Clutch engagement point changed

[Eric1285]

I have a 2009 VW GTI that is my first car with a manual. I learned to drive a standard on this car, so the clutch took a bit of a beating the first couple hundred miles with a lot of stalling. Since I've figured everything out I've been exceedingly gentle on the clutch - I never do any hard launches or anything like that and I rev match all of my downshifts. I also take it easy on the upshifts by waiting for the revs to fall before letting the clutch out. Once in a while I'll take a blast down the road and shift quickly, letting the clutch drag the engine speed down on the upshifts but I don't do that too often.

Lately I've noticed that the friction point has moved significantly. It used to be that if I let the clutch pedal out just a little more than an inch it would start to grab. Now it seems like it doesn't start to grab until the clutch pedal is half way out and it feels to me like it doesn't completely engage until just about .5-1" from the fully released position. This change happened very suddenly, pretty much overnight. I'm wondering if this is just the clutch getting broken in, or have I done something to it? My car has about 7500 miles on it. I've checked to see if my clutch is slipping by changing up to 5th or 6th and flooring it from 1500 RPMs but it doesn't seem to be slipping at all. Also, if I downshift without rev matching it's still just as jerky as it used to be. Same goes for the fast upshifts. Anybody have an idea what may have happened here? It's not a big deal since I've been able to make the necessary adjustment but I want to be sure nothing is wrong with my car. I will say that it seems like I have to give the car a bit more gas at launch to get going, otherwise the revs seem to drop a bit more quickly than before.

Thanks in advance for any input - I appreciate it!

[theholycow]

I stalled my 2008 Rabbit a lot when it was new, and blamed it on my inexperience. Perhaps it engaged very low and I somehow refused to believe it, and I got better when the engagement zone raised.

The way you describe its current engagement is exactly how my car engages now.

[LHOswald]

the way you describe the clutch engagement point and the feel, it makes it sound like maybe the clutch disks material wasn't as dense for the first part so it wore away easily. now its down to the more dense part and its grabbing alot harder and alot quicker. probably not though. most likely its just a little worn in. if it changes anymore without you doing anything to it, i would definitely have it looked at, but it doesn't sound like anything alarming to me

edit: now that i think of it, when i got the new clutch on my car it caught pretty low too. but now it engages about halfway up...hmm...interrrrrestinggggg

[Eric1285]

the way you describe the clutch engagement point and the feel, it makes it sound like maybe the clutch disks material wasn't as dense for the first part so it wore away easily. now its down to the more dense part and its grabbing alot harder and alot quicker. probably not though. most likely its just a little worn in. if it changes anymore without you doing anything to it, i would definitely have it looked at, but it doesn't sound like anything alarming to me

edit: now that i think of it, when i got the new clutch on my car it caught pretty low too. but now it engages about halfway up...hmm...interrrrrestinggggg

I don't think it engages any quicker than it used to...if anything it's a tiny bit slower. Makes me think that the clutch might have just broken in and worn down a bit. I've read that our car has an "adaptive clutch" that adjusts the friction point, which sounds weird to me. I'm thinking it might have to do with the hydraulic fluid too...I'm due for service in 2500 miles so I'll have them check it then, unless someone can identify it as a more pressing issue.

[theholycow]

As far as I know, hydraulic clutches all self-adjust, just like hydraulic brakes; this would keep the engagement point the same as the clutch wears.

[fa22raptorf22]

As far as I know, hydraulic clutches all self-adjust, just like hydraulic brakes; this would keep the engagement point the same as the clutch wears.

Correct.

What has happened is that your wore the clutch in quicker when you were learning...but now the engagement point will stay where it is now until it dies. No biggie. Just get used to where it is now

[Eric1285]

As far as I know, hydraulic clutches all self-adjust, just like hydraulic brakes; this would keep the engagement point the same as the clutch wears.

Correct.

What has happened is that your wore the clutch in quicker when you were learning...but now the engagement point will stay where it is now until it dies. No biggie. Just get used to where it is now

I think this would have made sense if the engagement point had changed relatively soon after I figured out how to drive. I'm a good 6500 miles past that point. After about the first 1000 miles I had everything down pat so it seems strange to me that the engagement point would change now.

The only thing I've been doing differently is doing a few more starts from second gear in the past 1500 miles or so. I only do this if the car is still moving though - if I'm at a complete stop I'll start from first.

[theholycow]

I really don't think it's about wear or break-in. Hydraulic clutches are self-adjusting and should keep the engagement zone in about the same spot all the time, as far as I know.

And, as I said, your current engagement is exactly as my 2008 VW's is. I think something might have been messed up, giving you the low engagement, and has since cleared itself up. That's too bad, I bet low engagement was really nice...anchor your heel to the floor and pivot up a little to begin engaging the clutch, easy to control.

[Eric1285]

I really don't think it's about wear or break-in. Hydraulic clutches are self-adjusting and should keep the engagement zone in about the same spot all the time, as far as I know.

And, as I said, your current engagement is exactly as my 2008 VW's is. I think something might have been messed up, giving you the low engagement, and has since cleared itself up. That's too bad, I bet low engagement was really nice...anchor your heel to the floor and pivot up a little to begin engaging the clutch, easy to control.

Yeah, I definitely liked it better when it was lower. I guess I'll mention it when I take it in for service but from what you guys are saying it isn't really anything to be worried about. Still wish I knew what caused the change though. Do you think it would be worth asking them to bleed the hydraulic system when I take it in?

[Rope-Pusher]

Could it have had an air bubble in the hydraulic clutch release system that finally worked it's way up the tube and got out to the fluid reservoir? That would make a big difference in the engagement point and yet not be due to any other mechanical problem.

[Eric1285]

Could it have had an air bubble in the hydraulic clutch release system that finally worked it's way up the tube and got out to the fluid reservoir? That would make a big difference in the engagement point and yet not be due to any other mechanical problem.

That's why I'm thinking it might be a good idea to ask them to bleed the system when I bring it in for service. I read that the clutch and brakes use the same fluids though and I haven't felt any difference in the brakes. Is it possible for only one system to be affected?

[watkins]

Yes. As RP stated, it could have been in the clutch release system.

[Eric1285]

Yes. As RP stated, it could have been in the clutch release system.

I see. Any chance that an air bubble would work itself out or will the system have to be bled?

Thanks again for everyone's help!

[LHOswald]

maybe the bubble was stuck in a spot that would've been impossible to get out of unless the car was turned upside down...

done any flips lately?

[AHTOXA]

That's how my pedal engages as well. Starts grabbing about half way up and finises maybe a few inches off the top. Seems to have been this way since new as well.