Pedal Movement When Clutch Wears

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:42 pm

Before I changed out my clutch cable, the clutch engaged and disengaged when my foot was just about to the floor. I mean as soon as you got your foot off the floor, the clutch was starting to grab.

I installed a new clutch cable and adjusted so I have about 1" of clutch pedal (per the Bentley) travel before a load is put on the pedal. Now, the clutch grabs and releases close to the top of the pedal stroke (foot starting to depress pedal actuates clutch).

When the clutch disc wears, which way will my pedal movement work towards? I mean if I leave the adjustment the way it is now and the clutch wears, will the clutch pedal adjustment wear so that there is actuall pressure put on the clutch release and cause it to slip at the top of the pedal stroke, or will it wear so that the actual clutch actuation moves the pedal position towards the floor? Was this clear how I worded this?

coke · Post by **coke** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:35 pm

I'm wondering the same thing. My clutch grabs about 5/8s or 3/4s of the way out. An old lady owned it before me and I'm not entirely certain if its clutch wear or cable adjustment. Mine is auto-adjusting though. Hopefully someone with some experience in this chimes in, I'd like to know as well.

lyeinyoureye · Post by **lyeinyoureye** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:13 pm

FWIW, as it wears the cable needs to be adjusted so that it'll grab higher and higher, until you have it as far as the cable will go and it still slips. Mine grabs right before the pedal is all the way up.

Does that answer your question?

tylernt · Post by **tylernt** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:22 pm

I think the friction point will move up -- towards the top of the pedal stroke -- with clutch wear. So over time you'll have to tighten it to move the friction point back down.

Remember that the cable can stretch with usage too, which affects things.

Coke I've heard the auto-adjusting cables are problematic?

coke · Post by **coke** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:47 pm

Yeah. I think I can retro an older cable if I have it. Its just annoying sometimes as im used to a clutch that grabs quicker. However, before I received the car, only 2k miles a year since 1991 were put on it, with the occasional journeys.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:02 am

I think this answers the question. Maybe I should adjust the cable so that the clutch grabs in about the middle of the clutch stroke. Then when it wears (whichever way it really goes), it has room to move without the clutch slipping.

A1-2-A3 · Post by **A1-2-A3** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:06 pm

Worn clutch pushrod, release bearing, stretched cable and worn disc will all cause the clutch to engage to the flywheel higher on the pedal.

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:43 am

my new clutch will slip with the pedal pressed as little as 1" so not sure if thats normal or not- i abuse the clutch to make up for the lack of power to keep the revs up when in traffic and floored just isnt enough- a few slips of the clutch and a nice 2nd gear burnoff does the trick when in heavy urban gotta go joe traffic.... i keep telling myself its not a dirtbike but o'well

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:26 am

i keep telling myself its not a dirtbike but o'well

It isn't, it has half the HP of a dirtbike and 2x the wheels

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:14 pm

lol, now that I think of it your right- my crf450x is nearly 70hp.. back to the clutch topic- I never put greese on the clutch pushrod end fearing that it would drip onto the clutch, was that a mistake? My clutch feels very rough and I always figured it was the old cable.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:09 am

I may have taken a tad of wheel bearing grease (not standard lithium grease) and put that on the clutch center opening. I can't remember. I do know that there was grease streaks that were coming from the same area and the inside flywheel area of the transmission had lots of dark oily solid substances. Not the type of oil/grease from an active leaking and running leak, but just that something oily had gotten in there and flung by the flywheel and clutch. I did have an antifreeze leak and I know some of that got on the clutch, but I just cleaned out that area and will try to pay attention to that area if/when I need to take the trans off the engine again.

I did take some brake cleaner and sprayed a paper towel and wiped the clutch face, pressure plate and flywheel. I was wondering if I should have done that or not, but I did. The clutch sometimes slips when climbing a hill or giving gas in 4th gear (4 speed trans), which it did not do prior to this. I don't think it slips that bad to change the clutch out before our trip in 10 days, but I'll be paying attention to it and have a replacement with me just in case. I've put 300 miles on the car since doing this work and since noticing that the clutch slipped occassionally, it's only done it twice since then and I let off the gas as soon as I noticed it happening.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:59 am

A bad pushrod tube seal will dump trany fluid right onto the clutch disc.
I have found that to be the main reason for a slipping clutch.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:47 am

I did not find any direct evidence of where fluid is coming or had come from a seal. It was just moist inside the trans, and like I said, there had been a coolant leak that I know got onto the clutch. However, I'm sure that all the seals aren't quite perfect with 1/3 million miles on the car/trans.

JRM · Post by **JRM** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:32 pm

speaking of that pushrod. when i put mine back in one end of it was worn flat. I put that end towards the ouside and inserted the nice round end into the tranny. Correct?

Post by **Fatmobile** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:49 am

I'd guess that's the wrong way.
The clutch release bearing is round where it holds the rod.