Clutch pedal doesn't feel butter smooth anymore
 

I drive a manual 2016 Scion FRS with 24,000 miles and my clutch pedal seems to not be smooth when pressing and letting off. When I first bought the car brand new with 8 miles on it, it was smooth, but at roughly 14,000 miles, it started to lose it's smoothness.

It's hard to describe, but when I press it down and let it back up, it just doesn't have that brand new butter smooth feeling. I don't know how to describe it. When you press it and let off completely you can feel very small and subtle disturbances throughout the motion. It feels as though maybe the pedal or some mechanism is getting worn out or been through heavily manipulation over the course of being used constantly.

But overall the clutch pedal and the clutch operate perfectly fine. It's just a feel thing for me. It's not that big of a deal since everything works perfectly fine, but it just annoys me since I daily drive in a big city and I'm constantly on the clutch all the time. I wish for it to be smooth just like the first day I bought the car.

What could be the problem and how can I fix it to be smooth again?

Edit #1: Needed to clarify that the clutch pedal was working perfectly when I initially bought it, up to 14,000 miles
Edit #2: I forgot to mention that when my car heats up and I have the heat on and it shoots into the foot wells for at least 10-15 minutes the problem goes away completely. The clutch pedal ends up being butter smooth again.

Fatal flaw in the design and/or factory lube. Lube melts, separates. It's also sticky and picks up dust from the disc. That crap grinds into the quill and chafes it.


The real fix is to drop the trans and replace worn components. I seem to be having good luck with graphite/molybdenum grease in the main fork pivot but not sure long-term because covid. Haven't been driving it much.

Hmm... So is this a known and common problem with the clutch? I'm guessing you've experienced the same thing as me?

Yes, yes.

If that's the way it's always been ...... I reckon that's just the way it is - :iono:

OK, short of a major operation, may I suggest you give a squirt of silicone spray to any moving clutch parts that you can see.

That may not "fix" it, but at least you will have tried - ;)

Also, you may wish to try the @Ultramaroon method:

Quick & dirty: from @Ultramaroon
1. Detach the slave cylinder. Leave the hydraulics alone.
2. Remove the dust boot from the fork.
3. Reach down behind the fork with a finger and feel for the pivot. It's going to be tight because of the retaining clip.
4. Squeeze a decent glob of Lucas Red & Tacky #2 in there with your finger.
5. Jiggle the fork to distribute the grease as much as possible. It'll work in more on its own.
6. Put a dab of grease in the top pivot where the slave pin goes.
7. Reassemble.


Bubba suggests to lube that stupid little spring under the dash that hooks into the clutches working arms. Well, hell, it worked with the squeaky screen door springs, back in the day. - :thumbsup:

You say, "But overall the clutch pedal and the clutch operate perfectly fine."

So, how much experience so you have with cars?

@humfrz - Please see my newest edits in the first part
@Sapphireho - Not much...This is my first car. Had it for 5 years so far...

I see. Thanks for clarifying. :thumbsup:

@humfrz
@Ultramaroon

I forgot to mention that when my car heats up and I have the heat on and it shoots into the foot wells for at least 10-15 minutes the problem goes away completely. The clutch pedal ends up being butter smooth again.

Does this change the source of the problem?

Coincidence only. The sticky clutch fork is worst when it's cold.

Like @Ultramaroon said, it's pretty normal with our cars. Mine got really uncomfortable to me at about 45k miles. Coincidentally I decided to replace the TOB and pivot fork.

That maintenance by the shop made my clutch pedal feel like new again.

Not sure if they re-lubed it or not but it feels nice.

@Ultramaroon

Are there any picture based step by step guides to greasing the clutch fork, pivot/ball, etc.? I'm a noob to mechanic stuff.

Here's a view of the clutch fork (and stuff) from the service manual.

Look for it in context by starting with the link in my sig line.

Here's another cutaway view I marked up a long time ago. I don't have one but others seem to have good results with the Verus clutch fork. The OEM design is just a crappy fail in a few ways. You could get away with a dab of grease in the pivot for a while but it will come back, and it will progressively get worse as the socket wears.

https://i.imgur.com/0DDiWw3.png

Yes, just like the old joints in my ankles, knees and hips. The more heat the smoother they work. I used to lub them up with whisky - but I can't do that no more - :(