AndyG

Here's a wierd one (perhaps)...

For a while now I've had a problem when driving hard where the clutch pedal doesn't fully return and I have to flip it up with my toes.

I've discovered that if I short shift (at between 5.5 and 6k revs) the problem *doesn't* happen. Changing at 7, it nearly always does. (It's not a huge problem to have to short shift obviously - I often do this anyway. But it only just drops me back in to the torque curve, and there are occasions where the extra 1000/1500 revs are useful clearly.)

I originally thought this was heat related (I have a downpipe with no heatshield), but don't see now how it can be in view of the above.

I also don't see how clutch pedal operation is affected by either engine revs or throttle pedal travel...?

Any ideas? My clutch (UK MY98, 25000 miles) is now out of warranty, so I'd rather try and replace things bit by bit, than change the whole clutch (£500).

For what it's worth, I *don't* hammer the clutch (never sidestepping it for launch starts etc), and it works fine in all other respects (i.e. it doesn't slip).

The three things I was considering were a) lagging the downpipe, b) changing to DOT4 fluid and c) changing the clutch return spring. But again, the fact the short shifting gets round the problem seems to mean that none of these things are likely to help...

Thanks,
Andy

Kenny

Andy,

I had a similar problem (MY94 WRX) but it only happened a few times one evening, never did it before or since. We were doing a scatter with my local motor club and about halfway through the evening the clutch stopped returning properly, though it wasn't slipping.

I figured mine was heat releated as this had followed some fairly hard driving and it went away after we'd been stopped at one particularly difficult to find location.

Never done it since, although for about week after that I could here a faint zizzing (best I can come with!) noise a bit like a worn release bearing.

I took the car back to the dealer who confirmed there was a noise (glad about that - I'd thought I was hearing things otherwise) and booked it in for the follwoing week. When I took it back few days later they couldn't find anything and the noise had dissapeared (and hasn't to-date reappeared).

As regards the pedal not returning, I suspected maybe the fluid was overheating, though thinking about it now that 's more like to cause problems with disengaging.

The only other things I can think off are maybe dirt or scuffs on the input shaft splines casing the plate to stick slightly or the piston in the slave cylinder sticking.

Ken

95Kaira

Check the spring on the clutch lever under the intercooler, make sure its pulling the lever AWAY from the clutch slave cylinder. Check for leaks - might be worth bleeding the slave cylinder in-case any air has got in thru the seals.

Happened to my 95 WRX and the spring was the cause... Also bled it.