Clutch Issues - Car Related | GTAMotorcycle.com

Clutch Issues - Car Related

mimico_polak

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I bought a Honda for reliability and this son of a ***** car is having an issue that I can't seem to wrap my head around....

1. Issue
Driving along in town with regular traffic and about 10 minutes into the drive I start feeling the clutch pedal get firmer and firmer. If I drive the same way for a bit longer the clutch travel gets progressively firm until at one point yesterday I wasn't able to actually push the clutch in. I wiggled my foot on the pedal and boom back to normal with no issue since.

This has happened a few times but not to the level that I can't push the clutch in. Just firmer and firmer until it releases and once again it's good to go. Then it begins to firm up again....

Seems to have happened when it got warmer outside, but not sure as I can't find a correlation of weather to clutch pedal.

2. Solution
Took car to Honda and without even finding an issue they claim it's the clutch. They want $1900 to replace the clutch and flywheel because it has to be the clutch, no other solution. This pisses me off because there is a hydraulic line, clutch line, slave cylinder, and master cylinder which are all under warranty but they won't touch those.

They replaced the clutch hydraulic fluid recently, and then bled the line for air once I came back with this issue. This was last week.

3. Question
Does anyone have any idea of what could be causing this issue? It's NOT always happening, and is intermittent. I don't want to get stranded, and don't want to spend $1900 on an item which may or may not be causing this problem.

Any recommendations on a shop in the West End to look at the system?
Is this something that can be done in a garage with a friend?

Car is a 2010 Civic Si. Reading on forums it's not a very common problem and found few references to it.Some report replacing the clutch solves it, some report that it doesn't. Go figure....I'm at a loss...

Not to mention my suspension creaking....
 
All depends on what kinds of friends you have... ive replaced clutches in my driveway.. hell, ive done motor swaps in my driveway! (+built drift cars, airbagged frame dragging trucks etc etc)

Cant you check a honda civic forum for good local honda shops? only guy i know is Jeff F who owns and runs Switches N Thangs in south etobicoke, dont know if he would do it.
 
All depends on what kinds of friends you have... ive replaced clutches in my driveway.. hell, ive done motor swaps in my driveway! (+built drift cars, airbagged frame dragging trucks etc etc)

Cant you check a honda civic forum for good local honda shops? only guy i know is Jeff F who owns and runs Switches N Thangs in south etobicoke, dont know if he would do it.

My buddy's also very good at this type of stuff. Has done engine swaps in his garage and transmission swaps but typically on big V8s. I'll check the Civic Forum good call as I haven't checked for shops there.
 
Is the clutch slipping? One way to check it is on an open road put the car in third while moving at an rpm near the bottom of the power band, then mat the gas pedal (foot OFF the clutch). Watch the tac to see if it jumps, in early clutch failure the rpm will jump up and then drop back a little as the clutch grabs. Not slipping IMO the clutch disk is OK.

Next listen to the throw bearing, drive close to a wall and in first let the clutch in and out from a stop. Listen to the sound for any grinding or squeaks bouncing off the wall. No noise the bearing is fine, IMO.

My guess it is hydraulics and both the above will be negative. If it is just a master slave they are no big deal. If the slave is the throw bearing on your car, you might as well do everything... the bearing may be fine but the clutch engagement slave could be nfg. No idea if the slave is in the throw bearing on a Honda.
 
Last edited:
backmarkerducati
- no slipping of clutch
- no abnormal noises with clutch engaged or disengaged
- when the clutch is depressed during one of the VERY firm moments then I can hear a squeak from the pedal being pushed down

booya
- never happened before the clutch cylinder fluid replacement
- they only bled the clutch fluid once I went to complain about the issue

To me it seems like there's a blockage of some sort with the clutch line...it feels as if though it's blocked...then releases....and then builds up pressure again and begins getting firm
 
To much fluid in the master cylinder?
 
Its not the clutch. Either the master or slave cylinder plunger rods are getting seized up.
 
To much fluid in the master cylinder?

Checked the fluid level at the end of a drive (once it got to the point where it wouldn't push at all) and it was right at the max level line.
 
Its not the clutch. Either the master or slave cylinder plunger rods are getting seized up.

That sounds more plausible. This dealer refuses to look at any item that's under warranty and automatically is blaming the clutch (non-warranty item).
 
Checked the fluid level at the end of a drive (once it got to the point where it wouldn't push at all) and it was right at the max level line.

Dab in a paper towel? Try again?
 
I bought a Honda for reliability and this son of a ***** car is having an issue that I can't seem to wrap my head around....

1. Issue
Driving along in town with regular traffic and about 10 minutes into the drive I start feeling the clutch pedal get firmer and firmer. If I drive the same way for a bit longer the clutch travel gets progressively firm until at one point yesterday I wasn't able to actually push the clutch in. I wiggled my foot on the pedal and boom back to normal with no issue since.

This has happened a few times but not to the level that I can't push the clutch in. Just firmer and firmer until it releases and once again it's good to go. Then it begins to firm up again....

Seems to have happened when it got warmer outside, but not sure as I can't find a correlation of weather to clutch pedal.

2. Solution
Took car to Honda and without even finding an issue they claim it's the clutch. They want $1900 to replace the clutch and flywheel because it has to be the clutch, no other solution. This pisses me off because there is a hydraulic line, clutch line, slave cylinder, and master cylinder which are all under warranty but they won't touch those.

They replaced the clutch hydraulic fluid recently, and then bled the line for air once I came back with this issue. This was last week.

3. Question
Does anyone have any idea of what could be causing this issue? It's NOT always happening, and is intermittent. I don't want to get stranded, and don't want to spend $1900 on an item which may or may not be causing this problem.

Any recommendations on a shop in the West End to look at the system?
Is this something that can be done in a garage with a friend?

Car is a 2010 Civic Si. Reading on forums it's not a very common problem and found few references to it.Some report replacing the clutch solves it, some report that it doesn't. Go figure....I'm at a loss...

Not to mention my suspension creaking....
If there were a problem with the clutch, wiggling your foot on the pedal wouldn't fix it. Never go back to that dealer.

Sounds like something binding in the mechanism. I had a clutch pedal bracket fail on me because I'm tall and was putting too much side pressure on the pedal with my legs splayed. But that was a Nissan, which is crap. You'd have to isolate the mechanism (brackets and hydraulics) from the clutch so you can feel what is binding. Pivots, pushrods, hydraulic cylinders or lines are possible culprits here.
 
I say bleed the hydraulic line again. it can be done with 1 man - just like bleeding the brakes alone. There should be an 8mm or a 10mm bleeder bolt by the slave cylinder which usually sits near the tranny. IF you can't find the slave, follow the line from starting from the master cylinder. Also, I'd suggest buying dot 4 brake fluid before you tackle this. bleeding the clutch is easier than bleeding the brakes since you only have to pop the hood up and you can start bleeding!

If you can afford 30 mins, i would drain the whole line and go at it from scratch. Fully remove the high pressure line from the slave cylinder as this usually sits below the master. Make sure the master cylinder reservoir cap is open. As the old fluid is being drained, keep topping off the reservoir to prevent any air from entering the system.
 
Drove the car this morning to work:

1. No issues going from 15kph - 70kph in 3rd gear with no slipping of clutch
2. No noises in engaging / disengaging the clutch near a wall
 
Can you see the slave cylinder? Watch it and have someone depress the clutch a few times and see how it is moving, look to see if it the lose (mounting) or binding. Do it what it is acting correctly then do it again when it is actibg up, see if you notice any differnce.
 
Can you see the slave cylinder? Watch it and have someone depress the clutch a few times and see how it is moving, look to see if it the lose (mounting) or binding. Do it what it is acting correctly then do it again when it is actibg up, see if you notice any differnce.

Will try tonight thanks.

Called a different dealer and spoke with their service advisor. From what I told him he believes it's either the slave or master cylinder, or a blockage in the line. Doesn't believe it's the clutch but will diagnose tomorrow as I'm leaving the car there for a day or two.
 
UPDATE: Honda Dealer just called....

1. Master cylinder is grinding - to be replaced under warranty
2. Clutch needs replacing soon - $2000 + tax .... I think I puked a little when I heard that...
 
Nailed it!

Dont sweat the clutch price. Remember thats the dealership speaking.

A clutch job at any indy would run you less than a gino.

How many km's and year of the Civic.

edit: I see its a 2010...4 years seems premature for a clutch job.

Why exactly do they feel it needs a clutch?

Where is the engagement point? As the clutch material wears out the engagement point moves up. So if its grabbing low or middle i wouldnt worry about it.

Here's a test you can do. Drive 50km/h or so in 4th, put the clutch in, rev it up and dump the clutch while giving it full gas. A good clutch will immediately drop the engine rpm to normal rpm for that road speed in 4th. A slipping clutch will slowly drop it, a clutch ready to go will hang or even increase the rpm.
 
Last edited:
Nailed it!

Dont sweat the clutch price. Remember thats the dealership speaking.

A clutch job at any indy would run you less than a gino.

How many km's and year of the Civic.

Good call RL! I'm looking around for a new clutch kit now with flywheel so I can either install it, or have a shop install it.

Car is a 2010 Civic Si with 91,000km.
 

Back
Top Bottom