How does the clutch normally feel on these cars?

My clutch slave cylinder had been leaking for awhile, and I replaced it along with the master cylinder and a new braided stainless steel line. Strangely to me, the pedal travel feels shorter after replacing everything and while the pedal is heavier, it seems like their is less "feedback" then from before. The clutch was always pretty light on my car, but I'm just wondering if this is normal, or if I need to adjust the pedal or something.

One thing I'm concerned about is it looks like the lower bolt attaching the slave cylinder to the bell-housing was stripped as the slave cylinder was wobbling a lot when I removed the old one. I tightened the upper bolt as much as I could, and kind of got the lower one tight. Doesn't feel like it moves a ton, but maybe I'm feeling it through the pedal. Really don't want to replace the bell-housing.

Thanks!

 

My clutch is pretty tight. It feels like a stage 1 aftermarket clutch on my friends Honda civic. Mine is also my factory clutch to the best of my knowledge. You can adjust the level of engagement of the clutch also. The FSM I believe says 1/4 inch of play. I am not sure what you mean between light and heavy clutch. maybe my terminology is tight and loose. If so, Mine was considerably looser feeling before we adjusted it. I had a good inch or so of free play and it didn't start to disengage until the bottom 1/2 of the pedal. This seems to be pretty common with most fb's I have driven. They seem to all need adjusted for some reason or another.

 

I'm in a similar boat.

I just replaced my clutch. I went from a "dunno where I got it/pulled it out of a parts pile" Korean clutch/pressure plate, to a new Exedy clutch and pressure plate. Now my pedel will move very freely and engagement happens right in the middle of the travel.

I'm not upset by this. I'm thinking that the no name clutch/plate that came out was just e bay garbage, and this is how a good clutch should feel. But there is the thought that the peddle is too light.

As for the op's concerns about the slave cylinders mounting bolt holes. Did you mix match the bolts? There is a longer one and a shorter one; at least on my car there is. If this isn't your issue you can use a longer bolt to catch a few more threads, but the ring gear is directly behind the slave cylinder bolts so too long a bolt and you'll hit the ring gear. Taping the hole doesn't hurt either.

 

By "light" or "heavy" I mean the amount of effort required to push in the clutch. My RX-7 is the lightest car I've ever driven, my 300ZX Twin-Turbo was way heavy and I drove a friends Civic the other day which also had a heavier clutch. I'll try adjusting it tomorrow and see if that helps. I'm having a difficult time explaining it, because it just feels odd.

I'm mainly worried that there is some movement in the slave cylinder since it's not totally tight, although it seems I was driving with it looser before haha. What year do you have, I didn't notice a difference in the bolts.

 

A new thick clutch disc makes the pedal feel softer.

 

I mean mine isn't difficult. I have felt much stiffer clutch pedals. Mine isn't hard to push or hard to let out. It just has a very tight and noticeable bite point. For pedal effort it is nice and smooth and doesn't wear out my leg after hours of driving.

 

Regardless it feels fantastic

I've never just changed a clutch. Its always been like I'm in there might as well. So I've never gotten to experience just the clutch being the only change.


hcaulfield57: It should be tight. Movement is not acceptable.
I have an 1984 GS, but I'm 100% positive they are not the oe bolts. Longer bolts won't hurt; neither will a tap.

 

Thanks, I'll hopefully take a look at it again soon. Even after changing everything, looks like it's still leaking somehow. I've got other issues with my car that I've got to sort out first...