Has the clutch pedal become hard? These are the typical causes that cause this problem
We know that the cars with manual transmission Their days are numbered. The new environmental regulations reward the precision of automatic transmissions. This, added to the fact that hybrid cars are becoming more and more common, is promoting a framework in which vehicles with a lever are already the minority option.
When a vehicle with a manual transmission is in good condition, the gears enter smoothly, without having to force the knob. The pedal usually has a clear friction point, and the speed should engage without any skidding or scraping. In the same way, The clutch pedal should have a normal feelneither too hard, nor too soft.
If you have recently noticed that Your car’s clutch pedal has become hard, stay with us. We are going to explain what may be happening, and how you should solve the problem.
Oil in bad condition
When was the last time you checked your brake fluid? Romadricar
Hydraulically actuated clutches use an oil to power transmit the movement from the pedal to the pressure plate. Over time, kilometers and humidity, this oil sees its viscosity altered. Therefore, as it is more difficult to move the system, we will notice that we have to press the pedal more to change gears.
Many people never change the clutch fluidwhich can cause the hydraulic circuit cylinders themselves to have to work with more pressure.
Solving this problem is easy, although cumbersome. You have to use the bleeder to remove old fluid and refill with new fluid, which is usually DOT 3 or DOT 4. This must be done very carefully because the liquid is irritating. It can also cause corrosion to engine compartment components. Then, you have to apply pressure to the pedal until it regains its usual hardness.
If you have never done this procedure, ask for help to a friend or family member who has mechanical knowledge or take the car to a workshop. On paper it seems easy, but it can become a somewhat frustrating task.
Clutch cylinder problems
Hydraulic problems are also reflected in a hard pedal
Hydraulically operated clutches use two different pumps to engage and disengage the clutch. The first pump is the one that goes on the car’s pedal itself. It is known as the master cylinder. The second pump is the slave cylinder, which receives pressure from the first pump and acts directly on the mechanism in the case.
Both pumps can fail. When the master cylinder fails, the usual thing is that the pedal feel is softer than usual. However, when the slave fails, you will feel the pedal stiffen. Basically, the system will not be able to properly convert hydraulic pressure into mechanical force, which makes the clutch pedal feel harder than normal and can prevent the transmission from functioning properly.
The solution goes through replace the failed pump with a new one. The process can be more or less complicated depending on the vehicle we are going to operate, but it is not something suitable for beginners. Changing the main pump will require reaching the pedal and removing it, so let a mechanic do it if you don’t want to complicate your life (you shouldn’t have to pay less than two hours of labor).
Regarding secondary school, it may be somewhat more accessible, but, equally, the difficulty Changing it depends entirely on the car. In addition, special care must be taken when handling these elements, since the hydraulic fluid they work with is usually the same brake fluid, which is corrosive and greatly irritates the skin and mucous membranes.
Problems with the diaphragm or bearing
If the moving parts have trouble moving, it can be seen in the pedal.
The diaphragm is part of the pressure plate, and is responsible for providing the necessary force to keep the clutch disc pressed against the flywheel, thus allowing the transmission of power from the propeller to the transmission.
We know from the previous point that, when we press the clutch, we are activating a hydraulic system. Well, this entire system serves to make the pressure plate move away from the clutch disc, interrupting the transmission of force and allowing gear change. When it is in good condition, changes can be made smoothly and without the pedal exerting more resistance than usual.
On the other hand, when the diaphragm or the bearing is on its last legs, the pedal may feel too hard or too soft. It can also be really difficult to shift from one gear to another, at the same time that noises and scratches. These components deteriorate with use, especially if you drive in situations with a lot of city traffic.
The solution in this case is not cheap. We have to leave this task to a professional, and it requires several hours of work. Also, since the transmission has to be dismantled, The ideal is to change the entire clutch kit. After all, it makes no sense to change only these components, since the cheap part of this repair is the complete replacement itself.
Changing a clutch kit can easily cost around 700 euros. Double if we have a car that uses a dual mass system. However, the ideal is to carry out the repair as soon as the problem appears. Otherwise, we run the risk of damaging more parts of the system, making the trip to the workshop even more expensive.
Clutch disc wear or breakage
If you use a manual car incorrectly, you can wear, break or burn the clutch Samurai Expedition
The clutch lasts more or less time depending on the type of use the car has. However, what reduces its useful life the most are the bad habits. Using the footrest pedal is usually the ideal formula to spend it in record time. You will also spend more than necessary if you use it excessively, for example, if you do not finish releasing the pedal at certain revolutions, or if you do very abrupt changesreleasing the pedal suddenly, especially during reductions.
When a clutch is at minimum, the pedal can also become somewhat stiff. Besides, the friction point changes. Normally, you will notice that there is a huge dead zone, and that the friction point moves to the upper part of the travel. This is also one of the common symptoms of a clutch in poor condition.
It may also be that the pedal does not go down all the way because the disk has broken. It is not common, but it can happen if the clutch is used very poorly. This problem can also arise if the engine control unit is reprogrammed to obtain more power and the clutch is not changed for a stronger one. Excess torque, added to poor acceleration in a souped-up vehicle, is another recipe for breaking the disc.
Damaged or worn cable
Many classics have cable-operated clutches
This last case will only occur if you have a clutch by wirethat is, it is activated via cable. This system is only present in older cars, since more modern models usually use hydraulic systems.
In cable-actuated clutches, the cable itself is responsible for transmit the mechanical action of the pedal of the clutch towards the clutch fork. When it fails, the first symptom is usually a harder pedal feel. You should also be suspicious if the clutch friction point changes suddenly, as well as if you hear the gears grinding when changing from one to another.
The cable can be spend with own useas well as it is also possible that it deteriorates due to corrosion due to external causes. In some cases, a poorly tensioned cable will also cause damage to the metal itself and the transmission.
In this situation, the repair is not at all complicated or expensive. Although, first, you will have to do a visual inspection to verify that it is the cable itself. Normally this element presents loose fibers, bends or corrosion.
Subsequently, you have to replace the cable with a new one and quality. The replacement process usually involves disassembling the end of the clutch pedal cable and the fork. Then, you must remove the old cable and install the new one following the original route and fixing points. Finally, you must check that the tension is correct so that the clutch disc does not wear out prematurely.
If you want to continue reading about mechanics, take a look at this other entry in which you can learn to identify problems in the car with noises.