Is my clutch draging? Adjustment possible?

[Don Plumley]

Something I've noticed occasionally is happening more often. When I'm approaching a stop, typically in second, I can feel the motor bogging down the car a bit. This is with the clutch depressed. It is kinda hard to move the shifter into neutral - when I push it kind of "pops" into neutral, and the drag on the car is released - the car then kinda glides along.

It does not happen all the time, it happens more frequently after the car is warm and after mildly spirited driving. It can happen out of third. It typically does not happen just moving along (and depressing the clutch, moving the shift to neutral), but when decelerating - i.e. load on the clutch. Last time this happened, I thought I smelled a burning asphalt odor around my car. Don't know if that was brakes or tires from a hard U turn, or is that clutch material frying?

Question 1) Does this sound like my clutch is not fully disengaging or is dragging on the pressure plate?

Question 2) Can you adjust clutch throw - I have a G50, which has a hydraulic clutch. Yes, I've bled the clutch master cylinder. Yes, the clutch is relatively new (10K miles) and it had the update kit installed.

Question 3) Is this bad? Am I just wearing out my clutch prematurely, or am I causing other problems?

I'm really scratching my head over this one. Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Don

[john walker's workshop]

it's obviously not disengaging all the time. i would suspect the master and slave cylinders. otherwise, it's self adjusting. does the pedal get somewhat lower ocassionally, where you can lift it with your toe, and then it works for a while? or can you pump it up, like a brake pedal, and improve it for a while? the clutch is recent, and release mechanism updated, so i would just replace both cylinders and bleed them real well. (they're not real easy to bleed properly, so there's still the off-chance that there's an air bubble in there).

[Don Plumley]

Originally posted by john walker's workshop
does the pedal get somewhat lower ocassionally, where you can lift it with your toe, and then it works for a while?

No, I have not noticed the pedal getting lower.

or can you pump it up, like a brake pedal, and improve it for a while?

Maybe, in the sense that after a stop or two, I don't notice - I usually notice on the first stop.

clutch is recent, and release mechanism updated

Yes, 3 years/10K miles; and Yes, according to the invoice from the PO.

so i would just replace both cylinders and bleed them real well.

Really - replace both the MC and the Clutch cylinder? Are you suspecting a small leak in one of the cylinders? I've never noticed the level of brake fluid going down. Could original (16 year old) flexible brake lines be a factor (or is this part of the hydraulic system separate)?

Is it worth another thorough pressure bleed before I start replacing parts?

Many, many thanks, John!

Don

[john walker's workshop]

i would just replace both cylinders and be done with it. but try another bleed for the hell of it. do it manually this time. attach a 7mm box end to the bleeder, attach a long piece of hose to the nipple, so it hangs in a pan. have someone pump the pedal and hold it down, then open the bleed to pass whatever fluid that comes out, close bleed, all the while with the pedal all the way down. only pump again when the bleeder has been closed. repeat several times until no more air comes out of the hose. even a little air can cause your problem. keep the reservoir topped off because the clutch system draws from the upper part of the reservoir, and will suck air if the fluid level drops. i like this way better than pressure bleeding.

[Don Plumley]

I see, replace the Clutch MC and the clutch slave (went looking through the PP catalog. Okay, that seems reasonable, and I can probably DIY.

How do I keep all the fluid from leaking out of the real MC when I disconnect the clutch MC? Any other hints from anyone?

Thanks a million JW, really appreciate your help.

Don