The Clutch that Clicks

BlackLeaf · Postby **BlackLeaf** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 10:06 am

Today my clutch started clicking each and every time it is engaged. It is an audible click, say, like a light switch in your house when it is turned off or on. The noise appears to come from the location of the pedal itself.

The volume of the click does not change with the force applied to the clutch, staying the same whether I forcefully apply pressure to the clutch, or whether I gently apply pressure to the clutch, and it is entirely repeatable. The click appears to happen at the exact same point in the clutch’s travel… just as it engages. Very occasionally the click also happens when the clutch returns to its resting position.

I think the clutch feels different (a little spongier, or maybe sloppy?), but it could just be my brain having a mind of its own. Is my car going to blow up? Can you please suggest what I should be looking at when I get home?

Cheers
Billy

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 10:22 am

throw bearing might be just starting to go. might become a squeak/squeal a bit further on.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:34 am

There's a switch that the clutch pedal directly activates, which does sometimes break.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:56 am

Check the mounting bracket at the firewall. It's not uncommon in NAs for it to develop a crack near one of the bolts and propagate. I'm unsure if it's clutch or brake though that breaks.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:07 pm

Like others have suggested, start by looking for issues around the clutch pedal. Could be the clutch switch, or a hanging wire that is snagged. Make sure the nuts holding the bracket to the firewall are tight.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:16 pm

Steampunk wrote:unsure if it's clutch or brake though that breaks.

Tends to be more so the accelerator pedal mounting that breaks.

chrons_rotary · Postby **chrons_rotary** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:15 pm

I had this exact problem with my NA8.
Ended up being a rubber stop had fallen out where the clutch switch pusher hits on the pedal bracket.

BlackLeaf · Postby **BlackLeaf** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:22 am

Righto, and thanks for the suggestions. Will check this weekend and let you know how I go.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Sat Apr 30, 2016 2:21 pm

93_Clubman wrote:
Steampunk wrote:unsure if it's clutch or brake though that breaks.

Tends to be more so the accelerator pedal mounting that breaks.

Whadayaknow... the man is right.
Poked my head under dash and I have a 1cm crack

BlackLeaf · Postby **BlackLeaf** » Sat Apr 30, 2016 5:11 pm

chrons_rotary wrote:I had this exact problem with my NA8.
Ended up being a rubber stop had fallen out where the clutch switch pusher hits on the pedal bracket.

Bingo! Thanks for your help.
Often referred to as the 'Blue Thingy', mine had broken into several pieces. I replaced mine with a black carpet plug and looks to have done the trick.
More info here... http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=346546
This is what broke...

This is what I replaced it with...

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Sun May 01, 2016 10:31 am

93_Clubman wrote:
Steampunk wrote:unsure if it's clutch or brake though that breaks.

Tends to be more so the accelerator pedal mounting that breaks.

Rolley has done a fix on this.....viewtopic.php?f=77&p=880348#p880215
Greg.

Rolley · Postby **Rolley** » Sun May 01, 2016 9:44 pm

taminga16 wrote:
93_Clubman wrote:
Steampunk wrote:unsure if it's clutch or brake though that breaks.

Tends to be more so the accelerator pedal mounting that breaks.

Rolley has done a fix on this.....viewtopic.php?f=77&p=880348#p880215
Greg.

And I have a spare Repaired/Reinforced Pedal Box sitting in my parts stash in the garage. Flick me a message if you want it.

BlackLeaf · Postby **BlackLeaf** » Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:29 pm

Thought I'd post a closure pic. Strangely, when I removed the pedal boxes from my blue NA last week, I noticed that a black carpet plug had been used to replace the broken blue thingy on that clutch pedal as well. So the two NAs I own have both been fixed the same way.