Any car mechanics out there?

[swee'pea99]

Ok, the clutch works, but it's not a happy clutch.

What it is is...you shove down the clutch, change gear, and release the pedal, but you can feel the pedal is kind of...reluctant...to get back to its normal 'rest' position. It gets there, eventually, but it takes a few seconds. It's like when your (bike) brake cable needs lubrication - there's some kind of friction in there, which is resisting the 'return spring' in its attempts to do its job, if you see what I mean.

Does this sound heavy duty, definite garage job, easy DIY, impossible to tell? Any advice much appreciated.

 

[TissoT]

What car is it ?
If it has a hydrolic clutch could be the slave or master cylinder..or leak in the hydrolic line

 

[JoeyB]

Either master or slave cylinder. Usually one is easier to replace than the other. Would need to know car though...

 

[Vapin' Joe]

If it's a cable clutch then the cable would be the first thing I'd look at. They're cheap enough to replace.

 

[tyred]

Probably clutch cable/hyrdraulics depending on what car but there are other nasty possibilities too.

Any unusual noises when you press/release the clutch?

 

[sight-pin]

I'd plug for the cable or the clutch plate is on it's way out, if it is the plate they change the disc as well.

 

[GrasB]

How is the gear change in the car, has it become very heavy?

 

[swee'pea99]

Blimey - thanks all!

Ok, it's Golf estate, and it's definitely not the cable, because we had that replaced when the problem first started. The gear change is fine - certainly not heavy - but it can be a bit tricky getting it into first at the start. Sometimes it doesn't quite engage, and you have to go back and push the gear stick a fraction further, then it's fine. No unusual noises.

Please don't use phrases like 'nasty possibilities'. They upset me. I thank you.

PS I'm off out for a bevy now, so please forgive any delayed response to any responses.

 

[screenman]

Thrust bearing not sliding on the shaft. What year is the car as most have a hydraulic clutch system.

 

[GrasB]

And no excess slipping when you release the clutch (try a very quick gear change)? Though getting into 1st on a cold gearbox could be symptomatic of a clutch that can't quite disengage properly.

I would start at the clutch pedal & inspect every joint & linkage from the clutch pedal to the clutch actuator on the gearbox. You'll probably find that something plastic has given & so now is slowly flexing back into position. I've not got any VAG experience so can't help much more than that.

Thrust bearing not sliding on the shaft. What year is the car as most have a hydraulic clutch system.

In my experience that usually leads to sloppy gear changes with lots of excess clutch slip.

 

[Archie_tect]

Had a Citroen Xantia which did something similar, but that was the return spring- once that had been replaced it was fine, but it took a lot of messing about to get to.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks all. I'll have a poke round over the weekend and see if I get anywhere. Don't hold yer breath...