OK list need opinion on the following: Kid down the street buys a 87 GTi16v and wants me to come look at it to see what it needs to run better. The car is beat externally but runs. Inspecting the engine bay we find a cracked breather boot and a loose vaccuum line which explains the engine's unwillingness to run without hitting the gas. Vaccuum line fixes main idle problem and car runs ok.
Listening to the engine however, we hear a rattling noise like metal on metal, not grinding but like a loose washer rattling on a bolt making a tinking tinking sound. Can't pinpoint the source but it sounds like it is coming from under the distributor area, hmmm. Kid says that he has been experiencing some clutch problems such as binding and stalling a lot. He says that the PO changed the clutch and did all the work himself and was thinking the clutch was not installed properly. So I'm thinking, oh shit. Clutch in or out however doesn't change tinking tinking sound. We then look at the clutch cable freeplay and there is none. The cable is adjusted all the way out with as much tension as possible. We try to adjust the cable to 12mm freeplay and then the clutch pedal just goes to the floor and stays there, no return spring pressure at all. I'm thinking oh shit again. So here is/are my question(s), it is obvious that the clutch cable was not changed along with the new clutch - would this cause this sort of problem? Could the tinking sound from the bellhousing area indicate a pressure plate installed wrong or the retaining ring loose? Shouldn't the clutch release finger be replaced when doing a clutch job, and would a worn out one with a new clutch cause this? I don't have much experience with improperly done maintenance or serious beater cars so I need a couple of opinions on how a clutch job can be screwed up and the symptoms to help this kid out. I'm pretty sure the clutch cable is really streched out and needs replaced but the tinking sound bothers me and causes me to wonder about the clutch job. Cause in the end I will probably be the one doing the work - oh joy. Rich Blake
