Clutch pedal making cracking noise(like when you squeeze plastic bottle) now pedal gone loose and biting point moved up inch or so so i have to completely raise clutch before car will pull away but still slow - garage has advised to change cable first and if that doesnt work then change clutch but this could work out expensive. How can i tell whether it is cable or clutch?? Peugeot 206 1999

What vehicle is this for and hold old is the vehicle? Most modern vehicles now use a hydraulic clutch. This type of clutch is usually NOT manually adjustable as the hydraulics 'self adjust' as it wears.
There is a tiny bit of adjustment behind the pedal but I suspect it won't be enough for what you probably want.
Has the 'bite' point on the clutch started to move? That could suggest the clutch might be due for replacement.

check to see if you can adjust the clutch cable and make it a little tighter. they stretch over time. The amount of play is only a 1/2 inch or so. have someone sit inside and push the clutch peddle in and out and see where it starts to move. Loosen the locking nuts and adjust thread play till the peddle engages about a inch or two from the top. Not near the floor. It is not hard to do when you look at it closely.

Get the clutch adjust for proper engagement if it is not slipping.

Renew the clutch cable its a auto adjust mechanism and the cable comes with a plastic tie around the middle bit so fit the cable and then and only then remove the tie ,this is a difficult job and not easy for a weekend mechanic so be warned

Does this happen while moving? How much travel is on the clutch pedal before it 'Bites'

The clutch is worn out, this system is not adjustable as the clutch disk wears the pedal moves "up".

The reason for the high biting point is simple. The clutch is made of 3 main components.
The pressure plate friction plate and the release bearing.
The more times clutch is depressed the concentric spring fingers wear in 2 ways . Firstly by good old metal to metal rubbing and secondly the concentric spring fingers don't return as far as a new one causing the release bearing or csc to adjust .
When the pressure plate concentric spring gingers wear they don't sit proud and require more pedal effort to depress. .
When they loose there spring like feature they require a greater distance from the release bearing. Or it has to travel further to depress them to lift The pressure plate and fee the friction plate from the lay shaft on which it is splined onto to give you drive once released.
The further back the bearing has to travel to allow the fingers to clamp the pressure plate to the friction plate . The more the clutch has become worn and unserviceable.
Self adjustment on hydraulic clutches are a hard one to gauge as you have no idea how far the piston has moved out to compensate for this wear . With a cable you can physically see the wear and adjust .
High biting points on any car are useless. You want a biting point to be 2 to 3 inches from the top and not nearly level with the brake pedal.
Anyway it seems apparent that Peugeot and Citroen both have high to almost no point at which they bite .
I myself would modify this as an engineer.
But it seems to be normal on these cats to have absolutely no biting point worth talking about.
My sisters 2012 206 1.4 is a very high biting point and I myself would not be happy with it . It gives u no indication of a worn clutch if its self adjusting.
Alll hydraulic clutches are self adjusting. So why are Peugeot and Citroens sooo high. Its ridiculous.
A very idiotic idea and I'm taking it back with her and I'm complaining. Hopefully I should get somewhere and ill update you all

This should cover most models.
Bleed nipple is on slave cylinder beside inlet line.
Crack bleeder before fitting silicon tube and make sure free enough to back out 1/2 turns by hand, finger tighten again and fit 1-2 metres of 5mm internal diameter silicon rubber tube to nipple with other end in clear glass jar or bottle.
Ensure all fittings are secure, top up brake master cylinder reservoir. (this feeds clutch master)
Move clutch pedal about 50mm up and down slowly until fluid stops presenting bubbles. (you can have the jar in the car with you to see this happening Thus the 2metres of tube.)
Stop pumping when this happens - lift clutch pedal and tighten bleeder nipple with spanner.
Test if any air in line by pushing clutch pedal til stops and hold for 5 seconds release ans press again - measure distance when pressure is felt between 2 actions of peddle -they should be same. if not you still have air. repeat bleeding procedure.

WARNING - brake/clutch fluid is corrosive and melts paint and plastic. do not get it in your eyes.If spilt IMMEDIATELY wash with copious amounts of water.
Good luck
AJ

The clutch is not releasing fully when changing gears. Does the pedal go down quite a way before it seems to be contacting anything? The reason the forward speeds don't make noise is that they have synchromesh gears, which is a pre-engagement mechanism that allow smooth noiseless shifts (up to a point anyway!). I think this a hydraulic clutch mechanism and the lower slave cylinder at the clutch bell housing is the adjusting point for correcting the clutch free play. It should be set so that the internal release arm is nearly touching the throwout bearing inside the bell housing. The problem may also be that the slave cylinder is loose on it's mounting. The clutch pedal should move about 1/2 to 3/4 inch before it starts to push on the shaft from the master cylinder. Hope some of this helps!

your pressure plate is damaged.Replace cutch asseberly