For the past month or so I've been experiencing some issues with my clutch. When the car is cold or hot (usually after stop and go, traffic, etc) the clutch will grab extremely and uncharacteristically low. The clutch pedal will also stick when going from neutral to 1st gear. Gear shifting is still smooth without and grinds or resistance. The clutch grabbing low and the pedal sticking keeps getting worse and worse.

The car has 146k on it. I bought it with 72K and always assumed I was using the original clutch. I'm debating if its the clutch master cylinder or the clutch itself. The CMC is not leaking and neither is the slave master cylinder. I have experienced both CMC and SMC failures in my last car, and none of those symptoms mirror these. I've been thinking of doing a complete overhaul anyway (clutch, flywheel, CMC, SMC, and doing the rear main seal while the trans is off)

just looking for some input, suggestions, or opinions before I go forward...

 

If you're going to overhaul the system, do so in stages. do a new M/C and S/C. they are super inexpensive from places like rockauto. Bleed and check pedal adjustment per the manual. compared to doing a clutch replacement this is much cheaper, easier and quicker. if you still have issues after, then proceed with plans for further investigation and/or clutch replacement.

 

Have you checked for air in the line?

 

Check if the locknut on the mc pushrod is loose. If thats still locked up its possible the pressure plate is going out.

I think replacing the mc and sc with Exedy units would be good maintenance before pulling the tranny just in case either is going bad and somehow causing your issue.

 

The cheapest solution would be to bleed the lines and check for air. If you have an air pocket somewhere in your system, you could save yourself a lot of money by checking that first.

 

You cant get air in the system without a leak.

 

I don't know if this has been a problem since he got the car or if it suddenly started happening. I agree, if it just started happening, then there is a leak somewhere.
But if somebody did a **** poor installation and this has been a problem the whole time he's had the car ... Idk, just my two cents.

 

i bled the clutch the other day. the car is still behaving the same. I think my next course of action will be changing the SMC and CMC.

 

Looking at this again im banking on the pp being the culprit.

 

thats the worst case scenario. i thought of that too.

it shifts very smoothly from 2nd to 5 and vice versa.

 

Ya i hear ya. Id hate for you to pull the clutch if you dont have to. Its really either going to be the mc or the pp here imvho.