Hard shifting
 

The other day, I was driving the FRS and I noticed that the shifts weren't as smooth as they should be. When I stopped at a light, it would not go into 1st gear and I had to turn the engine off to get it going. Fortunately the next 3 lights were green. I got it to work but later in to day, it would not go into any gear and the reservoir was empty. My wife brought some fluid over but filling it did not change the clutch. No, I did not bleed it since one cylinder or the other is likely bad and I'm going to replace both anyway (2013 with 110k miles). It's been sitting at work while I've waited for the new master and slave cylinders to arrive. They got here today.

There was no noise. I have a Verus fork and pivot and an updated TOB. Fingers crossed that the new parts fix the problem.

Did you get the correct slave cylinder, or is that the stock one? ;)

do you have an exedy clutch?

RockAuto.

It an ACT clutch with a 6 puk disc.

No, I don't like it or the lightweight flywheel but I don't think it is currently the problem.

I was mostly yanking the chain of a fellow experienced shade tree wrench. ;)

Hope the project goes smoothly. :cheers:

How dare you call me a "shade tree wench". I've got a lot more class than that.

Well, actually, no I don't.

Went reasonably well. Installed cylinders, bled system to clear fluid, but it wouldn't go into gear. Lengthen rod, still wouldn't go into gear. I start contemplating ways to get the home to pull the trans when my supervisor and bleeding assistant (read wife) suggests another round of bleeding. The fluid looked clear but after that the car went into gear.

Now, the clutch doesn't engage until I let it almost all the way out. The rod is almost at the end of it's threads and there is no free play with my foot off the clutch pedal. Tomorrow is going to be cooler. I'll do some adjusting.

Haha... class is way overrated.


Careful with the pedal adjustment. I think you are in the range where the master piston can't retract enough to open the relief port. If you cannot draw the end of the fork forward to force the fluid out of the slave cylinder. It's locked out.

All right, it's doing it again. The car was sitting for a week or so while I was on vacation.

I started the car briefly to "feel" the clutch. It was the same as in my last post. I then adjusted the pedal so the clutch would catch an inch or so off the floor but it would still go into gear easily. I pushed the pedal in and put it in gear 3-4 times and on the last time when I had it in 1st, the car tried to lunge forward and after that, it wouldn't go in to gear again.

I adjusted the rod all the way out and reblead the system but it still doesn't go in gear. I measured the travel at the top of the fork and it was the same as my son's 2012 Impreza. I looked at the pressure plate bolts, thinking maybe they were backing out, but they looked tight.

To recap: Act II clutch, updated TB, Verus fork and pivot, and new slave and master.

Any Ideas?

There is no noise or vibration in the pedal and the tension in the pedal seems normal.

Physically pull the top of the fork forward. Are you able to push fluid from the slave back into the reservoir? Or more to the point, is the slave piston allowed to completely back out to the retaining clip when the pedal is fully released?

I played with that and even rigged up a return spring. It looks like the slave is fully retracting. Measurements were almost identical to the Impreza.

I did it wrong when I replaced the clutch master on my 240Z. It eventually pumped up to the point where the clutch didn't fully engage. That's when I learned about how they work. I still remember taking the wrapper off of my crisp new factory service manual.

That sounds like the opposite of my problem but what did you do to fix it.

LOL: I think I found my answer.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128871

This too from nasioc.

Well I just reinstalled the new clutch and FW with the stock PP and . . . . . . IT WORKS!!!!

I am currently in communication with ACT to see if they can figure out what went wrong, but it seams like the whole issue stemmed from a bad PP. I will keep you guys posted on what happens...

I also want to personally thank everyone for their input!!! It has been extremely helpful and I learned a whole lot about clutches and the system as a whole!!

I keyed in on the above.
It was indeed the opposite but I was mostly concerned about not compounding the issue. I already suspected it was the ACT clutch warping when it gets hot but,... one step at a time. Sounds like you leapfrogged over all the steps and left me in the dust. :cheers:

This failure seems so random. I last tracked the car in march. Since then, I've been dinking around with the oil pressure issue. The engine was out of the car for 2 months. I put it back together and 2-3 weeks later, this happens.

I was 1/2 way thinking of going back to a stock clutch when I put it back together but at the time I didn't want to spend the $518 (Amazon). That time the voices in my head were correct.

Act is giving me the finger
 

At least I know what the problem is.

Then, the Exedy kit from RockAuto had a 9 1/2 disc instead of a 9" one. I jumped through their hoops for the return label, we'll see what happens.

I'll find a vendor with real, live, honest to goodness, people and order another kit. Hopefully they can check it before shipping.

My FRS is back together with OEM Exedy kit, flywheel, and Redline 90 gear lube. It drives like a dream. I didn't realize how much I disliked the Act clutch and light weight flywheel.

I installed Cusco front shifter bushings. I attempted to install an Energy Suspension rear bushing but there was no way I could get the mofo to slide onto the shift rod. I did not remove the shifter from the car but now that it's back together, the shifter feels good anyway.

Rockatuo gave me a full refund on the kit with the wrong disc. Maybe I'll send the old pressure plate back to ACT and then they can tell me what's wrong with it.