Clutch pedal 'feel'

Hi,

I brought my GT$ RC to the garage last week to have them change my clutch. When i brought my car the pedal 'feeling' was normal on my car and i wanted to change my clutch only because it started to slip at high RPMS(pedal feel never changed since i had the car).

Today, I just picked up my car from the transmission shop today after having them change my clutch+pressure plate and turn around my flywheel and change my clutch bearing in the process. I changed it with a new pressure plate(like the OEM) and a 6-puck double sprung hub clutch disk.

My problem is that when i push my clutch pedal it feels extremely light (a lot less stiff than my old OEM clutch). it almost feels like a gas pedal...On top of that, when i push in totally the clutch pedal it stays completely in and after 1 second or 2 it springs back on my foot very rapidly....(The pedal answers very quickly when releasing the clutch pedal, which in that case is normal with a new clutch, but what isn't normal i believe is the extremely soft pedal feel when 'clutching' and the jamming when totally clutched in). The mechanic told me he added oil to my clutch cylinder reservoir and thats the only thing he touched there....

I was wondering what might cause a problem like that to happen?

Thanks again (sorry for the long paragraph),
Mathieu

If there is a big difference in the clutch pedal feel, I guess that it is air in the clutch hydraulic system. But that would also cause the clutch not to disengage totally. Are you able to use the clutch, like this, and drive the car? To change the clutch, they had to remove the clutch slave cylinder from the transmission or unscrew the clutch line and leave the slave on the tranny, so I guess that is where something went wrong. Can you check that the slave cylinder fixed well to the tranny? Check also for clutch fluid leaks along the hard and flexible line, maybe there is a loose fitting. And after this has been done, you can bleed the clutch slave cylinder to make sure that the hole system is filled with fluid. This is what I would check first.

definitely sounds like it needs to be rebled.

The clutch slave cylinder is well fixed to the tranny and it moves freely when i engage the clutch. I am able to drive it because the mechanic placed a longer 'screw' so that my pedal doesnt floor completely and therefore it doesn't jam there.
If i need to rebleed the clutch what are the steps to do so and should they have done that when changing my clutch?
Thanks for the help again!

The slave cylinder should be bled if they opened the line to disconnect it. To bleed, usually, I push the clutch pedal in with a stick and leave it there. Then, I go to the slave cylinder, put a hose on the bleeder and a container at the end of the hose, on the slave cylinder, so oil doesn't sprinkle everywhere. Then I use a 8mm key to open the bleeder slowly and let some fluid come out and then close it back while it is still dripping, not to let air come in. Let a little bit of oil out each time. Then take the stick out and push the clutch pedal back in every time before bleeding, to push oil towards the slave. Watch the fluid level, in the clutch master and fill as it goes down. Do this until you are sure that the system is air free. Its like bleeding the brakes on your car, but the pedal will always bottom out.

Maybe you pedal feel is just the difference between two different pressure plates that don't behave the same way. You said that you could drive the car, so I doubt that air in the system is a problem.

When i told the mechanic about the problem, it's the first thing he did...he loosened up the slave cylinder and opened the fluid tank the clutch cylinder....He then told me to push the clutch pedal back and forth....this let in a bit of fluid out of the cylinder but did not correct the problem of having the pedal 'jamming' and then popping 1 sec later on my foot...The clutch engages perfectly apart from that!

So, if the clutch is engaging/disengaging well, I guess it's just a question of feeling on the pedal and I wouldn't worry too much.

3 Things to consider.

1) Air bubbles in the clutch system tend to hold the pedal to the floor, or cause it to "lag" on its return stroke. This might be the first place to start, take it to a brake shop and have the system totally bled.

2) clutch pedal bracket.
Stick your head under the dash with a light.....these suckers can bend or snap with age.
This happened to me, while i was able to drive the car, the "bite" point was 2mm away from the floor because the snapped bracket was flexing....these can just flex alot when the metal becomes weak/rusted they dont actually have to snap.


3) If your pedal bracket is good maybe your clutch material is eating grooves into your flywheel, this can also distort pedal feel, and cost you a pretty penny to repair.

-Merci Martin for the 'how-to' i will try it saturday!

-4RSINDUCTION: Your #1 option really seems to be my problem, i will check for number 2 but i doubt it because when i left my car to change the clutch i didnt have any of thes symptoms...and i highly doubt #3!

Thanks for the help!