Odd clutch question...

[AaronM]

If I depress the clutch pedal during hard braking (or during normal braking on a steep up-hill) then the clutch pedal goes almost to the floor. There is perhaps a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch of travel left before the pedal is fully on the floor and the entire operation of the clutch happens within that last bit of travel. In other words, what seems like 85%-90% of the pedal travel becomes "free play" with full operation occuring in that last 15%-10% of pedal travel. The clutch will still completely disengage, even when this happens, but I'm sure you can see how this is an annoyance (and a slight hinderance since it makes it very hard to be smooth when this happens).

My first thought was a bubble in the lines that was moving around during braking, but I have just had the system purged and re-filled to no avail. The slave and master cylinders have less than 30,000 miles on them and are not leaking.

Anyone have any ideas on this? Should I perhaps bleed both the clutch and the brakes since they share the same reservoir?

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

[SoCal Driver]

Sounds like the clutch cylinders are bad. If you have recently replace just one of them then it's time to replace the other. Also the woven hose that comes off of the brake reservor that feeds the clutch hydraulics tends to leak and cause air bubbles.

Still my clutch has always had a sone what long travel.

[AaronM]

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
Sounds like the clutch cylinders are bad. If you have recently replace just one of them then it's time to replace the other. Also the woven hose that comes off of the brake reservor that feeds the clutch hydraulics tends to leak and cause air bubbles.

Still my clutch has always had a sone what long travel.

They were replaced together about 30,000 miles ago according to my maintenance records. It was several years though and two owners ago. The person from whom I bought the car barely drove it, which did create some problems in other areas too. This car really hates to sit still.

This is almost enough to make me miss the cable clutch in the 914 though. Much simpler.

Aaron

[divezic]

Two possibilities I can think of.

1-One of your hydraulic lines have a small air leak.
2-Either your clutch slave or master are bad. I'm not being obtuse. I read they are less than 30,000 old but my newly replaced master cylinder went bad within a year (6,000 miles). I figured although it was new, sitting on a stock shelf for several years turned the new seals brittle.

[AaronM]

Originally posted by divezic
Two possibilities I can think of.

1-One of your hydraulic lines have a small air leak.
2-Either your clutch slave or master are bad. I'm not being obtuse. I read they are less than 30,000 old but my newly replaced master cylinder went bad within a year (6,000 miles). I figured although it was new, sitting on a stock shelf for several years turned the new seals brittle.

I'm thinking it's the cylinders. I really hope they last until spring. I do _not_ want to have to work on the bloody thing in the snow.. Gah, it's looking more and more like shop time.

Thanks guys.

Aaron