Clutch Pedal way too soft, rough shifting

[Kalm_Traveler]

I just read through 5-6 threads on here about people with these same symptoms and am pretty sure based on my hunch combined with their experiences that my MC and/or SC are bad, but just thought I'd toss this out before picking up the parts from a local stealership... Pedal basically sinks by itself until the last inch or so of travel (at the bottom it still has some pressure). Very difficult to get the car into 1st and Reverse, the shifter feels abnormally notchy. I did check the MC reservoir and it was a little low, but not empty, so topped it off which made no difference. --------- Plan is to pick up OEM Master Cylinder and Slave Cylinder along with a stainless soft line to replace the factory rubber hose. Does this sound like the right choice? Also - do you know of any retail/chain parts stores that sell 'higher quality' brake fluid like that blue or red stuff people use? Might as well bleed the system with something better if it's easily obtainable. Thanks guys (and Murph )

[Vanishing Point]

I would try a clutch bleed/new fluid combined with a clutch pedal adjustment afterward to factory spec's. Then look to other alternatives if the above doesn't improve the clutch feel.

[mlc]

Sounds exactly like the MC. Feel the carpet under the clutch pedal and on top of the dead pedal if there is brake fluid you know for sure. Sometimes the seal just starts to let air into the system and it won't actually leak. The SC usually doesn't go bad like the MC.

Price the MC from your dealership but it shouldn't cost more then $80+ shipping http://www.cflhonda.com/parts/2004/H...TER%20CYLINDER

Also if you do this yourself stick some newspaper over the hole in between the dead pedal and the side of the car. if one of the bolts falls down there you then have to take the whole plastic side piece off PITA. Also a good long extension with a swivel works great on the bolt closest to the outside of the car.

Good luck.

Kevin

[mlc]

Oooo yeah,

Take your time then you put the line back on the MC the threads are small and it isn't in a great spot to work on. TAKE YOUR TIME and don't cross the threads.

Kevin

[AP1S2000]

I agree with VP. Definitely do a clutch bleed first. No point in spending $80 bucks for something you might not even need.

[Dr. Jimbo]

2 beer job. Though I did it last weekend with no beers (I'm on a raw food cleanse). Maybe that's why it took me longer. I bought a CMC from O'reilly for $55. The part that connects to the clutch pedal was shorter that the one that was on the last aftermarket one I had put in. I had to push the clutch pedal down to get the pin to go through and I realized, that ain't right. I unscrewed the one off of the old CMC and it was almost 1/2 inch longer. So I had to get the new one off and replace it with the old connector. Also, my fluid line didn't match up perfect, so I had to rebend it a bit to make it fit without crossthreading. I shoulda stuck with oem, never even checked on the price, I figured it was at least double of aftermarket.
When you bleed the system, make sure you put the cap back on the reservoir otherwise it will shoot out when the pedal is pumped (and that sh!t eats paint). Also, don't go more than 4 or 5 bleeds before you fill the reservoir or you'll be sucking air and starting all over again.

[turbosix]

Originally Posted by mlc

Oooo yeah,

Take your time then you put the line back on the MC the threads are small and it isn't in a great spot to work on. TAKE YOUR TIME and don't cross the threads.

Kevin

i've never done mine (done under warranty by acura) so i wouldn't know, but is it possible to at least start the threads before attaching the MC to the firewall? maybe give you a bit more room?

[Dr. Jimbo]

Originally Posted by turbosix

i've never done mine (done under warranty by acura) so i wouldn't know, but is it possible to at least start the threads before attaching the MC to the firewall? maybe give you a bit more room?

I wish I'da done that with the fluid line before I cinched the CMC into place. I thought about it after the fact.

[starrman]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jimbo

(I'm on a raw food cleanse).

Fun for all! I just love the raw food cleanse...but it works very well...possibly too well.

[Kalm_Traveler]

well I went ahead and ordered both MC and SC just to be safe. Need to find a hydraulics shop tomorrow morning to get a new soft line whipped up then the fun will commense.

Thanks again guys, much appreciated!

[mlc]

Originally Posted by turbosix

i've never done mine (done under warranty by acura) so i wouldn't know, but is it possible to at least start the threads before attaching the MC to the firewall? maybe give you a bit more room?

You can only move the line some much. I don't think you want to connect it and then try to twist it around in order to get the studs through the holes in the firewall. What I did was set the MC in place and just start the nuts to hold the MC but let it move around some. It is more where it is, the line comes around and is on the fender side so there just isn't a lot of space to work. The second one I did went on right away the first was a little bit more of a challenge. It isn't that bad but sometimes just hearing that someone else had a time with it helps you be that little bit more patient when your are doing it.

Kevin

[jagg]

I agree with VP. Definitely do a clutch bleed first. No point in spending $80 bucks for something you might not even need.
__________________

temporary solution at best......the same effect can be achieved by pumping the clutch pedal several times before trying to engage any gear from neutral.
(if the clutch had been recently replaced, I would agree with this advice as long as a visual inspection of the clutch hydraulics revealed no leaks.)


sounds like you're on the right track Kalm.

jagg

[starrman]

Originally Posted by Kalm_Traveler

well I went ahead and ordered both MC and SC just to be safe. Need to find a hydraulics shop tomorrow morning to get a new soft line whipped up then the fun will commense.

Thanks again guys, much appreciated!

Probably a wise move, hate to change one and then find out a little later the other failed... Good luck with the install.

[Kalm_Traveler]

Thanks again guys - install was not difficult at all - not even 1 bloody knuckle!

On the frustrating side, however, the new slave cylinder broke itself, the piston was out of round or something. Soon as we started bleeding it, it went cockeyed in the cylinder housing and literally destroyed itself breaking the housing apart, leaking fluid all over the driveway at my mother's house.

Fortunately as it turns out, the SC was not the problem at all, so I simply put the old one back on, bled the system and have been sailing smoothly since.

Lesson learned... stealership parts aren't impervious to being faultily built.

[Vanishing Point]

I think someone originally suggested you try that first.

Glad it worked out for you!

[Kalm_Traveler]

haha, well the master cylinder WAS the problem. It had leaked all over inside below the pedal.

[Switchblade]

Glad you got it all figured out Kalm!!