Honda Car Forum

96 civic si, yesterday the clutch pedal freeplay suddenly changed. Now to
engage clutch I have to push it 3/4 of the way to the floor. It's still
driveable but it feels like the clutch might be slipping with my foot off
the pedal. I have not tested this yet as I was in a hurry and switched to
my other vehicle.

I will be looking at this problem today, anybody have any ideas what to look
for?

DrSpazz

On Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:40:09 GMT, "Dr Spazz" <yeah@whatever.com>
wrote:

>96 civic si, yesterday the clutch pedal freeplay suddenly changed. Now to
>engage clutch I have to push it 3/4 of the way to the floor.

That would be "disengage". The symptom of a clutch hydraulic problem,
either clutch master or clutch slave cylinder, or rarely plumbing
leakage or bypass. Check your fluid, is it low. Look for fluid on
your firewall at the master location or at the slave location.

> It's still
>driveable but it feels like the clutch might be slipping with my foot off
>the pedal. I have not tested this yet as I was in a hurry and switched to
>my other vehicle.

If that is so, that would be a clutch friction disk that is worn
beyond specifications. Not related to above. A more serious (as in
costly) problem.
>
>I will be looking at this problem today, anybody have any ideas what to look
>for?
>
>DrSpazz
>

Dr Spazz wrote:
> 96 civic si, yesterday the clutch pedal freeplay suddenly changed. Now to
> engage clutch I have to push it 3/4 of the way to the floor. It's still
> driveable but it feels like the clutch might be slipping with my foot off
> the pedal. I have not tested this yet as I was in a hurry and switched to
> my other vehicle.
>
---------------

When your brakes are bled, the clutch fluid should have been bled too.
Owner's manual says to inspect and top them up at the same time. You've
probably got AIR in there now because the level got low. Likely requires
bleeding, but for now top up the tiny reservoir under the hood with
brake fluid and hope that pumping the pedal may release the trapped air
(less than 50:50 chance). You'll should then determine if it was an
actual leak or just 12 years of neglect / evaporation that caused it.
Your owner's manual is here if you don't have the original:

https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/...01_OMANUAL.asp

'Curly'