dodgy clutch???

[hoopdub]

So ive been in my micra now for a week, and i still cant get used to the clutch, the bite seems to be different everytime, some times i can pull off realy smooth, other times im lunging forward, or almost stalling. also feels like the engine wants to jump out of the car when im changing through the gears at times.

im also experiencing a whole car wobble/vibration at lowish speeds, quite like as if a wheel is buckled, but i cant feel it through the steering, its the whole car that wobbles....

the car has only done 30,000 miles from new 199 T reg, a very elderly chap owned it before me. now i have not changed or checked the wheels, so the wobble might be a totally different problem to the clutch issue, but hey may also be related. do you think its possible the old chap used to ride the clutch a lot and has possibly warped the clutch plate? feasable? more often than not the bite point is at the very top of the pedal.

any ideas to throw into the mix, going to have a dig about on the weekend

 

[r-reg-sr]

adjust wire?
sounds like your eng mounts aint healthy

 

[hoopdub]

ye been thinking bout the mounts also, hmmmm

 

[pollyp]

mine used to have a very sticky frictional uneven clutch operation when trying to find the bitepoint.

turned out that i accidentally greased the gearbox collar that the release bearing rides on.
over a period the dirt n dust builds up on the grease creating this sticky thick goo that the bearing had a hard time sliding along.

this made the clutch unbareably heavy to press and when releasing, the bearing would randomly stick or suddenly engage making it tricky to launch.

i also wears out the pedals, cable & bracket, clutch arm, release bearing clips & bearing till it fails. was so sticky at one point the clutch cable bracket end pin suddenly sheered off!

now that i left the collar dry with abit of graphite powder, its still working effortlessly no probs.

as the clutch gets thinner, the PP diaphram pushes against the release mechanism more and induces more cable tension, making the bite point rise higher & wearing out the release bearing.
the clutch cable should always be adjusted during service via the thumbscrew at the cable end till the bite points at or just below mid-way.

check the rear suspension & wheels not loose

 

[superls]

sticky or kinked clutch cable, seizing release bearing and knackered rear engine mount

 

[hoopdub]

are the engine mounts solid rubber, or are there uprated items available for them?

 

[Low Rider]

mine used to have a very sticky frictional uneven clutch operation when trying to find the bitepoint.

turned out that i accidentally greased the gearbox collar that the release bearing rides on.
over a period the dirt n dust builds up on the grease creating this sticky thick goo that the bearing had a hard time sliding along.

this made the clutch unbareably heavy to press and when releasing, the bearing would randomly stick or suddenly engage making it tricky to launch.

i also wears out the pedals, cable & bracket, clutch arm, release bearing clips & bearing till it fails. was so sticky at one point the clutch cable bracket end pin suddenly sheered off!

now that i left the collar dry with abit of graphite powder, its still working effortlessly no probs.

as the clutch gets thinner, the PP diaphram pushes against the release mechanism more and induces more cable tension, making the bite point rise higher & wearing out the release bearing.
the clutch cable should always be adjusted during service via the thumbscrew at the cable end till the bite points at or just below mid-way.

check the rear suspension & wheels not loose

Been there done that pollyp, made that very mistake on the last install. Was fine to begin with but didn't take long for it to start getting sticky and a pain to operate and with the helix 184mm clutch having a 300kg short throw cover, it didn't take long for the clutch pedal to bend under the strain! Dry graphite lubricant next time for sure!

I had a 23K mile K11 which was owned by an OAP and I had very similar issues to you hoopdub, except the clutch just required some adjustment thankfully. We had terrible vibrations at around 50-60mph and that turned out to be the rear wheels, old hard tyres and missing weights. We put a new set of tires on just to be safe and it ran like a dream afterwards.

It's very difficult to know how the previous owner has driven the car unless it's obvious. It could be an overheated plate but clutches are quite hardy things, more likely that is just on it's last legs, (especially if the bite point is very high up), then again knackering a clutch in 30K of road driving is quite an achievement See how the clutch cable is for adjustment and eliminate as many possibilities as possible before forking out on parts.

 

[hoopdub]

im swapping the engine as soon as i get a dry weekend anyway, so i may change the clutch anyway for peace of mind

 

[frank]

are the engine mounts solid rubber, or are there uprated items available for them?

i wedged a rubber block into mine to reduce the movement hoopdub

 

[hoopdub]

Liking that frank, thats how i thought the bush would look, havent had time to take a look, but assumed it was poope, much like the continuingly failing rear wishbone bushes on newer golfs and polos