To make a long story short, I somehow got one of the nuts stuck to the bolt on the interior while trying to reinstall my clutch pedal after installing the support bracket for it. I'm not sure if it's cross threaded or what, but whenever I try and tighten or loosen it, the only part that actually travels is the bolt itself. I dont think this would be a problem if I could tighten it enough, but it stops a little before it's actually tight enough to use.

So I'm wondering if anyone has an idea of what I should try in order to tighten it completely or remove the nut. I've thought about trying to hold the bolt using pliers but I'm worried I might damage the threading. I've thought about getting to the other side of it but not sure exactly where the other side comes out or how to get to it. I'm assuming that I can access it on the lower part of the engine bay using jack stands but I honestly haven't taken a look yet. I'd rather not have to take it in for such a stupidly small issue, but I do need to get my car back to a drivable condition.

 

Sounds cross threaded. But some people have had to hold the threaded stud from inside the engine bay to get the nut back on.

 

I was busy today so I didn't get to take a look, but when I looked briefly last night (in the dark with a flashlight) I couldn't really see where the bolt would be... Do I have to access it from below or can I get to it above?

 

You can get it from above. Did you buy a new clutch, bracket, or get it welded? We were planning a mod day for this man.

 

I guess I missed that thread lol. I got the bracket from fluid. Whole pedal seemed to expensive and I trust the bracket more. Plus the bracket looks nicer.... though looks don't exactly matter when you can't see it lol.

Hopefully I can get to that bolt tomorrow and get that nut off... I miss driving lol. If it is cross threaded, I'm not sure how though... I got it to turn a few times by hand at first and I've never had cross threading once it's started to thread properly.

 

Yeah its probably not cross threaded.

 

I just went to check and I'm not too sure you can reach it from above... you'd have to be able to reach around and under the brake cylinder.

 

Anyone else have some input?

 

Most likely cross threaded. With the FluidMS clutch pedal bracket affixed the base material is thicker and you have to exert more force than without and in turn there's a good chance to scrape the firewall stud threads. Swap the nuts and try to fix the thread bite; that often works.

Don't forget to wedge the slave cylinder on the engine bay side to preclude it moving in and out as you reattach the pedal. I used a 2 lb hammer head wedged against the top of the strut column.

This really was a tough mod given the close confines and being inverted under the dash.

btw: also watch that you don't overly compress the starter interlock switch.

 

The issue I'm having is getting that nut off to actually try again. Is the best way to reach the engine bay side from the top? Is it just right under the brake cylinder? It's definitely been a pain even though it's fairly simple in concept... definitely ready to get this over with.

 

The clutch slave cylinder is immediately to the right of the master cylinder in the engine bay (outboard) when looking from front of vehicle to rear.

But of course the nuts that retain the clutch bracket are within the cabin.

Wedge the slave cylinder firmly against the firewall and this will hold it in place so you can back off the nuts from within the cabin. Backing off the nut(s) should adequately repair any cross threading, much as a dye would do.

Again, this is not easy given the now-thicker material and cramped cabin workspace. I think we were all glad to get it done (the least enjoyable mod I have done). But ultimately it is worth it for the failure-proofing.

 

I'll take a look at that then... Does the added thickness really make it more difficult? Seems like it would just require less cranking since it would be fully tightened earlier.

 

The thicker base material (due to the bracket) only makes it more difficult to get it fully seated onto the firewall, without scraping the studs and thereby cross threading - but you now know that.

 

I apparently have no clue where I'm supposed to be looking cause I'm not seeing where I can access it from the inside of the engine bay... Where is it in relation to the brake cylinder?

 

The brake cylinder is the big black round thing on the driver's side firewall (contains a big diaphram to hydraulically push the fluid to all four wheels), which has the brake fluid reservoir attached. Immediately to its right (outboard), connected by a short length of braided fluid line, is the black cast iron slave cylinder. It's what the clutch pedal shaft inserts into from the cabin (thru the firewall). Since the clutch pedal is direct-mechanically linked to the slave cylinder, and only needs to disengage the clutch, there is no large diaphram as with the brakes.

 

To the right of the brake master cylinder.

 

btw: you may be missing the point that the bolts onto which the clutch pedal bracket attach emanate from the clutch slave cylinder immediately on the opposing side of the firewall. With the pedal nuts removed you can slide the slave cylinder away from the firewall on the engine bay side (fluid line disconnected of course). This is why it's important to wedge the slave cylinder firmly to the firewall to maximize mechanical advantage tightening and removing the pedal nuts.

 

not sure how I missed that... but I've confirmed my problem and still not sure how to fix it...

The nut is holding so firmly onto the bolt that it's actually causing the bolt to move in and out of the firewall and cylinder. So the only way I can get it off is if I can find a way to hold the bolt still (to keep it from rotating) so I can get the nut off. I'm pretty sure the bolt was not meant to actually twist the way it. I might be able to completely remove the bolt if I loosen it completely through the firewall to the interior but I'm not sure if that's a good idea....

 

That may work. It's ok to grab the bolt from the engine bay side provide you can get a tool solidly on it. At this point you really should get some help tho', one in the cabin and one in the bay. You obviously really torqued it on there and cross threaded it (most likely scaped the threads when you affixed the bracket). But if you can get a hand and back off the nut all should eventually be well. Take a deep breath and don't throw in the towel.

 

Yeah, trying not to. I can at least see what's happening now... The only issue is that the bolt doesn't really travel further than a centimeter or so beyond the edge of the cylinder. I was thinking I could try and hold the bolt from inside but there's simply not enough room to do that, especially if I need to hold it and try to get the nut off at the same time.

 

Here is what I would do then. first make sure that the other nut bolt is securely tightened. Loosen the crossthreaded nut which is going to turn the entire stud instead. This is ok. It will then come completely out of the slave cylinder side. Now go to the auto parts store and get another nut and bolt of the same size but about a half inch longer bolt. Then from the engine compartment screw the new bolt thru the slave cylinder into the passenger compartment. Have a friend hold a socket/wrench on the bolt head in the engine compartment while you crawl back under the dash and install the nut. Whala you're done....

 

Is there any reason the current bolt would stop moving? Like I mentioned above, if I try to just tighten it, it stops going through the cylinder just after it actually extends beyond it. The only reason I'm asking that is because I'm wondering if I'd run into the same problem trying to get the new bolt through.

 

Can you get a third hand to help you?

It sounds like you need it.

 

I think 9k is gonna help me out. I'm honestly not sure how it got on so tight... I threaded it by hand and it was going fine for at least 5-10 cranks then it just stopped moving. I tried backing it off and that's when I realized it wasn't moving right. The nut is hardly even on the bolt which is also confusing. Hopefully a second opinion can get this damn thing finished lol.

 

I just looked at the kit from Fluid/Raceroots. Looks like they send replacement bolts/nuts for the factory ones. Did you use these??



see how they are installed on their complete clutch pedal assembly