jmgtp

1994 LT1
106k miles
clutch age/miles/brand: unknown
cags unplugged

Hello all, anyone ever run into a problem with the carpeting preventing the pedal from reaching its full travel?

I am not talking about the floor mat either, rather the carpeting itself. I've had the car about 2 weeks and I am not happy with the clutch disengagement. The car shifts good for the most part. 1st gear requires just slightly more effort than what I would consider normal to shift into at a stop and 3rd gear on occasion seems just a bit difficult to engage, more noticeable on lazy shifts. I bled the slave cylinder per the instructions I read during a search of the forum - it didn't seem to help. It feels like it doesn't disengage 100% and I believe the carpet limiting the pedal throw may be part of the problem.

The pedal very noticeably hits the carpet rather than the pedal stop. I peeled the carpet back off the floor and tried the clutch pedal - with the carpet removed I get a nice positive hit on the pedal stop. I would estimate I gained about 3/8" pedal travel which may be just enough to make the difference between not disengaging 100% and fully disengaged. I couldn't test drive like this though because the pulled back carpeting interfered with the other pedals but I think this may be at least part of my problem.

Has anyone else had this problem? The only solution I can think of is to cut a small section out of the carpet so the pedal can clear but I don't want to start hacking apart my car. The slave cylinder did appear original and has slight surface rust. The throw out bearing makes an audible creaky sound that can only be heard during clutch disengagement when the car is not running - I know this could be in large part my problem but I'd rather get the carpet issue sorted out before considering a clutch replacement. The fluid in the clutch reservoir seemed fairly clean. I did not inspect the master cylinder. I do not know the age/miles on the clutch but it does not slip and engages smoothly.

Any input welcome!
Thanks,
John

94z07fx3

I haven't had that issue.

However, the clutch master cylinder is fixed to the firewall with a spacer in between. Before I went the carpet cutting route I'd try making a smaller spacer once I had the thickness dialed in with stacking washers. This would effectively make the rod longer.

I do wonder if your MC is leaking internally though...

jmgtp

Thanks for the reply.

It sounds like the thickness of the washers may allow for some degree of adjustment. I'm going to go that route first.

tdr1919

if you have to bury the pedal to the floor, you need a clutch. If you pump up the pedal will it go into gear with the pedal off the floor?
if that is the case then you didnt bleed the slave cylinder completely.
Did you pull the slave cylinder and move it so the bleeder was up and at the highest point? you cannot bleed it correctly if it is bolted to the engine.
Tom

lt4obsesses

You should not have to go all the way to floor to engage the clutch.

jmgtp

When I bled the slave I had the rear of the car higher than the front so the bleeder was slightly higher than the front of the slave cylinder. I wouldn't want to try to bleed it with the slave cylinder not bolted - I'd think it would easily overextend when you push the pedal...?

Like I said, the car seems to shift ok. Sometimes 3rd is a bit notchy on a slower than normal shift. My first concern before replacing the clutch is figuring out the carpeting since it is very clearly limiting pedal travel.

94z07fx3

But the bleeder is on the bottom when it's bolted. The proceedure is to unbolt it invet it and hold it level while it is bled. If the car is level the slave should be level as well and several slow cycles of the pedal should allow it to self bleed while bolted with the bleeder closed.

jmgtp

I see your point now and it does make sense. Is your way been tried before?

Most slave cylinders extend when they are unbolted and my concern is if I use the pedal to move fluid that the slave will overextend and possibly be damaged? Am I being overcautious and is this really a non issue?

383vett

Where is your friction point? Is it near the floor or midway or near the top? If the friction point is ok, maybe you have a pilot bushing/bearing problem.

jhammons01

you refresh all the things associated with the clutch and you'll get the feel you are looking for.

jmgtp

The friction point feels normal, but normal to me may not be normal to you - its all relative. This is the only C4 I've ever driven so I really have nothing to compare. The friction point seems to be halfway between the floor and the mid-point or put another way, at 1/4 of the pedal throw off the floor it starts to grab. How would a bad pilot bearing cause this problem? It is my understanding that the pilot bearing serves only to support/keep centered the input shaft in relation to the crank/flywheel centerline.

BrianCunningham

sounds like the issue is either with the clutch or the hydraulics

vettenut94

Hi & welcome i see your new to the form, if it were me & it was same year & 100,000 miles.I replaced the clutch master & slave & power bled the system from the bottom up,air likes to go up easier then trying to force it down.just make sure you suck out the fluid comming back up to the reservoir or it will run all over.then change the trans fluid just doing the fluid first helped the same shifting problems you described fluid should be changed about every ten to twelve thousand miles.it will make a difference.also check out www.zfdoc.com. he has great info on all the zf trans & hydraulic systems & tests. good luck hope this helps. ps: i dont think its your carpet if its factory carpet & it is installed like factory.