Clutch engagement issues

Doubt 1T

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Hey all, hope everyone had a fantastic new year!! I’m rolling in the new year with an issue I think haha

Ok, so my 14 - 29k miles stock clutch is making a noise when its almost fully engaged from a stop. It sound like a clap-clap it does it twice and I can also feel it in the clutch pedal. When I slowly release the clutch I hear it starts to grab normally but as I let out completely, basically towards the end of the release point I hear it / feel it. The car drives and goes into gear fine high/lo Rpm speeds, zero drivability issues, which is why my brain is confused haha. I only notice this from a stop in first or reverse , basically when I’m stopped trying to park or something. I will add , once I’m moving shifting on the highway or something I don’t feel anything in the pedal like I normally never did. I did take a video hopefully you can hear it as I get on and off the clutch to try and make it do it.

 
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hotcobra03

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I've only worked on 2 vehicles with a slave cylinder..
81 jeep
95f250

Both of these had the same problem.

Bolts holding slave to transmission were broken ,stripped, or missing.

Both caused a clunk noise when moving clutch pedal as yours does ..

Both drove fine but after time caused lines to leak or pull out .
 

Doubt 1T

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I've only worked on 2 vehicles with a slave cylinder..
81 jeep
95f250

Both of these had the same problem.

Bolts holding slave to transmission were broken ,stripped, or missing.

Both caused a clunk noise when moving clutch pedal as yours does ..

Both drove fine but after time caused lines to leak or pull out .
Yikes, I guess there no way to find out unless I pull the transmission?
 

biminiLX

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Yikes, I guess there no way to find out unless I pull the transmission?
Any leaks?
There is a nice braided clutch line available
and the car is probably due for a fluid change?
The brake fluid also is shared with the clutch.
If the fluid change doesn’t fix it and the clutch line isn’t leaking, might be clutch time but there’s some performance upgrades there in the clutch, shifter and SS line. Separating the clutch and brake fluid is also possible and kits with a small reservoir are available.
-J
 

Doubt 1T

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Any leaks?
There is a nice braided clutch line available
and the car is probably due for a fluid change?
The brake fluid also is shared with the clutch.
If the fluid change doesn’t fix it and the clutch line isn’t leaking, might be clutch time but there’s some performance upgrades there in the clutch, shifter and SS line. Separating the clutch and brake fluid is also possible and kits with a small reservoir are available.
-J
I don’t see anything on the floor, I’ll take a look around the master cylinder. Yeah I know they make a SS line for the clutch which I actually have been meaning to do. You think this might be fluid related? This just blows my mind that the car is driving completely fine besides what I’m hearing and feeling. Does it make sense that I don’t feel anything when the car is moving and shifting , like on the highway? If it was clutch related wouldn’t it do it all the time or maybe becuse the motor/ trans is spinning at a high rate? Still don’t make sense if my clutch was going out or anything.
 

biminiLX

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It’s a twin disk clutch and the tall 3.31 rear gear and the long 2.66 first gear put a lot of stress on the clutch when you have a 4000# car w/driver and lots of torque.
The clutch may make noise and still perform fine, then it becomes if you can live with that or dive into it.
I’d personally flush the fluids and inspect and if continued probably no choice but trans R&R
Good luck
-J
 

Doubt 1T

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It’s a twin disk clutch and the tall 3.31 rear gear and the long 2.66 first gear put a lot of stress on the clutch when you have a 4000# car w/driver and lots of torque.
The clutch may make noise and still perform fine, then it becomes if you can live with that or dive into it.
I’d personally flush the fluids and inspect and if continued probably no choice but trans R&R
Good luck
-J
Gotcha, what on the clutch could be making that noise though? Broken spring or something or a bad throw out bearing? I’ll redo the fluids where do you start at? The calipers?

Is there a way to inspect the clutch without dropping the trans though a inspection opening Or not really?
 

biminiLX

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Yes there is but to be honest if it gets there you may want to consider a professional inspection.
Would you be doing a clutch swap yourself?
Have a good local shop you trust?
-J
 

Doubt 1T

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Yes there is but to be honest if it gets there you may want to consider a professional inspection.
Would you be doing a clutch swap yourself?
Have a good local shop you trust?
-J
Yeah I’d have the same guy who did my lashers. He told me 500-600 for labor and maybe $100 or so to resurface the fly wheel. He thinks it’s the throw out bearing, but while he’s got it down he would inspect the clutch. The weird part of this all is driving it drives normal zero noise or feel once I’m moving along. If I get zero clutch slippage or anything could it still be the clutch?
 

biminiLX

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Yeah I’d have the same guy who did my lashers. He told me 500-600 for labor and maybe $100 or so to resurface the fly wheel. He thinks it’s the throw out bearing, but while he’s got it down he would inspect the clutch. The weird part of this all is driving it drives normal zero noise or feel once I’m moving along. If I get zero clutch slippage or anything could it still be the clutch?
From a noise perspective yes it could be the clutch. Remember it’s a twin disk so more pieces and the if one fails or becomes misaligned it may still function normally but just make noise.
Prices seem about right.
-J
 

Doubt 1T

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From a noise perspective yes it could be the clutch. Remember it’s a twin disk so more pieces and the if one fails or becomes misaligned it may still function normally but just make noise.
Prices seem about right.
-J
Yeah, not sure how a twin clutch actually works, I’m trying to analyze something I’m not sure about haha so are you leaning more towards clutch then Anything? Is there a reason why I feel it in the clutch pedal? Or it just resonates like when you you feel something on the braking system? What can get misaligned on a twin disk?
 

Doubt 1T

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From a noise perspective yes it could be the clutch. Remember it’s a twin disk so more pieces and the if one fails or becomes misaligned it may still function normally but just make noise.
Prices seem about right.
-J
So I went to the mechanic yesterday and he thinks it might be the clutch, now of course when it was there we didn’t hear any noise haha but he did feel the tap feeling in his foot when 3/4 of releasing the clutch pedal. He drove it and he said it felt good. He tried to get it to slip to test it and it passed. Just guessing but he said it might be the pressure plate or the fingers or possibly maybe the shaft is dirty th clutch rides on and it’s getting hung up here and there.

When I pulled up to the house I heard zero noises from the clutch and really didn’t feel much in the pedal, not 100% gone but not as bad as before.
 

biminiLX

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if it’s not slipping, beat it like it owes you rent and report back.
As long as it’s holding power and shifting normally it’s probably not much to worry about until you can’t stand the noise. Only option is likely to take it out and inspect.
-J
 

SCGallo2

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There are a few parts in the clutch system that can fail, causing the noise you are hearing: pressure plate, sprung hub, and concentric slave cylinder. For a thorough diagnosis, the transmission needs to be removed and the clutch assembly needs to be disassembled and inspected. With nearly 30k miles on your stock clutch, I would plan on replacing everything while the transmission is removed, regardless of clutch condition; it is not a job you want to pay for or do twice if it can be avoided. On a modded car, look at aftermarket clutch replacement options.

A good way to test for slippage is to do a WOT pull in 4th gear starting from 3000 RPM on a good road with traction. If the clutch discs are worn or the pressure plate is weak, the clutch won’t hold peak torque (RPMs will flare without corresponding increase in speed).

clutch assembly.jpg

clutch parts.jpg

CSC.jpg
 

Doubt 1T

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There are a few parts in the clutch system that can fail, causing the noise you are hearing: pressure plate, sprung hub, and concentric slave cylinder. For a thorough diagnosis, the transmission needs to be removed and the clutch assembly needs to be disassembled and inspected. With nearly 30k miles on your stock clutch, I would plan on replacing everything while the transmission is removed, regardless of clutch condition; it is not a job you want to pay for or do twice if it can be avoided. On a modded car, look at aftermarket clutch replacement options.

A good way to test for slippage is to do a WOT pull in 4th gear starting from 3000 RPM on a good road with traction. If the clutch discs are worn or the pressure plate is weak, the clutch won’t hold peak torque (RPMs will flare without corresponding increase in speed).

View attachment 1733403
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View attachment 1733407

When my mechanic took it for a sling he said he tried to get it to slip and couldn’t . Would that tell us the clutch is ok? And the sounds and what I’m feeling in the pedal are nothing? I will say when he had the car I heard zero sounds ( of course ) and I really didn’t feel much in the pedal. Even when I came home. So I’m not sure lol
 

SCGallo2

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When my mechanic took it for a sling he said he tried to get it to slip and couldn’t . Would that tell us the clutch is ok? And the sounds and what I’m feeling in the pedal are nothing? I will say when he had the car I heard zero sounds ( of course ) and I really didn’t feel much in the pedal. Even when I came home. So I’m not sure lol
Generally, that would mean that the clutch is fully engaging and holding the torque; pressure plate and clutch discs should be good.

If the noise you are hearing wasn't there before but started recently, it could be an indication that something is failing or working itself loose.

Personally, if the car drives fine and the clutch doesn't slip, I would continue driving it. But be aware, that if and when it does fail, it could leave you stranded at the most inopportune time.
 

Doubt 1T

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Generally, that would mean that the clutch is fully engaging and holding the torque; pressure plate and clutch discs should be good.

If the noise you are hearing wasn't there before but started recently, it could be an indication that something is failing or working itself loose.

Personally, if the car drives fine and the clutch doesn't slip, I would continue driving it. But be aware, that if and when it does fail, it could leave you stranded at the most inopportune time.
Yeah makes sense, when I came home I heard zero noises and felt really nothing in the foot. Would it matter when I started experiencing this, it’s been really cold out would that have any effect? Or that shouldn’t really matter. After driving for awhile it did it do but the Amibient temp has been pretty cold out.

Like I said though when I came home from the mechanic I didn’t hear any noises and felt a very very slight feeling in the pedal but that might be normal.
 

SCGallo2

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Would it matter when I started experiencing this, it’s been really cold out would that have any effect? Or that shouldn’t really matter.
Hard to say. Cold temperature should not affect the engagement of the pressure plate or clutch discs during normal driving. I guess it is possible that it could affect the smoothness of the slave cylinder sliding on the input shaft, if there is a buildup of grease and clutch dust on the input shaft it might tend to get sticky.
 

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