What is up with my clutch?

[chucksaysword]

I own a 2001 NB Sport 1.8T with about 30,000 miles. It is my first car with a manual transmission and I learned how to drive stick on it. On my way home yesterday, I began to notice something with my clutch. When I frist got my car, it required some effort to fully engage the clutch and it was easy to modulate the pedal. Now the clutch engages almost effortlessly and is much harder to modulate. It's almost like the clutch has to either fully engaged or fully disengaged. Just to double check myself, I had my father drive it for a bit and he said that he didn't think the clutch felt entirely right. What does all of this mean? Do I need a new clutch? Is something loose? Do I need to check some fluids somewhere? I'm still pretty new to this manual transmission stuff, so any help I could get would be appreciated.

[Bananarama]

depends....if you're the type of driver that "rides the clutch" then yes, you might need a new one....I would take it in to the dealer and have them check it...it could be something as simple as an adjustment....or something as expensive as a throw out bearing or a pressure plate....you wont know until they look at it...

[chucksaysword]

I try not to ride the clutch. It just started to do this too. I'll let you know what the dealership says.

[noR]

For DIY options, I'd bleed the brake fluid & the clutch; putting in fresh fluid. (you HAVE been changing the brake/clutch fluid every 2 yrs, right?)

It "COULD" be a slave cylinder. If so, and if it gets checked out soon enough it could save you alot of wear and tear on your clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate....

Otherwise it COULD be something wrong w/the pressureplate.


Due to the mushy pedal, I'd say bleed the fluid first. Remove that part of the equation. If it's still not feeling right, there's something up w/the slave cylinder.

Fair warning: I could be wrong. This is just my guess as to what's up.

[Bananarama]

Hey nor, 5 years and I have NEVER bled out the fluid....no problems either...guess the gremlins have finally left me alone (knock on wood)

[NBTurboFreak]

If bleeding the system does not help then replace the slave cylinder on top of the trans. A heavy clutch can also be a sign that it is failing. I have had a similar problem.

Does not sound like a throwout bearing. You can tell when it is going bad by listening to the transmission. If is has a slight scraping sound and it goes away when you push in the clutch, then the throwout bearing is bad.

Pressure plate is harder to check unless you pull the transmisson out.

Remember, if you smell burning manure, you just cooked your clutch.

[noR]

Just cause you've gotten lucky Bananarama doesn't mean everyone will.

I hear ya, but I think we're safer maintaining all the maintenance points rather than livin' on a prayer.

(btw, I bled my clutch for the first time just a few months ago, after 4 yrs.)