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Clutch Engagement Changes

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Old Feb 18, 2011 | 12:47 PM
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Clutch Engagement Changes

OK, I did a search on this, didn't find anything.

My clutch engagement point is moving on me. I have checked fluid, bled system multiple times, no leaks. 95% of the time the engagement is within the last 2 inches or so of clutch travel as I release the clutch. Every now and then, the engagement is right at the bottom, like as soon as I lift the clutch a 1/2" it starts to engage.

It's an Evo IX, south Bend DXD 6-puck sprung. Drives fine, no lockout, shifts good, but this issue with the engagement point shifting is becoming more frequent. It catches me off guard sometimes and I'll kill the car when the clutch grabs as soon as I start to lift.

Is the TOB trying to pull out of the clutch? That would cause something like this wouldn't it?
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Old Feb 18, 2011 | 12:53 PM
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Im experiencing the same thing! I have ix GG. Is your clutch pedal sometimes low and then other time inline with the other pedals?
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Old Feb 18, 2011 | 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by yuzzimi
Im experiencing the same thing! I have ix GG. Is your clutch pedal sometimes low and then other time inline with the other pedals?
It always come up to the same height. But most of the time the engagement of the clutch is towards the top of the release (as I have come to expect from hyd clutches). Every now and then though the clutch starts engaging as soon as the pedal leaves the floor. It still rises to the same height, just engages real low.
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Old Feb 18, 2011 | 01:54 PM
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im in the same boat!
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Old Feb 18, 2011 | 03:21 PM
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I had this problem once on my talon. I was missing the odd bolt to the transmission that goes in from the engine side. Its the only bolt holding the engine and trans together on the bottom on that side. In my case it cause the engine and trans to separate and walk around enough to mess with engagement point.

Another possibility, though it would usually cause it to start low and end up high is pedal pump-up due to improper clutch adjustment.
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Old Feb 21, 2011 | 05:30 AM
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I will check my bolts as the clutch was just done by the previous owner. The other thing is I now occasionally I smell my clutch, I plan on bleeding and adjusting it today.
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Old Sep 9, 2011 | 06:24 PM
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has anyone actually come up with a real solution to this problem? im having the exact same issues. ive bled the lines and released a little air however the problem still is there. possible clutch cyl.?
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Old Sep 9, 2011 | 06:54 PM
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Im noticing the same problem and its irritating and makes the car unpredictable to drive almost. Im also starting to get some lockout issues in third when I down shift, and yesterday it happened in first. I think my prob is I need to adjust the clutch pedal. I've put 13k miles on it since I got the car 3 yrs ago and never adjusted the pedal and don't know when the last owner did if he ever did as well.
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Old Sep 9, 2011 | 07:58 PM
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I fixed mine. Installed a Carbonetic twin with the push conversion. Should have been the first mod I made to the car.
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 02:23 PM
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I have this same exact issue. The strange part is that when it does "catch" at the end of the travel, I continue to let the clutch out and it goes back to the original engagement point. Then it's ok for a while, and will happen again eventually. Another strange part is that I get the engagement noise when it does start to engage every time this happens. When it doesn't happen, the engagement is perfectly silent.

I have a lightweight (aluminum) flywheel and a combo Kevlar / Carbon single disk clutch. The engagement noise I can chalk up to the aftermarket parts, but not the partial engagement problem.

I thought this could be an issue with air in the lines, but I've bled the clutch 3 times already and I'm not getting any more air out of the system at this point.

Any ideas, other than a wholesale change of clutch manufacturer / type?
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by cjb
I have this same exact issue. The strange part is that when it does "catch" at the end of the travel, I continue to let the clutch out and it goes back to the original engagement point. Then it's ok for a while, and will happen again eventually. Another strange part is that I get the engagement noise when it does start to engage every time this happens. When it doesn't happen, the engagement is perfectly silent.

I have a lightweight (aluminum) flywheel and a combo Kevlar / Carbon single disk clutch. The engagement noise I can chalk up to the aftermarket parts, but not the partial engagement problem.

I thought this could be an issue with air in the lines, but I've bled the clutch 3 times already and I'm not getting any more air out of the system at this point.

Any ideas, other than a wholesale change of clutch manufacturer / type?
Honestly, I suspect this whole issue is centered on the pull style setup. The retaining mechanism that holds the throw out bearing into the clutch is skimpy IMHO. I think the TOB partially disengages on occasion and clicks back into place after the pedal is fully released.

I have no proof, I just know it went away when i went to a push setup.
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Old Jan 31, 2012 | 08:58 AM
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Same issue here. It started with a twin disc clutch push type, so when I went back to pull type single disc I expected the problem to go away. I changed the clutch master cylinder the clutch slave cylinder then put the factory slave cyl. rod back in and its still doing it.

The strangest thing is though, it won't do it unless I go into boost. Does that mean the diaphram in the brake booster is ripped? And if so wouldn't that mean that it would affect braking performance as well?
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Old Feb 14, 2013 | 01:05 PM
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Bringing this bad from the dead.
Having this same problem and it's driving me crazy. Had the clutch rebuilt. New floaters, disks and pressure plate. Flywheel machined. Fluid was completely flushed and bled. New slave and master Cylinder. Rebuilt tranny. New TOB. Any ideas or solutions???
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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by JDavenport
I fixed mine. Installed a Carbonetic twin with the push conversion. Should have been the first mod I made to the car.
+1

Triple disk clutches are known to have this issue. The problem is they have too many floaters. The floaters move around all over the place and always find a point of contact with a disk somewhere to create a slight clutch drag issue. There is no way around this, because that's just how the system is designed. Every time you press the clutch a floater will be rubbing on a disk in a different way.

Everyone has these problems using a triple. They not only drive like crap, but they are trans synchro killers too. Ask any trans builder if they will warranty their synchros for a customer with a triple, and all will say NO, including us.

Triple disk clutches look like a great idea on paper, but they are not a street clutch and not a clutch to use if you want any life at all from your trans. The most disks you should find on a street clutch should be 2 and that's it.

Sorry, I wish I had a solution, but there isn't one for a triple. I get the same complaints from other platforms as well- like the Supra. Anyone that uses a triple will have engagement problems, drag problems, and dead synchros in very short time.

Many people are sponsored by some of these clutch manufacturers and push the triple clutch system on others even though they know the clutch sucks. It's not right and I see it a lot in this community. We won't push a poorly designed product even if we get it for free. It's not fair to the customer, who in the end will pay the price.

Jack
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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 01:49 PM
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From: Detroit/ Philly/ Tokyo
i had the same issue.
i replaced my
clutch line
clutch
trans
brake slave cylinder
i still had the issue
and then it turned out it was my master brake cylinder.
no leaks anywhere but master cyl was just bad....
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