Rep Power: 0

Ok so here is the deal. Me and my buddy put a new clutch and flywheel in my 99 civic ex. We got it all in and now my clutch seems like it won't totally engage. I can get it into gear and drive, but my rpms spike when I hit the gas and I don't accelerate. It won't engage until the very top of the pedal stroke and the pedal feels really soft. We bled the line and everything. He did something with the clutch pedal to try to stiffen it up, but it didn't work. Does anyone have any ideas? Do I have to totally tear apart everything and start over again? I really don't want to do that all again.

 
Rep Power: 0

you know, this sounds like what i did... i wasent paying attention and put my clutch in, put everything back together... clutch wouldn't engage i tried reverse and it just started grinding and it felt weird... so we get to thinking u know whats the problem??? the problem was we put the clutch in backwards... its so easy to overlook it i seriously wouldent doubt that its your problem.... and im not just some noob at working on car's ive taken out 8 transmissions and replaced them and have done 4 clutches... does it feel like it has alot of free play and then it gets hard?

 
Rep Power: 0

It doesn't get hard. I have good pressure on the clutch pedal, but it just won't fully engage. I have all 5 gears and reverse, but the chatters when I start off and I have to release the clutch really slow or it dies. Man I really don't want to take it all back apart, but I have a feeling I know what my Saturday is going to involve. F*CK!

 
Rep Power: 0

check the fork maybe? make sure that's good and also are you sure you tightened everything down good? also how many times did u pump the clutch to bleed it? make sure there's enough fluid in there? make sure its good fluid? just some stuff to look over...

 
Rep Power: 236

just do yourself and your clutch the favor and pull it back out. i dont know how much experience you have working on cars but that trans should be on the ground in about 30 min. then just carefully look over everything and make sure its all good.

 
Rep Power: 0

30 mins? damn it took me 2 hours... u must have air drills lol

 
Rep Power: 236

yea but even with hand tools its not a bad job.

 
Rep Power: 0

took me 4 hours to drop it the first time with hand tool's and then 2 hours the second time lol hand tool's ftl...

 
Rep Power: 0

It took us about 3 hours the first time. Bout to dive in again. Thanks for the responses.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well turns out that the fork that the slave cylinder pushes against wasn't in the right position. Everything back together and drives like a dream