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Clutch replaced - Clutch feels very different/soft

Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 11:47 pm
by booki89
Hey all,

Finished my first clutch replacement ever last night, and here are my thoughts so far...

My old clutch was slipping, but the pedal feel was a little firmer then my new one. Also it needed the same amount of effort to push the clutch all the way through its stroke. ie when you pushed it down, it felt the same all the way to the floor.

My new clutch, is very grabby and the pedal feels alot softer then before. It doesn't feel the same all the way through when pushing it down. ie it feels like it goes softer as you get closer to the floor. I have project MX-5 which also feels like this (the prev owner reported he replaced the slave cylinder recently before I purchased it to "fix" the clutch)

Is this normal for a new clutch or a MX-5 for that matter?
Maybe I am just used to a old shagged out one?
I have not touched my fluid/slave cylinder. Should I bleed them?

I put in a exedy standard clutch and machined the stock flywheel.

Car is a 94 NA8

Re: Clutch replaced - Clutch feels very different/soft

Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 6:42 am
by JBT
I recall that when I replaced the clutch on my NA8 years ago that the replacement (OEM Exedy with little wear from a later model MX-5) felt a lot softer but was just as effective. There were no changes made to my hydraulics. Maybe the pressure plate springs/system in the later clutches is improved.

Re: Clutch replaced - Clutch feels very different/soft

Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 9:04 am
by emily_mx5
Bleed + new slave.
Standard practice to do these when installing a new clutch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Clutch replaced - Clutch feels very different/soft

Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 9:18 am
by Purfler
All the above. While you are at it, you might have a look up under the footwell where the rod comes from the clutch master cylinder to see if it is weeping. Mine was loosing a small amount of fluid which was caught in one of the small cups around a nut on the floor under it. Replacing the seals fixed it.

Tim

Re: Clutch replaced - Clutch feels very different/soft

Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 10:26 am
by project.r.racing
booki89 wrote:I have not touched my fluid/slave cylinder. Should I bleed them?
yes yes yes