offered ideas. I also added a new ground cable from one of the air pump studs. I suspect the clutch cable was acting like a ground which is what started the issue to begin with.