Brian Boudreau

Hi everyone,

I have a 2009 Civic Si that I have had for about two years now. After owning and getting used to it for a few months, I noticed that the clutch pedal started to feel different. This problem was intermittent and infrequent at first. The pedal would fell normal and then once in a blue moon would engage at a different point. Each time, the point was higher off the floor. I eventually did a fluid exchange in the system and the pedal went back to feeling solid and would engage at the correct point (start to engage maybe an inch off the floor and then full engage maybe two inches off the floor, the rest mainly being free play). Again however, the pedal would move up in engagement. I decided to replace the CMC, slave, and clutch line. I installed a Nissin EM1 CMC (the type with out a delay loop), a stainless steel line, and HD slave cylinder. I bleed the system and noticed the pedal felt much better than before. But after a short period of time (maybe a week 300 miles) the same problem came back. I thought it was a bleeding issue, so I bleed it again. The problem was fixed and then not fixed. again. and again. I used a one man bleeder, i used a Might Vac. I had a shop bleed it. The pedal would feel good then while driving home, it would progressively change its engagement point. I never had an issue with disengagement. Never grinded gears. Each time, my engagement point would move from a start at one inch and then move up, to two inches off floor, three inches off floor. Id park it at three inches for a night and the next day itwould feel fine, returning to an inch. Then I would drive it and it would happen again. One time it move to a three inch engagement and it stayed for a week then went back to a one inch engagement. Next, my engagement point was so high off the floor, my clutch would not engage. It would start to engage but it would not fully engage. But then it went back to engaging. I would bleed it, it would feel fine, drive 70 miles, no good. Eventually, It got to the point where it would just slip. It would not engage. I literally couldn't drive.

At this point, It was time to replace the clutch. So I did. I put in an Exedy stage 1 kit along with an Exedy lightweight flywheel. I put my car back together, bled the system, and started to slowly break in the new clutch. Initially, it felt Fantastic. Great grab, low pedal, good feel. Old disc was worn down almost to rivets, Flywheel had hot spots, pressure plate had wear, throw-out was all rusty. Everything was worn. New stuff felt great. Then, after day three back on the road, the pedal feel started to move. Again my engagement point was moving up. at first I thought i was being paranoid, then it ended up back up high, three maybe four inches.

What is causing my pedal to keep changing? I thought having air introduced into the CMC/slave system would cause a lower pedal where shifting into gear is harder because the engine is not actually disengaging. Each time, I can get into gear fine, it is when i am releasing the pedal that I am having issues. I drove home from work and ended up with a high pedal. The next morning the pedal was back to the floor and was fine all day. On my was home the pedal moved up and is now high again. I few minutes sitting in the driveway, its back low again. This was a successful clutch replacement. The clutch still grabs. When the pedal moves low, it feel fantastic again. But after a 25 miles drive, its back up high.

In conclusion, I had an issue with my engagement point moving up higher and higher. I replaced the CMC, clutch line, Slave cylinder, Throw-out bearing, pressure plate, clutch disc, and flywheel. The engine will full on grab but the point at which it does constantly changing. It always changes in the direction of slipping. Never in the direction of grinding gears. I have been dealing with this issues for 7 months straight now and i cant figure it out. I have no fluid leaks any where. My reservoir is always full. Why is my clutch engaging so erratically?

Thanks a bunch in advance

Brian