8 replies to this topic

[katana]

My Daughters 1988 City 998 has a problem, every so often the clutch pedal will stay on the floor. After much kicking etc it will return & work normally & then be OK for 3 or 4 days.
Recently had new clutch & slave cyl. All bled trough fine & levels are correct, any idea's??

[Guess-Works.com]

A verto clutch relies on the clutch spring to return the clutch pedal, I'd be tempted to say that it's the plunger which is sticking in the clutch cover or the clutch spring plate is getting tired, do you experience any clutch slippage.

[Wil_h]

What state are your carpets in?

When my brother drives the hillclimber it is not uncommon for him to press the clutch and for the pedal to get wedged on the 'U' bolt ends for the steering rack. Just like you are saying, a swift kick and it pops back up. this only happens as we have no carpet.

This has never happend to me, so it must just be the way my bro's legs work.

So first thing to check is if the bolt ends of the 'U' bolts are showing, then check your daughters legs!

Edited by Wil_h, 02 March 2012 - 08:18 AM.

[katana]

A verto clutch relies on the clutch spring to return the clutch pedal, I'd be tempted to say that it's the plunger which is sticking in the clutch cover or the clutch spring plate is getting tired, do you experience any clutch slippage.

No slippage & as I said had a new full clutch 4000 miles ago, will check the plunger - cheers

[Ethel]

Wouldn't it just return normally & draw more fluid from the master if it was the plunger? I think the pedal end is more likely.

[Wil_h]

A verto clutch relies on the clutch spring to return the clutch pedal, I'd be tempted to say that it's the plunger which is sticking in the clutch cover or the clutch spring plate is getting tired, do you experience any clutch slippage.

No slippage & as I said had a new full clutch 4000 miles ago, will check the plunger - cheers

I'm with Ethel. The pedal has it's own spring and does not rely on the clutch spring to return. The slave cylinder relies on the clutch spring, but not the pedal.

[tiger99]

Yes, the pedal spring would seem to be strong enough to always return the pedal, although it would have to initially create a vacuum in the system to do so, until the fluid port was uncovered when the piston returned fully. I don't know the clutch master cylinder diameter, but am guessing that its cross section is no more than half a square inch, so the worst case force needed to pull the piston back, with a complete hydraulic blockage, is only about 7 or 8 pounds. The pedal return spring presents a load of quite a few pounds at the pedal, multiply that by the lever ratio of the pedal. and we have probably a few tens of pounds of force trying to pull the piston back.

Plenty enough to overcome atmospheric pressure on the outside of the piston, and create a partial vacuum in the system, so the pedal should reliably return, even if the hydraulics are blocked solid.

It is clearly the pedal box, pivot pin, or something else mechanical at that end which is jamming, unless the pedal return spring is broken.

[jamiestevenbell]

it could be the new clutch slave cylinder, i had a similar problem withn my clitch some times i would change gear take my foot off the clutch and it would take 5 seconds to re engage.

[tiger99]

It is not the slave cylinder, unless it is defying the laws of physics, or you do not have a working pedal return spring.