Confusing Clutch Condition

[cats_on_ice]

I'm not gonna be great at explaining this...but pleasepleaseplease bear with me!

This morning, I get in my car to drive to school, and realize that my clutch now starts to dis-engage only after I push it half-way through its travel. The clutch pedal moves completely freely through the first half of its travel, and then meets the resistance (i.e. the clutch disengaging). This is not how it worked before the weekend. Before, I would feel the clutch start to dis-engage after about one quarter,if not less of the clutch pedal's travel.

The clutch also engages very close to the bottom of its travel, as in i barely lift off my foot and the car starts to chatter. Once again, this is not how it worked before the weekend. Before, it would start to engage at about the same place it is now, but with MUCH less force.

In summary, the clutch works, but all of its pedal action (?? i dunno what to call it) is now in the lower half of the clutch pedal travel.

What is this?!? How could my clutch change its behaviour like this over the weekend? I will drive my dad's CB9 when i get off school for reference, but I'm worried that the clutch might crap-out on me...and I neeeeedneedneeeed a functioning vehicle cause I have a job interview tomorrow.

Thanks In Advance To Anyone Who Has Any Ideas!!!

[DilutedImage]

Mine was doing weird stuff like that too, until I rebuilt the Clutch Slave Cylinder.

2˘

[cp[mike]]

either youre getting air in the lines, or one of the cylinders is going bad...

check out the diagram below, follow the directions to raise the engage point. its a way to adjust the clutch to within specs, but doing this can also compensate for your problem TEMPORARILY... unless somehow over the weekend the clutch "unadjusted" itself which is very unlikely.

after that, id try bleeding the clutch line. a bottle of brake fluid is cheap, and search this site, theres a few threads where everybody chimed in with their own suggestions for bleeding.

after that, you might be able to better tell how it feels, and if it could possibly be the master or slave cylinder failing.

[img]http://www.****.com/pics/adjusting_clutch.jpg[/img]

[The G-Man]

Try and bleed it, the bleeder screw is really easily accessable.
I got this 1 man bleeder tool at Advance Auto Parts. It mainly consists of a small bottle with a sealed lid, and some plastic tubing. You attach the plastic tube to the bleeder screw nipple thing, loosen the screw, put the bottle somewhere, and go in the car and start pumping the clutch. Every few pumps get out and check the clutch fluid reservouir and the bottle, if there are air bubbles in the line, you still need to pump some more.

[cats_on_ice]

Update

Thanks for the insightful replies!

So, just to make sure I'm not crazy, how do the clutches behave on your peoples cars? As in, where do they start to disengage/engage, amount of play at the top/bottom of the pedal's travel, etc? Thanks!

[The G-Man]

Honestly I could not tell you off the top of my head, because I never really thought about the exact position where my clutch engages. Let me get back to you tomorrow.

[cats_on_ice]

UPDATE
............................
I checked the master cylinder, and the slave cylinder, and generaly looked over the visible parts of the clutch system.

The master cylinder isn't leaking anything down onto the carpet, but it does have a little bit of gunky, grease resembling, stuff coming outta it.
I checked my dad's perfect, dealer maintained, CB9 and it has pretty much the same thing going on. Is this normal?

The slave cylinder also appears to be dry. Then I checked the clutch overflow reservoir thingy-ma-bob...empty!
So I purchased a bottle of D.O.T. 3 brake fluid, and tried toping it up....but my fears were realized: there is now an air pocket in the lines, and so toping the fluid up just results in the overflow reservoir to fill, but not get any actual brake fluid into the lines...or whatever.

Bleeding the system seems like the appropriate course of action?? No?

[5t341tH]

uhh i do not think u use brake fluid for the clutch system...

[DilutedImage]

uhh i do not think u use brake fluid for the clutch system...

You've clearly never worked with the clutch system then.

[DilutedImage]

Try and bleed it, the bleeder screw is really easily accessable.
I got this 1 man bleeder tool at Advance Auto Parts. It mainly consists of a small bottle with a sealed lid, and some plastic tubing. You attach the plastic tube to the bleeder screw nipple thing, loosen the screw, put the bottle somewhere, and go in the car and start pumping the clutch. Every few pumps get out and check the clutch fluid reservouir and the bottle, if there are air bubbles in the line, you still need to pump some more.

That's the way to do it. One tip I'll add though, is keep the bottle of fluid above the reservoir. This will encourage the air to move out, and the fluid in (for anyone not understanding this, air is lighter than fluid). .. . Oh, and don't forget to put fluid in that little bottle, so that the hose is submerged (this will suck fluid back in, rather than air).

[cats_on_ice]

Just got back in from bleeding the clutch. I bought a brake bleeding kit (1 hose with a one-way valve) and had to "modify" it with an exact-o knife to fit the bleeder valve thingy. It took waayy longer than I thought it would to get all the bubbles out, but they're out....for now...but the clutch is back in fighting form!!!

Next step, find that goddamn leak!
Thanks a bunch for the tips. You guys were right on the money.

[JDMCB705]

if ur clutch needs to be changed. try puttin ur car in 5th gear when ur going kinda slow and press on the gas. and see if ur caar vibrates

[asleepz]

That does not tell you if your clutch needs to be replaced... Any car will do that.

[NAiL05]

if ur clutch needs to be changed. try puttin ur car in 5th gear when ur going kinda slow and press on the gas. and see if ur caar vibrates

LOL where da hell did you get that type of info as mentioned all cars do that. Glad to hear you solved your problem. Just look behind the clutch fluid for any wetness or around the boot on the slave cylinder. Those would be the first places to look for a leak.

[Green_92_EX]

My car has been doing that seens i bought it. Sounds like a need to bleed mine to, so I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.