Clutch: do i have a choice on where it engages?

[AlphaAssault]

firstly there are about 35k miles on the transmission, clutch, clutch pedal assembly, and both master and slave cylinders. clutch fluid is full, and neither cylinder appears to be leaking. get that out of the way first.

recently, i adjusted the clutch because it wasnt quite disengaging all the way (difficult to shift at times), even when the pedal was pushed all the way to the floor. I adjusted the master cylinder rod out some, so now the clutch begins to engage towards the top of the clutch stroke. however, i prefer for the clutch to engage right close to the floor. is it possible to get the clutch to fully disengage AND have the engagement point right near the floor, or is it only one or the other?

also, as a clutch wears, does the engagement point get closer to the floor, or does it shift toward the top of the pedal stroke?

 

[black92_tsi_awd]

Mine adjusts about an inch off the floor. You may have to shim the shift ball inside the transmission if you have the clutch rod adjusted all the way out. Or install an extended slave rod.

 

[AlphaAssault]

ive got the master cylinder rod adjusted out all the way, and the clutch still isnt fully disengaging. would a little air in the system cause this?

 

[cano86]

I don't know if your set up is the same as mine but if it is you should be able to adjust it by the clutch pedal like I did to mine.

If its adjusted try the following good luck
Step
1
Check the level of the clutch fluid in the Mitsubishi Eclipse's reservoir. Top it off if necessary, and pump the clutch pedal a few times in order to restore the pressure in the hydraulic lines.
Step
2
Bleed the system if the clutch adjustment is unchanged after filling the reservoir. You might also want to check for cracks or leaks in the reservoir as well.
Step
3
Test the Mitsubishi Eclipse to see whether the clutch is dragging. Put the car in first gear on a flat surface, step on the clutch and rev up the engine to about 74,000 RPM. If the vehicle stays put, you're good. If it creeps forward, however, you must go on to the next step.
Step
4
Loosen the nut on the master cylinder at the top of the clutch pedal assembly, and turn the rod clockwise a full turn. Have someone lie beneath the can and push on the rod of the slave cylinder. Keep on turning the rod until the person cannot push the slave cylinder's rod any more.
Step
5
Reverse the rod of the master cylinder 1/2 turn, and have the person push on the rod of the slave cylinder again. Keep on reversing 1/2 turn to the left until the person can successfully push the slave cylinder's rod. This should be the adjustment Mitsubishi Eclipse's clutch needed.
Step
6
Replace the clutch assembly if nothing else works.

 

[AlphaAssault]

well, im narrowing things down. the master cylinder is fine. its new, in fact, and isnt leaking at all. the clutch assembly is relatively new with no excess play, and clutch feels fine also. this leaves the slave cylinder. heres what its doing: I get under the car and push the cylinder rod in by hand. it does require a little effort, but i can still push it in all the way with my thumb. however, the rod is slow to come OUT of the cylinder, and i have to help it a little bit. also, when i push the slave rod in, it makes this squishy sort of noise. the slave isnt leaking though, and the clutch fluid reservoir is full. is the slave cylinder out, or is there air in the system? or is it something else?

 

[luv2rallye]

... rev up the engine to about 74,000 RPM.

Wow - you've got one heck of a dragster there! Let's see...74,000...that should be over 1000mph! Better take that puppy to the strip this weekend.

 

[Defiant]

when i push the slave rod in, it makes this squishy sort of noise.

Air. More bleeding.

 

[Pirrofab]

You can try pressure bleeding the system or reverse pressure bleeding the system. If you have access to the tools you can try pressurizing the master cylinder and forcing fluid out of the slave or forcing fluid from the slave up through the master. Another safer easier way to bleed is to hook up a hose to the slave cylinder and run the hose into a clean bottle filled with brake fluid. open the bleeder and slowly push and release the clutch pedal. It will push and pull on the fluid to work the air out. Keep an eye on the fluid in the master. If you want a better pedal feel you can also switch the rubber line to a ss line.

 

[siceclipse]

possibly a bent release fork or a worn down pivot ball.

or like defiant said some air in the system.

 

[->PrOjEcTGS<-]

What clutch was put in there? Stock or aftermarket? Profile says "Street Clutch"
Was the flywheel resurfaced?
If it was, was the clutch fork pivot ball shimmed properly to accommodate that flywheel thickness change?

Most of the time they forget to shim the pivot ball as to recover the travel needed to disengage the clutch due to the lost material from resurfacing the flywheel. This is most common mistake I have seen when putting an aftermarket or replacement clutch in.

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