Clutch pedal sticking half way--86 951?

[Vroom]

10/17/01 Clutch pedal sticking

I have an 86 944 turbo. The clutch pedal sticks half when when releasing it. I notice that it happens mostly when I’m pressing on the brake pedal, which obviously uses fluid from the same reservoir.
Rennwerke in Elmsford, NY, mentioned that there was a service bulletin about sticking pedals, something to do with a faulty spring, and replacing it.
My mechanic bled the system. Still getting the sticking pedal.

Have any of you been through this? Was it related to the spring and adjustment, or to the master and slave cylinders?

Thanks, Ave 86 951 140K

[Lawrence Coppari]

Mine just began that last weekend while at Road Atlanta. Plan to look into it this weekend. It only did it after several laps. Does not do it on highway.....Plan to start off by bleeding.

[Vroom]

Lawrence, Will you keep me posted on your clutch pedal? Thanks.
My email address is: avram53@earthlink.net
Ave

[Lawrence Coppari]

Sure, I'll email you Sunday or Monday.

[klasic951]

Well I had this problem too, and well it turned out that my slave cylnder had a small leak and was letting all the pressure out and letting air in.

So the slave got replaced and things were good for a little while, then the day after road atlanta my clutch would not rebound anymore, well the added pressure of the new slave blew out the master. So I replaced that too and now the clutch is finaly coming off the floor. I hope it is just air in the lines, but if you have a slow lead the bleading will work for a while, but then you'll be back to square one.

Best of luck

Lawrence I was the one in the black 944 parked two down from you at road atlanta, best of lucking getting your car on the road again.

[Vroom]

Klasic,
Thanks for your feedback. Sounds like both the master and slave need to be changed at same time.
Sounds like no one else has heard about this "service bulletin" regarding a faulty clutch spring or adjustment?

LAWRENCE, thanks in advance for emailing me with your update! Ave

[This message has been edited by Vroom (edited 10-19-2001).]

[Lawrence Coppari]

Klasic951, are you going to RA in November with Peachstate? I am.

[klasic951]

Lawrence
I don't think I'm gonna make it to Road Atlanta in November, I am instead going to spend that money on my brakes, they are in dire need of some tweeking. So I am going for new pads, a set of cooling ducts, maybe a proportioning valve and I belive it is time to swap out the front rotors as well. But after that is paid off I'll be ready to be back on the track.

Ian

[banjomike]

I think that there are two different problems here. klassic951, it seemed like you were saying that once it happened the pedal would stay down (tell me if I read that wrong). The original poster seemed to be describing the same thing that happens to me from time to time.
Sometimes during spirited driving or hard breaking my clutch pedal will only come back up half way. If I put my toe under it it pops right up. If I don't and I leave it down, the clutch is fully engaged. I can depress the pedal again and shift and it will sometimes still stay down. Then sticking my toe underneath pops it right back up.
My mechanic replaced my master cylinder. No change. It feels like a mechanical glithc to me. Keep us updated if you get it fixed.

MsB

------------------
Mike 86 944

[Vroom]

Mike, Thanks for your post. Yeh, it's possible that it's not related to the master or slave. If I find out anything regarding the "svc. bulletin" I'll let you know.

Ave 86 951

[Lawrence Coppari]

Bled the clutch system this weekend. Pedal now has more spring to it. We shall see at Road Atlanta in two weeks. Fluid that came out was dirty.

[klasic951]

Mike,

actually what you describe is exactly what was happening with my car, the clutch would stick at about 1/2 way, and a simple flick of the foot would get it too pop out. The problem only got worse over time.

It could be dirty fluid, it could be the slave, it could me the master, it could be a problem in the clutch's adjustment. In my case it was the slave and then the master. But try the bleeding first.

Best of luck.

[Lawrence Coppari]

The sticking was in the last few percent or about the last two inches of travel. It happens at positions where you are not moving the clutch-flywheel mechanism. On my car, the first two inches of travel does nothing. Beyond that point, the pressure needed to further push the clutch increases considerably as you begin moving the pressure plate. The sticking occurs after the clutch fully re-engages. It seems to be in the free travel portion of clutch pedal movement.

[Vroom]

Thanks for continuing this topic. Rennwerke in Elmsford, NY, said there was a service bulletin about this very thing. Had to do with the clutch adjustment and the spring. Have any of you check this out? Might not be related to the master and slave.
My car has same thing....comes half way up, engages clutch all right, but I have to pop it up the rest of the way with my toe.
I'm curious to see if any of you have info about the spring problem?
Ave

[Lawrence Coppari]

I looked at the spring. There is an adjustment on it but I did not change the adjustment. It does not look like it would be difficult to adjust. From looking at the threaded adjustment, mine is set in the middle so I have adjustment left. If it does it again, I'll adjust.

[Vroom]

I think the service bulletin also included changing the spring. Let me know if your pedal behaves?
Ave


PS I posted a question about a "droan" noise coming out of the turbo pipes or exhaust pipes. Know anything about those pipes or double walled pipe problems? I have an 86 951 with 140Kmiles.

[adrial]

Vroom, where do you live?
I'm like 30mins away from Rennwerke...My car was maintained there by the PO.
I'm in Somers...
email me at adrial@cloud9.net if you like.

--adrial

[Lawrence Coppari]

Varoom - the droning noise is a new one for me. Sorry, I know nothing about it. Good luck.

[Vroom]

Lawrence, Thanks for reply. To all: Please let me know if you discover any other cause for the clutch pedal sticking half way.
Adrial, I'll email you.