vipernj

2005 TL 6spd with about 95k miles on the odo. Bought it used about 6 months ago and I think its the original clutch.
Car is great but has a very weird clutch pedal feel when shifting during WOT, shifting quickly (merging in traffic), and when the tires break loose.

Basically the clutch pedal hardens up like it is having a hard time moving fluid from the cylinder. After a few seconds or a few pumps to the pedal, if frees up again.

If I shift through a fast 1-2-3 then hold in 3rd for a little, then shift to 4th as i gain speed, the pedal does the same thing.

If its a wet day and im rolling through a toll and the tires break loose, it does the same thing.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I'm thinking of bleeding the clutch and added new fluid plus doing the checkvalve removal to see if it helps.

Any other suggestions? Ive searched around but couldnt really find anyone with the same problem.

Thanks in advance.

SouthernBoy

I think the first thing in order would be changing the fluid. Try that first before you decide to remove the delay valve and see if that fixes your problem.

99vtecaccord

iTrader: (8)

I have the same problem on my 04 3G 6spd. I've bleed my clutch fluid and removed the checkvalve, but the problem still exist.

I thought about replacing the master cylinder, but want to make sure its that before I start wasting money on parts i dont need.

Other thread about this problem as well...

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t=bleed+clutch

mlody

My car has a little over 40k and I am having the exactly same problem with the clutch.

I even started a thread a month ago about it, but could not really get to any conclusion as of why this is happening

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/possible-clutch-problems-747965/

apnorm

iTrader: (3)

I've had the same/similar problem. Shifts fine when driving normal but whenever I redline, it would harden up and wouldn't come back up right away. And it would feel hard when I push down. I would even have a hard time shifting it into gear. Ultimately, I would need to pump the clutch a couple times and it would return to normal.

Anyways, I did the slave cylinder mod along with the braided line and things seem fine. I've only had it a couple days but no issues so far. Good luck.

ryanstheman

I'm also having this problem and was wondering if anyone has found fixes? Mine does it under hard acceleration and if I pump it a couple of time it the feeling in the clutch will come back.

I have also started a forum at:
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/clutch-question-754554/

I'm taking mine into the dealer to get it looked at this coming wednesday.

apnorm

iTrader: (3)

I ended up replacing my clutch - flywheel and all. Seemed to fix the problem.

99vtecaccord

iTrader: (8)

OEM Clutch? If so, how much was part & labor?

apnorm

iTrader: (3)

^^^yes, OEM. I wanted to go aftermarket but the verdict was still out there on some of the one's available and I didn't want to chance it. Parts I bought at acuraoemparts.com

I can't remember how much labor was...i was having a few other things done around the same time.

Yonkers914

iTrader: (1)

Yea there's many post's like these and i had the same problem and so did many others. I changed the fluid and did the slave cylinder mod but still happens sometimes. I think it has something to do with the oem clutch as it gets older,. almost everyone gets it.

mlody

I am curious if your clutch issue has been addressed yet and if so, what was the fix? Please keep us posted.

Thanks

eluzion

Same issue here with 95k miles ('04 model).

max 1.6

Getting this thread out of the dust, does anyone have a solution?
I'm having the same problem

99vtecaccord

iTrader: (8)

i replaced my clutch and it fixed the problem...

mY sLOW UA6

When I shift and it is wet out and im spinning my clutch will sometimes slip when I shift into the next gear. I have replaced the slave cylinder and took out the checkvalve, and also did the gm synchro swap (I know it has nothing to do with this). Any solutions?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^i second that motion.

I changed my clutch and the stiff clutch pedal went away

madrrio

Sorry to bring this thread back to life.

I currently started experiencing the same issue just recently... everyone says to change teh clutch... but my clutch was just installed less than 7,000 miles ago.

im running:

#66720. AASCO Motorsports Billet Aluminum Flywheel, Honda J35A4/8/Y2/Z3 (Late, 07-08 Type-S, 07+ Accord), 103216-11

#65723. Clutchmasters FX250 Clutch Kit Sprung Hub, Late J-Series (07-08 TL-S, 08-15 Accord V6), 08040-HD0F-D


might have to get Marcus in on this, if not contact CM. im going to start by bleeding the clutch line. i actually like the feeling of the pedal, but the fact that it only happens sometimes is a major red flag.

MarcDavidoff

Is your clutch master cylinder original? If the fluid hasn't been changed recently I'd start with that. Then the changing the MC. I had the same issue and a new clutch MC seems to have eliminated the issue

madrrio

i did a fluid flush when i put in my SS line. everything else is original spare the slave cyl modification.

it doesnt do it right away when i get into high rpms, i have to bang through a few gears. its not rediculously hard, its just firm. i wouldnt mind if the clutch felt like that all the time. ill look into a new mast cyl, do we have any aftemarket shorter travel ones?

TacoBello

My clutch started doing this about 2 months ago, I think. I wasn't sure what it was since it would only happen randomly, very intermittently. It's hard to diagnose since it happens so little. I was told it might be the slave cylinder, but I didn't feel or see any leaking.

I've actually been driving my TL pretty hard this week and it hasn't happened at all. Sounding like I may just need a new clutch, sooner than later. Sucks, because I only have about 70k miles on it.

madrrio

since the clutch feels hard it means the pressure is being increased, causing more resistance.

the only way to get this kind of stiffness is if force is being applied somewhere (as liquid cannot be compressed).

push back on the pressure plate is a possible reason, but how would that happen?

Since the prongs are at the center centripetal forces are small, and i wouldn't say it's that, though possible since their pivot points are further away, how ever, the stiffness carries even after rpms are low for a small amount of time, which makes me feel its temp related, or cylinder failure (slave/master having liquid slip back to the low pressure side)

(i don't think air in the lines will expand enough to create this kind of pressure and the clutch does not feel spongy nor sticking.

madrrio

perhaps the heat is causing the cylinder to create a better seal (materials expanding).... this seems most logical actually.... but could easily be debunked if temperature flux is negligible.

WDPanda

This seems very common on the TL.
Mines been doing it since I've owned it for 2 years.
Every person says it was fixed when a new clutch was put in. Doesn't necessarily mean clutch is bad, it just seems like a symptom of a used/low clutch that can very well last for years to come.
I've found fluid flush helped. Also, letting the clutch out faster than you would normally without dropping it.
Double clutch 5th and 6th sometimes when pedal acts up.

madrrio

So i bled the entire system and the pedal feels good... but it still does it. it actually feels alittle siffer now than before when it does happen. i may try to change the engagement point but i have a feeling it is fluid related, only thing that makes sense....


honestly if the clutch is going bad, how would that make a difference to the hydraulics that it wouldnt at regular operating conditions?

joker822

See my last post:

https://acurazine.com/forums/problem...h-rpms-929998/

madrrio

I will move onto a master cylinder, thats honestly what i been thinking it is too, lets hope that is the case.

will update... thanks

Agentphan007

Does it only happen on wot? Another way to replicate the issue is to rev the car in neutral and hold the clutch down. You probably experience the stiffness.

madrrio

Now my car clutch pedal feels nice, unless i rev over 6k ish... then i get the hard push back on the pedal, followed by stiff pedal till i pump it.

this pressure will stay, even with the car at low rpm, till i pump the clutch.

because of that i cant see it being the pressure plate, but who knows at this point...

i guess slave cylinder is next followed by sending a letter to heeltoe/clutchmasters

TacoBello

Curious to know if the slave cylinder replacement will solve this. Like I said, I'm having the same issue from time to time, but I don't want to replace the clutch if that isn't the problem.

madrrio

Hate to say it... when i took the clutch out it was clear pressure plate failure...


Burn marks on half the pressure plate, and half the flywheel showing any type of wear shows diaphragm failure and to my surprise... it’s only been 7800 miles. It started failing roughly 2000 miles ago.


I contacted to clutch masters who told me to send them the clutch and they will look into it.

well they did, and then taxed me 420 dollars to refurbish the pressure plate, and give me a new clutch disc.... on top of that they recommended i buy a new kit for 625 (which was more expensive than our friends at heeltoe have it listed for). It was stated that the pressure plate was really worn out.

I explained that’s what happens when only half the pressure plate is engaging and the diaphragm is experiencing failure, but i guess that’s neither here nor there now.

Besides the "misunderstanding" of hidden fees, they said they would have to shipped back to me by Saturday so that i can have it installed and ready for work Monday. They also fell short on that promise as well.

overall really not happy about this purchase at all and would recommend anyone doing a clutch stick with a dual mass flywheel as clutch masters was the only ones that made sprung single mass flywheel compatible "performance" clutch kids.

I won’t go too much further into my disappointment with this company other than to not recommend anyone to purchase their fx250 kit.


For any credibility/knowledge doubting, I am a mechanical engineer working in aerospace where I deal with mechanical problems/issues/and failures of both turbine and piston engines. The installation was done by a master mechanic that works at a transmission shop and does this all day.

sockr1

iTrader: (5)

^^ sorry to hear about the troubles man, but appreciate you following up with the info to help others

314_04TL

Damn im having the same problem. So all in all it seems like it can be either on thing or another or a combination of a few things. Luckily I have an extended warranty that covers my tranny

KBacon

I recently purchased my '06 MT & I seem to have this same issue.... clutch gets a really stiff pedal if I drive it hard... if I pump it a few times it returns to normal... also clutch engagement height tends to vary during these times.

I have been searching & some say that a new MC fixed the issue... others state that a new clutch was the answer.... Also see many that recommend clutch restrictor removal & bleeding... but others that state that they did that w/ no/little change.

So is there a definitive fix for this issue???

jfuredy

No, it doesn't appear that there is an accepted definitive fix for this issue. I had this problem and I replaced my clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and did the slave cylinder valve delete and fluid flush all at the same time. This solved this problem for me 99% of the time. There are still rare occasions when I hit redline that I can feel a hint of the stiff clutch pedal afterwards, but it goes away again with a pump or two of the pedal.

It is my opinion that this is a problem with the self adjusting pressure plate. I don't think it's in the hydraulics, because all the hydraulics due is transfer force from one cylinder to the other. You will only feel the resistance in the pedal that the pressure plate is providing. And there is no way that the hydraulic system can "feel/know" how fast the engine is spinning, so the fact that this only happens after high RPMs tells me that this is not a hydraulic problem. I think it's related to the centripetal (centrifugal) forces acting on the self-adjusting mechanism in the pressure plate at high RPM. And it appears that when the clutch is worn, it is more susceptible to these forces because of where it is in its adjustment range. But of course I have no way to prove this.