DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

Since I have had several people PM me lately asking me for the clutch pedal adjustment, I thought I would post the information on how to do it. This procedure came directly out of the service manaul.

This DIY will help you if you have a clutch pedal that goes farther down to the floor then normal before the clutch disengages. Also will help if it doesnt engage quite right.

I will leave this thread stickied for awhile just so people know its here or to see it faster, then I will move it to the DIY forum.


Ok to adjust the clutch pedal,

1. if you look up on the top of the clutch pedal, the first thing you should see if a clutch pedal position switch, and right behind it there is a locknut, looens the locknut. once you loosen it, back off on the pedal position switch or adjusting bolt untill it no longer touches the clutch pedal.

2. now behind the clutch pedal, there is a pushrod. and on that pushrod, there is a locknut, loosen that locknut. Now turn the pushrod in or out to get the specified height and stroke at the clutch pedal.

Clutch pedal stroke: 130-140MM (5.1-5.5 in.)
Clutch pedal height: 198 MM (7.8 in)

Not sure the difference between the stoke and height, Maybe you do and can explain it to me, but either way, you want to adjust freeplay. The freeplay is the amount of push on the clutch pedal to where is starts to have resistance from the top. I have usually been told it should be set at 1 1/2-2 inches of freeplay.

Once you set it, tighten the locknut on the pushrod. With the clutch pedal released, turn in the clutch pedal position switch untill it contacts the clutch pedal. then turn it an additional 3/4 to 1 turn. And tighten the locknut.

Now on top of the clutch pedal switch, there is a clutch interlock switch. Loosen the locknut on that switch. then press the clutch pedal to the floor.

release the clutch pedal 15-20 mm (0.59-0.79 in) from the fully pressed position, and hold it there. adjust the position of the clutch interlock switch so the engine will start with the clutch pedal in this position. then tighten the locknut on that switch.

thats it. Hope this helps everyone.

I added some pics from the service manaul incase you needed to see where each part is or to get an idea of everything.

yea, dont turn that pushrod too far into the master cylinder. it will cause problems.

So if I'm reading this right, this will adjust the amount of "space" there is from the time you push the pedal in, to the point where it actually starts to engage and the amount you can let the pedal out before it starts to disenage?

yes you are adjusting the pedal freeplay. I still dont understand the difference between stroke and height, maybe it refers to how high the pedal sits and then the stroke is how far from the point where the clutch disengaes to the floor. Not sure though. Basically you are adjusting it to allow for the proper engagement and disengagement of the clutch. I have been tought to usually have about 1-2 inches of pedal freeplay.

And just a reminder, pushing in the clutch pedal is actually disengaging the clutch and letting off the pedal engages the clutch. Alot of people get this confused.

Hmm, then I was definitely one of those people who had the whole engaged/disengaged thing confused and switched around. Anyways...

So is there any special reason to have 1-2 inches of pedal freeplay? I've driven cars where there was no play whatsoever.. as soon as you started to let the pedal off the floor, the clutch would start to engage (I think I got it right this time, correct me if I'm wrong) and I actually liked that a lot better than having that free play

having a clutch pedal out of adjustment can lead to clutch slippage, poor shifting, and inadaquate clutch release. If you have too much pedal freeplay, the clutch wont fully disengage. And if I remember correctly, too little freeplay will damage the throw out bearing. Not sure on that one though. But either way, you want a minimum of about 1-2 inches of freeplay. But it is better to go by what the OEM recommends for the car which is what I had posted above.

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

Any chance of getting some pictures on this, I'm big enough that it's really hard to actually see what I'm doing under there...

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

Thank you so much for the DIY on clutch pedal adjustment streetglower. I own a 99 Honda Civic LX (bought new) coming up on 200K. The clutch just started with the low to the floor engage/disengage a few days ago. I had to loosen only the push rod lock nut to make my adjustment. I was surprised at how little the rod needed to be turned to make a huge difference in the adjustment. I have no problem with starting the car and shifting can occur further from the floor again with what feels to me like pretty normal engage and disengaging again. As long as the shifting feels comfortable am I safe in assuming there is no need to worry about the rod doing damage to the master cylinder as suggested by scatman above?

My initial adjustment brought the pedal engagement way up so I made two more adjustment to get it to a feeling of normal.

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

Will this work to lower my clutch pedal engagement, I installed a new clutch, but the pedal is still as soon as you touch it, the clutch engages. It basically makes me hold my foot in the air to shift, which is very uncomfortable.

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

I believe the stroke is the distance traveled from where it naturally sits to where it is when fully depressed.

The pedal height is the distance from its natural position (not pressed) to the bulkhead (firewall). This is not vertical height, more like 45 degree angle to the floor.

Hope this helps.

vtec :rolleyes:

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

LOL :D
Don't know that someone before me and AK47 from "8th gen civic" forum is realize where is problem at honda gearbox :D
MAN, people even make TSB for this and destroyed 3th gear syncro :)

Must say, good work "civic forum", look like is more smart brain here then on 8th :)

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

I have a high engagement point issue. My thinking was screwing the rod out (further out from the master cylinder) would lower the engagement point but mine won't turn any further to go out. Is my thinking backwards here and I need to be turning it in?
I'd go try but it is snowing out and garage access is on the other side of town. Just wondering if I need to start ordering clutch parts (it still grabs well and going from first gear to fourth while matting it the revs don't hang so either it will let go quickly or it is just an engagement problem)
TIA

Re: DIY: Clutch pedal adjustment
 

I have little to no experience working on civics, but I built a 240sx. So, I can say im very mechanically inclined. I just bought a civic that had a boosted b18b1 non vetc, lsd, hydro tranny, chipped ecu, stock head, 550cc injectors, boosting 14psi all weather tires( just naming some things that may factor in some of these issues) that had same pedal issues, Installed a stage 4 clutch 12lb flywheel and noticed that the pedal had about 1inch play and the cylinder push rod on fork was squealing, after adjusting the petal the sqweeking at the push rod on the fork went away, I was able to engage in toe tapping speeds! Felt amazing, but after the adjust ment the sqweek came back. I also noticed that when the clutch pedal wasnt pressed that my car felt like it had more torque to the ground, and slower build up to 6500 rpms the car also slowed down on its own not bad but its notice able with no gas applied(is the good?). When as before with the play in the petal the wheels had massive torque and spun the wheels which caused a spike to 6500 to 7000 rpm so fast I had to time the shift point every hard pull. With this my car would free travel in gear with foot off accelerator (is that good? Referenced to first question.) I know this is all caused by the pedal adjustments. Any thoughts or similar experiences anyone may have had and how to fix this, or if there is anything needing fixed?