I have a 2013 base coupe with 4600 miles purchased new August 2013. Last Febuary I installed the Tick Performance master clutch and love it. But here is the question. The play at the top of the clutch seems to vary. Sometime there is 1 3/8 inches play before clutch resistance, and at other times it's as much as 2 inches. Of course, the engagement point from the floor follows suit which drives me nuts. Most of the time (90% -/+) the play is the 1 3/8 inches.

About a month ago I thought that maybe I didn't bench bleed the master clutch properly, so I did it on the car (lot's of fun as some of you know). Still no change.

The clutch brake fluid has remained clear since changing the master clutch last February.

I'm not heavy on the clutch, I don't race the vehicle and honestly haven't even chirped the tires yet.

So what do you think is wrong? Do I have a bad slave cylinder? Is the slave dirty and not retracting properly? Is the automatic clutch adjuster on the pressure plate bad? Do I have a bad master cylinder? Or is this normal (which I hope not)?

 

Top free play sounds to be too large, hence plunger not set correctly for a full release of the clutch at the bottom of the pedal stroke.


The tick will move more fluid per stock then the stock cylinder, but when adjusting the stroke, should have ended with about 1/2" to 3/4" top end free play.


With the amount of free play you now have, would dare to guess that you are not getting a full release of the clutch on full pedal down stroke, and this is causing a heating problem that is causing the fluctuation in the pedal feed back.

 

Is the plunger adjustment something I can do or is that Tick's responsibility. If I can do it, how? But, if you are referring to the normal pedal adjustment, I've played with varying level's with the same results. Also, I'm not sure it has to do with heat because yesterday I had the 2 inch play when I initially started the car when cold.

 

Read the directions again before you do anything.

The master cylinder should have been bench bleed before it was installed.

The plunger end buckle linkage needs to be adjusted so it fully releases the clutch when the pedal is pressed all the way down (which ends up with about 1/2" to 3/4" of free play at the top of the pedal).

The linkage come adjusted short, and you need to adjust the needed longer length to get the clutch to fully release with the pedal pressed all the way in.


As for the clutch pedal spring, reinstall it.

 

Thanks for the input Dano523, I think did everything to specs. I initially thought you knew of an internal plunger adjustment. But I'm not so sure about reinstalling the clutch pedal spring, it looks like it will bind on the new adjustment rod given it's now on a elongated horizontal shaft moving it more to right than the stock master clutch. But thanks for your input.

 

Adjustment to the plunger are made on the turn buckle piece that through bolts to the pedal (the bolt that you have to drill in the pedal arm for the new bolt). The plunger is attached to the threaded part that comes out the housing, and the adjustment is make at the long bolt connector/eye outlet for the pedal through bolt.

Adjust the turnbuckle/threads outwards until you have about 3/4" of free play at the top of the pedal downward stroke until you get resistance of the plunger starting to move fluid when pushing the pedal down by hand, and see if the trans will smoothly shifter through the gears (including reverse) with the motor running, and the clutch all the way down.

If if feels like your still fighting to get the trans through the gears with the clutch all the way in, then adjust the free play closer to 1/2" instead.

If you still have problem, then run a long thin tube down the reserve fluid line into the master cylinder, and try to force out any air that may be trapped in the master cylinder and reserve hose.
For me, reserve tank about 1/4 full, long tube (type that connects to WD-40 can, but longer) with a piece of rubber tubing between it and a syringe with clutch fluid, and I force fluid in the cylinder to drive any trapped air bubbles in the master cylinder back up and out of the cylinder/tube and back up in the reserve tank to be vented there.

Also to note, the c-5 clutch return spring is smaller OD that the C-6 spring, and may buy the needed clearance.