Today my clutch pedal starting acting funny. I could barely push it down and when I finally did, it pulsates the whole way down and up. The more you use it, the better it gets, but if you let it sit for a while, it seems to get stiff again. I am running a cable clutch. Also, when the car is running in neutral with the clutch dissengaged it makes almost a grinding noise in the bellhousing, but when you engage the clutch it goes away. What could be the problem? Thanks.

 

You probably dont have the proper preload set. Most clutches require a small amout of preload that holds the throwout bearing against the clutch diaphragm. You'll have to do some searching for proper preload adjustments.

As for the first half of the question I dont know sounds like you have two problems.

 

Ya, that would make sense because my clutch doesn't engage till the pedal almost hits the floor of the car. As for the sticking part, could it have something to do with the pin that goes into the brake pedal? That all I can think of that would cause this problem.

 

The grinding when the pedal is pushed and the pulsations make me think the throwout bearing is shot....

The hard pedal might mean that the (worn) throwout bearing has partially slipped past some of the "diaphragm fingers".

 

The "grinding" noise only happens when the clutch is not pushed in, pushed in, its fine. I tightened the cable a bit, but it didn't seem to help much.

 

check that preload setting

are you using the mustang steve adjustable clutch cable setup?

 

The throwout bearing should not be aginst the pressure plate when in nutral and the clutch is out.
Sounds like you have a bad throwout bearing and or bad pressure plate.

 

Im not entirely sure thats true Rat...I think I remember reading on several occasions that the cable clutch system and a diaphragm clutch like the king cobra should have minimal contact with the throwout bearing "preload" I think mustang steve's website gives instructions on how to set preload... I again encourage the OP to investigate this issue.

 

Gun
I wouldn't want a clutch system that the throwout bearing rides on the pressure plate all the time.
Every clutch I ever put in always had some room for the throwout bearing at the top of the pedal travel. There should be about 1 inch that the clutch pedal floats, that's why there is a big spring on the clutch pedal under the dash, to pull the throwout bearing off the pressure plate.
Why would Ford engineers build a system that the throwout bearing is always turning, I would think it would wear out in a couple hundred miles.
If there is such a system, I never seen one, But, I never seen a lot of stuff.

 

Well, i figured out the clutch pedal issue, my cable burned against my headers and was stuck. We got it fixed just so I could get the car home, looks like hydraulic for me now. But, I am still getting the noise with the throwout bearing.