I am currently in the process of bringing an FD back to life, and I came across a weird problem. I purchased this vehicle a couple months ago, and I just installed a stainles clutch line, as the vehicle did not have one when I purchased it. So I bled all of the brakes and the clutch (using speed bleeders on all), and after I close the bleeder on the clutch slave cylinder, I go in the car to test the clutch and brake pedals. The brake pedal felt firm like it was supposed to...The clutch pedal on the other hand felt as stiff as the brake pedal. I will admit I am relatively new to FDs, but I can't imagine that the clutch pedal is supposed to be THAT stiff. I tried searching but came up with nothing similar to my situation.

The previous owner informed at the time of purchase informed me that the clutch was either the stock clutch or a stock looking replacement, if that helps any....

 

clutch pedal on mine is considerably stiffer than the brake pedal but im running a ACT street setup or whatever they call it now

 

Maybe the previous owner installed the wrong type of clutch bc the rx7 is a pull type clutch and it sounds like he doesn't know what clutch he put in it.

EDIT: Does your car drive fine?

 

i agree with seven. sounds like the guy wasn't really sure what he was putting in it. My clutch is firm not really stiff. Its sensitive as all hell. I actually stall out a lot or jump when I start in first its so touchy, pretty embarrassing especially since I'm the only FD in the area and it makes me look like a newb lol.

 

The type of disc won't have much effect on the pedal effort. The disc will effect the clutch engagement while the pressure plate will effect the pedal effort (i.e. a heavy duty pressure plate will create more effort).

lnbrown5981, did you actually start the car and feel the pedal pressure while driving or were you just testing it with the car off sitting still after the bleeding procedure?

 

sounds like his fd isn't running yet

 

i dont know what you guys consider stiff, but never in my life have i experienced a stiff pedal.

My friend has a 750hp subaru with stage III single plate.

My car has the ACT-Street/Strip.

While its "firm" its certainly not that stiff....I think the problem most people have is the on/off feeling of a heavy clutch where they can't slip it. I've never actually felt a pedal that was too hard to push down. Maybe its because I squat 500lbs.

So, if you pedal is really that rediculously stiff then maybe there is a problem? lol

 

No the car isn't running yet, so I just tested it with the car off after the bleeding procedure.

 

Jack the car up and open the bottom small tranny plate cover,and look inside.

 

Wait until you get the car running and then see if you still have an issue.

 

Make sure you haven't kinked or twisted the new clutch line. Even a little might add alot of resistance.

 

The line is pretty strait.

 

Yea same here lol.... I have an Act xtreem which is definitely heavy and while I'm okay with it, I've encountered valets and others that could not drive it. A new form of security, I suppose.

 

I hope that's the case. Cause if I put some *** into, I can get the pedal to move about 4-6 inches, but it kinda feels like I might be breaking something, like there's a basketball behind the pedal.

 

Once you have pressed the clutch beyond the play, it should have about the same stiffness thru the entire throw. If it gets much stiffer as you depress it, you probably have a problem.

 

Don't be a *****.

 

^WTF

I removed the inspection plate and it appears as though the release bearing isn't moving much as the clutch pedal is pressed. Meanwhile the pedal is still barely moving. The clutch fork appears to be intact btw.

 

while i dont know what clutch is in there it seems like a oem clutch, my clutch pedal is quite stiffer tahn in any fc i have owned.

 

people constantly label flywheel and pressure plate as a 'clutch' this is false. a actual clutch disc has very little to do with pressure required to push in the peddle if any difference.

a heavy duty pressure plate will cause heavy peddle feel, this is normal with a hd pp

 

Lamar,

Did you ever get the clutch sorted out? The pressure plate & disc were stock & the pedal was pretty stiff when i had the car but nothing out of the ordinary. Let me know if you sorted every out.

Idel

 

Ahhhhh no, if i didn't know a 3rd Gen had a pull type clutch I probably had no business owning em. That's why I sold this car because i couldn't figure out how to install the clutch. lol

Lamar shoot me a pm & let me know whats up.

 

My money is on a seized master or slave cylinder.

Edit: Probably the slave since you said you could bleed the clutch line fine.

 

Throwout bearing hung up on trans input shaft? possible? I just had to pull my trans because my clutch fork broke. When it broke it was super stiff, then POP. It cracked. I wonder if the siffness that caused my fork to break is what is causing your issue.

 

IMO, it is unlikely that the stiffness is being caused by the master cylinder. The cylinders move a lot, and, as such, would tend to be "notchy," or lock up completely (* see below). Stiffness, such as you are describing, is much more likely to occur in the bearing of a rotating shaft, i.e., the clutch fork pivot. IMO, there is very little inside the bellhousing to cause this feeling, except for a binding fork, or something bottomed out or assembled wrong.

*If the slave cylinder were "locked" or bound up, that would make the pedal feel "as stiff as the brake pedal," as you described. The only pedal movement would then be coming from pedal, master, and clutch line flex.

Did you use the pedal at any time to bleed? Did it move freely at that time? If so, the stiffness is not a master cylinder problem.

 

adjust the clutch spring?
is the clutch rod good or are you toward the end of it?