Can you diagnose this problem?

[TURBO2GO]

I have a strange issue since the install of my new Comptech PG1 clutch. When I depress the clutch pedal, car in gear or in neutral, the pedal travels down but feels as if I am stepping on gravel. It is not smooth. Its like I am crunching stuff under my foot or if the pedal arm is just getting caught on the side of a small spring.

This happens only with the engine on. As soon as I shut off the engine, the pedal travels smooth. In gear or in neutral. Doesn't matter. The only thing that affects this condition is engine on or engine off. On is rough, off is smooth.

Clutch seems to perform fine, there is no extra noise.

Car is a 2005, with a 6 speed and 28,000 miles.

What on God's Green Earth is going on? It started doing this shortly after or right after the clutch change.

 

[dquarasr2]

Bump.

I don't have anything to provide T2Go as I am unfamiliar with PG1 clutch.

Wild-@$$ guess is that it has something to do, obviously, with rotation of the clutch face when it is not at the same speed as the flywheel, or not totally declutched. So, I'm thinking uneven clutch face that can be felt in the pedal.

Total speculation but the reason for my post: Anyone have anything so as not to leave T2Go hanging? Turbo, any update since you first inquired?

 

[NetViper]

My pg1 felt the same on/off. Just heavy. Never heard of your issue.

 

[silver2002]

My first suspect would be the throw-out bearing - did they put in a new one when they put in clutch? They should have.

The bearing only begins to rotate, against the pressure plate, when you depress the clutch. If the bearing was old and this new clutch / pressure plate requires more pressure, that could easily push the bearing past it's limit and blow it out, especially if it was already worn with age.

You should also be able to hear a bad throw out bearing just as you begin to depress clutch with the engine running. So, with engine running, slowly depress clutch. If the bearing is bad it will whine or grind as it engages the fingers on the pressure plate. The sound would go away as you release the clutch - the car be in gear or in neutral for this test.

 

[docjohn]

I had two powergrip sachs clutches and the pedal was smooth,,,,, stiff and smooth....yeh buddy.....

 

[greenberet]

I had exactly that problem. After my shop welded a new OEM throwout (clutch release) bearing into my Comptech PowerGrip pressure plate, the clutch pedal felt smooth when the engine was shut off but gravelly when the engine was running.

Greasing the point of contact between the clutch slave cylinder and the release fork had no impact, of course. The problem was in an area that moves when you depress the clutch AND that rotates when the engine is running – in other words, it was in the area of the throwout bearing.

I suspect my shop used the wrong grease, not enough grease, or no grease. If you remove the clutch slave cylinder and pull the release fork out of the transmission case as far as it will go, you can grease the area. Not as well as when the transmission has been removed, but better than nothing. I greased those points of the clutch release fork that slide into the throwout bearing, the corresponding area of the throwout bearing as best I could, and the cylindrical throwout bearing guide. After that, my PG clutch felt smooth whether the engine was running or not.

Honda says that its urea grease should be used when installing the clutch and if your fingers are long enough, you can smear it in there by hand when the engine and transmission are bolted together if you get the release fork out of the way as far as it will go. If not, you could try using a super high temp spray grease. For the sake of longevity, the grease you use should be compatible with the grease your shop used during installation.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

 

[vivanshah]

I test drove an NSX (that I didn't end up purchasing) that had a Comptech clutch installed. It felt exactly the same way. FWIW, Ben @ Daisy said "it's not supposed to feel that way" but you probably know that already hence you're asking for a diagnosis!