Very very stiff clutch pedal

[Josh]

I just finished bleeding my clutch and the pedal is incredibly stiff. Stiffer than pushing the brakes with the car off (no booster assist)

I have a new master, slave, clutch line, clutch hard line, and clutch kit. Everything is new.

Here is some pictures of the release bearing install. I really hope I did not install it wrong :hmm:

The tab that wraps around to the back of the fork is on the passenger side of the car.

[DMCMW Dave]

I just finished bleeding my clutch and the pedal is incredibly stiff. Stiffer than pushing the brakes with the car off (no booster assist)

I have a new master, slave, clutch line, clutch hard line, and clutch kit. Everything is new.



The throwout bearing appears to be installed correctly.

Typically a new clutch has a much softer feel than the one you took out. What was it like before you started? If this car is new to you and you have never driven it, (i.e. you just got the car) you do need to realize that a DeLorean clutch will never feel like a Honda's. But it shouldn't feel like a 1-ton truck either.

Did you grease the pivot ball? Does the car drive/shift correctly or are there other issues that might provide a clue (engages too high or low, etc.)?

[Josh]

Perfect! That is a relief.

Unfortunately I did not grease the pivot ball. I was following the workshop manual and it did not specify.

I cannot compare before, as the master was just mush. All the fluid had leaked out and resultantly I replaced it. So no feel of the clutch before.

The car is far from running so my observations are just done from the pushing the clutch with the engine off.

I just want to tackle this if it is an issue now so I dont run into problems when I get the engine fired up.

[Rich]

Stiffer than pushing the brakes with the car off (no booster assist)

You say the clutch pedal is harder than pressing the brake pedal with the engine off.

The brake pedal hardly moves in that case so the pedal "pressure" on the brake is very, very high in that case.

Are you telling us that the clutch pedal will not even go to the end of its travel? Or are you telling us that your brake pedal does?

[Josh]

Stiffer than pushing the brakes with the car off (no booster assist)

You say the clutch pedal is harder than pressing the brake pedal with the engine off.

The brake pedal hardly moves in that case so the pedal "pressure" on the brake is very, very high in that case.

Are you telling us that the clutch pedal will not even go to the end of its travel? Or are you telling us that your brake pedal does?

I suppose that is a bad comparision. The clutch pedal hits the floor, the brake does not. I can confirm the brakes are in proper functioning order.

[Rich]

OK.

Then the question is whether the clutch pedal force on your D is normal or higher than normal.

Am assuming you have no nearby 5-speed D owners who can visit you to tell you if it feels normal to them.

The force when the pedal is held about 2/3 of the way down would be interesting to know. With something like a bathroom scale and a rod you can tell us that force. I don't recall seeing any such number before.

Rig up a length of wood or pipe as a prop with one end on the clutch pedal and the other end aimed at your chest with you in the driver seat. Holding the scale in your hands use it to push the clutch pedal via the prop to the 2/3 position and hold it there. The scale tells you the pedal force. Use something appropriate to keep both ends of that prop from skidding off. The reading might be +/-15% due to angle effects and the scale not being at zero when it's held sideways.

Do that and we'll hope somebody on the forum can tell you what theirs is like, too.

[Josh]

OK.

Then the question is whether the clutch pedal force on your D is normal or higher than normal.

Am assuming you have no nearby 5-speed D owners who can visit you to tell you if it feels normal to them.

The force when the pedal is held about 2/3 of the way down would be interesting to know. With something like a bathroom scale and a rod you can tell us that force. I don't recall seeing any such number before.

Rig up a length of wood or pipe as a prop with one end on the clutch pedal and the other end aimed at your chest with you in the driver seat. Holding the scale in your hands use it to push the clutch pedal via the prop to the 2/3 position and hold it there. The scale tells you the pedal force. Use something appropriate to keep both ends of that prop from skidding off. The reading might be +/-15% due to angle effects and the scale not being at zero when it's held sideways.

Do that and we'll hope somebody on the forum can tell you what theirs is like, too.

Interesting test... haha. The closest owner to me is about 250 kms away.

As far as I am concerned if the release bearing is on correctly I will leave it alone for now. The line is properly bled, perhaps with all the new components things need to be broken in?

As an engineering student I think I can find something a little more accurate than a bathroom scale. However I admire your resourcefulness!