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Get an oem Honda disk. Get an oem Honda disk. Get an oem Honda disk. From Honfa, not some exedy junk claiming to be oem.
You will probably find the release bearing guide is messed up, replace that.
Find out if they used an oem Honda release bearing. Replace it with Honda if not certain.
Find out what pressure plate they used. Replace it with oem Honda if not sure. This may be the cause of the overly stiff pedal. If it is, you gotta that outta there. Its going to cause excessive wear on your engines thrust bearing, which will destroy your engine.
Get the correct Honda urea grease. Apply it correctly to all surfaces its supposed to be applied to.
Before you apply the grease, make sure the splines are perfectly clean. Wire brush off any rust.
My trolly jack was not high enough to remove trans. So I bought some cinder blocks (not sure what you guys call them over there), and a piece of plywood cut to size. Also got some large, heavy duty extra large jack stands meant for trucks (lorries). I first lifted car up as high as jack allowed, set it on stands, then slide the blocks under and the plywood on top, then jack on top of that, and lifted a second time, much higher, then set on stands.
I was able to do the whole clutch job by myself, in my driveway. But I just barely had enough room to slide the trans out (on cardboard), so you will need a lot of height, and you don't want to find out you don't have enough when trans is half out.
I like my clutch disk very much. It has very few miles on it and performs exceptionally well. I also know for a fact that my pressure plate is NOT the cause of my pedal stiffness -- I drove this car for 9 months with no abnormal stiffness before this with the same PP.
Because of the small number of parts and the fact that I don't want to be dropping my transmission more than once in the next year, I'll be buying ALL the parts I can replace (except my disk and PP). This includes:
- Honda Release Bearing
- Honda Release Bearing Guide
- Honda Clutch Fork
- Honda Urea grease (of course)
- Lighter Flywheel (might as well do it while I've got the trans off)
I found a place where I can put my car on a hydraulic lift, so I don't have to worry about jacks, cinder blocks, and clearance anymore.
I'm looking to do these changes in the next few weeks, but unfortunately, I don't have the funds to do it immediately...
** I CAN ACTUALLY SHIFT INTO 1st AND REVERSE NOW ** if I'm gentle and press my pedal ALL the way to the floor.
My best guess would be that this is mostly due to my new master cylinder "breaking in" or something...
Unfortunately, this is still my daily, and finding rides to work is difficult for me. I'll be babying the clutch for now, making sure to take it slow and gentle, and won't drive it if ANYTHING gets worse.
I just need the funds to buy the parts (I'll be dropping over $500)...
I'll post my results on here after I'm done with the repairs, however, I have a feeling they will still be somewhat inconclusive since I'm replacing so many little parts at once.
I have at least been able to confirm that my hydraulic system is NOT the source of the problem. I repeat: bleeding the clutch was NOT the solution (rare, I know), and an almost brand new hydraulic system.
Wish me luck...
Last edited by Ethan Reynolds; 08-18-2018 at 10:29 PM.
A safe wager is that there is something wrong with your current disk or PP. That is likely the cause of your increased pedal effort and rough shifting.
Master cylinders don't break in. Were you not pushing the clutch all the way down before or something?
Be interesting to know what you find when you drop the trans.
My guess is a damper spring that's wedged itself. Its aftermarket....and that's what happens to 99.9% of aftermarket disks.
The advice to replace with genuine Honda PP and disk is solid advice.
A safe wager is that there is something wrong with your current disk or PP. That is likely the cause of your increased pedal effort and rough shifting.
Master cylinders don't break in. Were you not pushing the clutch all the way down before or something?
Be interesting to know what you find when you drop the trans.
My guess is a damper spring that's wedged itself. Its aftermarket....and that's what happens to 99.9% of aftermarket disks.
The advice to replace with genuine Honda PP and disk is solid advice.
Good to know that my MS is not my problem then... I've pushed the pedal to the floor every time.
Is the damper spring something I can check/fix without lowering my trans? I didn't see anything out of the ordinary through the small port we have.
I know the risks with using aftermarket clutch parts, but I really enjoy the extra grab it gives me, AND it's still new for a clutch. Replacing it if it is not broken would be a waste of money for me right now.
Are you planning to ad boost? Otherwise the stock FCC clutch parts is just superior and will easily outlast 3-4 aftermarket clutches.
Damper springs failing is very common, even on "still new" friction discs.
Yes, unfortunately you need to drop the tranny to reach them, here is how it could look
Are you planning to ad boost? Otherwise the stock FCC clutch parts is just superior and will easily outlast 3-4 aftermarket clutches.
Damper springs failing is very common, even on "still new" friction discs.
Yes, unfortunately you need to drop the tranny to reach them, here is how it could look
I am planning to eventually go for the SOS Stage 2 SC kit, however, that won't be for a while. It's expensive... So, in reality, an oem disk may be worth it.
I'll make sure to check my PP and damper springs when I take it off. If I need to replace anything, I'll do it while the tranny is off.
OEM PP and disk grabs great. And won't leave you with potential engine bearing issues or looming clutch failure issues.
A lot of people use a ACT PP and OEM disk combo for boosted applications. Obviously, it also works for NA cars. This *needs* to be supplemented with a clutch interlock bypass, though, just like ANY high clamp load PP should be.
Its also a good idea to spend minimal time with the clutch depressed. Don't sit at stoplights with the clutch down, for example. Really, thats for any car/clutch. But especially important if you have a higher clamp load PP.
OEM PP and disk grabs great. And won't leave you with potential engine bearing issues or looming clutch failure issues.
A lot of people use a ACT PP and OEM disk combo for boosted applications. Obviously, it also works for NA cars. This *needs* to be supplemented with a clutch interlock bypass, though, just like ANY high clamp load PP should be.
Its also a good idea to spend minimal time with the clutch depressed. Don't sit at stoplights with the clutch down, for example. Really, thats for any car/clutch. But especially important if you have a higher clamp load PP.
Seems like I can't really get out of this then...
I'm looking at a full clutch replacement then. Not sure if it's in my budget, but I'll try to make it work.
To be honest, it would be nice to get rid of the LOUD clutch buzz I get with this disk
This morning I woke up to a stock-feeling clutch pedal. I have no clue what could have changed. The disengagement point is set high because of how I have my pedal adjusted (compensating for the problem), and I still have to press the pedal ALL the way to the floor to get it in gear (it still takes a bit more effort than normal).
Beyond that, it's 100% daily drive-able. No problems getting in any gear, no grinding, shifter feels smooth.
As you can imagine, I'm highly confused by this sudden turn in events. I would have assumed that the problem would get worse, not better with time...
In any case, the problem still EXISTS, but I feel more comfortable driving to work as I don't feel any abnormalities while driving normally.
Now. That being said. I remembered I was having trouble shifting while driving hard, so I did a rolling start at ~30 in 2nd and went up to the start of 4th. Both shifts were delayed by the transmission until the revs were matched (very abnormal behavior) and I was immediately met with a rock-hard clutch pedal for 5 shifts or so.
Again, all this eludes to the fact that *something* is still wrong.
Additionally, I've noticed light vibrations while pulling from a stop in 1st and R. I can't hear my throwout bearing like others have reported to be able to.
I'll be checking my transmission fluid when I get home from work today and will report what I find. I've been using Honda MTF (I know, I know, the TF YOU use is better because of X and Y. Honda MTF should not cause a problem, find another thread to bicker in).
I still feel inclined to replace various parts (such as the release and pilot bearings as well as the release guide) if not just to get a chance to visually inspect what could be "going on down there".
If you have any idea what could be going on, please don't hesitate to keep giving suggestions. Your advice has helped a ton.
Combination of incorrect grease, barreled out release guide, and possibly a dislodged/wedged spring.
Your MTF has nothing to do with clutch pedal feel or clutching action at all. There could be deer blood or grape jelly in there and it wouldn't make a difference.
08-18-2018, 10:27 PM
