Clutch engages when pedal fully at floor

[Deftones 0]

Hello people

My E30 is having transmission issues. Basically for the gears to engage I need to fully press the clutch right to the floor.

The clutch also disengages when I lift the pedal about 1cm from the floor.

Normally the clutch/gears engage/disengage halfway through the pedal motion.

Also, at high revs the gears are pretty hard to engage and a good forceful push is needed.

Have talked to a couple of people such as RXSUMO (Darryl) and HARTAGE (Ian) who have pointed me in the direction of the clutch system (this was not obvious at first glance).

Ian and I have bled the clutch a few times, and Ian also had a feeling the slave cylinder was upside down and changed it. No seepage anywhere we can see. The clutch feels a lot better now after rebleeding the clutch a few times. Ian has a feeling we need to get the car more level to attempt another bleed.

Another idea is that there is a problem with the pressure plate (this was brand new over a year ago with the clutch). Of course checking the pressure plate will be a mission with having to get into the gearbox (something which I will try and delay as much as possible).

Has anyone had experiences like this? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance. Also, thanks to Ian and Darryl so far for their respective efforts.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Deftones

[bumpstop325 0]

no leaky anywhere?

recon the master cly with the kit from BNT?

[Gus 5]

sounds like either one of your cylinders...

[Hartage 0]

Carl, read the fault and put foot back in mouth!!

The car has new slave cylinder in it, and at the time of the gearbox swap had a new master cylinder in then.

It feels as though the pressure plate has collapsed, at least in part.

No Clutch slipage on hard acceleration, just not enough movement to give smooth change.

[Deftones 0]

hmm... might have to open up ye gearbox and take a look at that clutch and pressure plate of mine.. bugger. Ta.

[Guest Andrew]

maybe a clutch bleed - unusual for a new pressure plate to die.

[smokenbaby 0]

Hello people

My E30 is having transmission issues.  Basically for the gears to engage I need to fully press the clutch right to the floor.

The clutch also disengages when I lift the pedal about 1cm from the floor. 

Normally the clutch/gears engage/disengage halfway through the pedal motion.

Also, at high revs the gears are pretty hard to engage and a good forceful push is needed.

Have talked to a couple of people such as RXSUMO (Darryl) and HARTAGE (Ian) who have pointed me in the direction of the clutch system (this was not obvious at first glance). 

Ian and I have bled the clutch a few times, and Ian also had a feeling the slave cylinder was upside down and changed it.  No seepage anywhere we can see.  The clutch feels a lot better now after rebleeding the clutch a few times.  Ian has a feeling we need to get the car more level to attempt another bleed.

Another idea is that there is a problem with the pressure plate (this was brand new over a year ago with the clutch).  Of course checking the pressure plate will be a mission with having to get into the gearbox (something which I will try and delay as much as possible).

Has anyone had experiences like this?  Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.  Also, thanks to Ian and Darryl so far for their respective efforts.

Without knowing how you drive, I will offer this bit of advice.

A while back when I was racing full time, my van developed the exact same synario with its clutch. I had no idea why, what or how. When I had trouble driving back from Pukekohe to Wellington after a very long race weekend I decided I would pull the box out and have a wee look. What I found inside was a perfect looking Pressure Plate. The clutch plate was how ever some what worse for wear. The liners were as new but the center was screwed. Not the splined part but the metal between it and the linings. What appares to have happened was the springs that take up the initial load and cushion the off the line slack had actually worn the slots that they sit in and fracture the steel surrounding it. This deformed the clutch center and in turn made it very hard to get a gear and gave the clutch pedal a funny feel.

The cause of all this was the strain on the clucth while trying to hill start with the car and trailer on the back and also stop starting driving through towns.

The same can happen from doing tomany burnouts, hard launches, stompies etc. As stated above, I don't know how you drive so I can't point the finger.

There is also a very likelyhood that the clutch linnings are just worn, hard to believe for a 12 month old clutch but anything can happen. Using the clutch to stay still while at a red light on a hill.

Hope this gives you something to think about before pulling the box out and having a look. No point in doing so just for the hell of it. I find it hard to believe the car needs to be level to bleed the clutch (ex Mechanic) but you never know.

Once the box is out and the clutch is removed you may find that one or more of the Pressure Plate fingers may be bent. If so take it back to the place you got it from and see what they say.

Good luck.

Edited March 8, 2006 by smokenbaby

[Hartage 0]

Good pionts about the driving style, but dont think that Tane's driving would kill it that way.

The bleeding of the clutch on the level, was just to make sure that there was no more air, or trapped air in cylinder.

Clutch feels very soft, compared to my race car with the same type of clutch in it. That car has done two Targa's and two years of circut sprint meetings with no problems.

It is odd to me that with all new parts that it has failed so soon!

[Guest Andrew]

The bleeding of the clutch on the level, was just to make sure that there was no more air, or trapped air in cylinder.

it can't get trapped in there - its under pressure.

[smokenbaby 0]

Has the flywheel been resurfaced on the clutch contact face?

If it has, did the Pressure plate bolt-up face (flywheel surface) get machined the same amount. If this has not happened then the clamping force of the preasure plate will be lowered. In this case the clutch will be lighter underfoot and will take less Km's for small amounts of wear effect the opperation of the clutch. You will have less wear but will resemble worn clutch plate sooner. As the thickness of the clutch linning is reduced over time the clamping pressure will drop (slipping clutch) and the pedal height of clutch engagement will get closer to the floor.

Alot of people (shops) over look this and it is a common problem. On a positive note, if you machine the Pressure plate bolt-up face (flywheel surface) more than what was removed off the clutch face you will increase the clamping pressure. Caution must be taken that you don't take to much off or the clutch wont disengage and render it undrivable.

[Deftones 0]

Thanks guys. Very informative post thanks smokenbaby. I drive carefully and never thrash my car at all, and the only person who has done burnouts in my car would have to be Tim.. haha. I always take the car out of gear when at a stop sign, or light (is this a good or bad thing?).

The flywheel I bought from Mosen's up in Hamilton. It looked original to me, but was a second hand in mint condition.

I think Ian and I (or should I say more Ian) have done as much as we can so far (hydraulics, as far as not replacing master cylinder which is pretty much a year old or so), so next step will be to look at the pressure plate and clutch plate to see if any of what you have described has happened.

[OLLIE 26]

i'd suggest taking out the master cylinder and would put a bet on the spring inside being broken. the standard springs get very brittle!

So basically it will cost you about 5 dollars to replace this spring and the seals and it will take you all of an hour to do the job. like tim said, master cylinder recon set.

exact same thing happened to me

[murks 0]

:bounce: new clutch bro!!!! man some people waste time rappin bout nuthin they know!!i'd say a better brand....bnt alrite exedy or daiken :bounce:

[Hartage 0]

Not wastin their time rappin!!

Car has been fixed, loose bolts on Pressure plate.

Clutch pack all ok!, with new release bearing.

[smokenbaby 0]

Good to hear it was a simple fix, no money out lay and the rapping has now turned into church music.

[Gus 5]

hallelujah!

[Deftones 0]

hah. forgot about my follow up to this.

As Ian said, loose pressure plate bolts. There was an oil leak in the front gearbox seal, with a bit of seepage into the clutch area. Pressure plate was loose, and ended up also f*cking the release bearing. So in all, a new seal, and release bearing. Clutch and pressure plate themselves were perfect!

The car (not suprisingly) drives like new!

Thanks everyone for your input.