Sticky clutch pedal

[Dom B]

Has anyone suffered a sticky clutch pedal and found the solution. When the pedal returns my foot lifts off of it then it hits my foot a moment later. Only slightly but i think it has caused a couple of clutch slips recently on a fairly new clutch as i pressed the power when i thought the clutch was engaged fully.

Going to bleed the clutch fluid later and see if that helps. I take it the clutch is fairly standard clutch/brake fluid? I will do a search to see if i can find it.

[Atik]

Almost like the clutch is coming back up on hydraulic pressure?

I had the same issue a while back, and I believe it to be a blockage in the pipe causing the clutch to release back slowly. My clutch pipewirk was handmade and when I removed it, there were small burrs from the copper pipe in the pipe. I have since fitted a new clutch master cylinder and a new set of Mitsi pipeworks and all is fine with the clutch now.

Edit: Not sure how effective a bleed of the clutch fluid will be as the blockage could be on any part of the clutch system. I only found my problems when I decided to take drastic action to replace the pipework and master cylinder. I reckon if could have re-used the makeshift pipes after clearing out the burrs, but I had the right bits anyway, so I fitted them.

Yep, your standard clutch/brake fluid will do.

[Dom B]

Well the clutch has been 99% ok for the couple of years i have had the car. The pedal feels like it is returning slowly. There used to be a little sticky bit against the carpet but that disappeared a long while ago. The pipework is original and i have never had the top off of the clutch resevoir. What i was thinking was that the slave or master may have started to corrode a bit like a wheel cylinder does as brake fluid has a nasty habit of absorbing water over time. I could try blasting the line backwards with compressed air if i remove both ends to check for the blockage possibility.

I am not sure what our cars have but i remember the nissan 200sx has a clutch damper (basically a long thin pipe to slow the return of the clutch pedal) so you don't get the judder when you release a strong clutch.

[Atik]

I guess that makes some sense. The clutch pipes are so narrow, that even a small blockage could cause symptoms like that.

[Nick Mann]

Air in the system gives a horrible clutch pedal. The pedal falls to the floor and stays there if there is enough air in the system to let it.

[Gly]

clutch slave cylinder failing,

mine did it for a while, then it completely went, failed seal.
that was a interesting drive home,

[Dom B]

Thing is i can't see any leaks on the slave at all. going to do the bleed when this rain stops!! see what gives. Fluid needs changing anyway.

[Gly]

you wont see it,
it fills up inside the boot,
you'll have to take the boot of and check inside it