Clutch pedal vibration

[Overboost3]

I'm hoping someone has an idea of what's going on. When I depress my clutch pedal a slight bit, just enough to take up the slack(maybe 1/2 inch) it pulsates/vibrates. Just started this today and it goes away if I depress it just a bit more or if I let it out all the way. It doesn't effect the engagement at all; it's not even close to the engagement/disengagement point.Weird. Does it at all speeds and all gears. The higher the RPM's, however, the less I can feel it.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[ZMB]

That happens to me also, no idea what it is but that pulsing your feeling goes threw my steering wheel/shifter also.... Are u only feeeling it in the clutch?

[xcoldricex]

could be your rear motor mount. i switched out mine from a SU to a CP-E yesterday and i'm getting it - not because of the mount but because i was having trouble getting one of the big bolts back on... gotta get back under there and check it.

[06Speed6]

Originally Posted by Overboost3 I'm hoping someone has an idea of what's going on. When I depress my clutch pedal a slight bit, just enough to take up the slack(maybe 1/2 inch) it pulsates/vibrates. Just started this today and it goes away if I depress it just a bit more or if I let it out all the way. It doesn't effect the engagement at all; it's not even close to the engagement/disengagement point.Weird. Does it at all speeds and all gears. The higher the RPM's, however, the less I can feel it. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Sounds like bent or uneven pressure plate fingers, you are just pushing the clutch pedal enough that the throwout bearing is touching some but not all of them. It can also be caused by unevenly torquing the pressure plate bolts, this typically only really happens with aftermarket clutch kits.

[Overboost3]

Thanks for the replies:
It's not a motor mount issue, the vibration is isolated to the clutch pedal.


06speed6,
That's what I think it is, or maybe a broken PP spring, but the clutch is bone stock with 26k miles on it. I wonder if Mazda will warranty it or if I'm on my own.

[danesti]

sounds like the same symptoms IDRVSLO described three days before he blew...
not trying to scare you.. just saying his last suspicion was a bend rod....

[Haltech]

Yea, 3 guys who had bent rods, had the same issue going on.

[Overboost3]

well, that would suck!

Is there a thread that you can point me to that he/anyone else made?

Thanks!

[smakdown61]

Zoom zoom BOOM imminent

[Overboost3]

Might be! I have no ticking/strange noise whatsoever coming from the motor at any speed RPM. Everyone with this same problem that blew their motors had a ticking noise.. yeah?
If It's gonna blow I wish it would just do it quickly.

[MadOzodi]

If your car is still within the warranty period, I would HIGHLY suggest you stop driving the car and put it back to stock ASAP. I'll just leave it at that...

[Overboost3]

I have 26k miles.. so, yeah.. I have 10k more to go.

[MadOzodi]

Well, once it's back to stock, it's time to call the old stealership and set up an appointment for them to check out that vibration in the clutch pedal.

[06Speed6]

With a bent rod, the vibration will be constant because the engine is out of balance.

With a messed up pressure plate, it will be only in the clutch pedal and only when you are first pushing it down.

IDRVSLO had a constant vibration if I remember right.

[Overboost3]

Tough call considering others experienced the same thing prior to failure.
I should also mention that if the car sits for a bit and you first fire it up, the pedal does not vibrate... it takes a couple of minutes for it to start.

Thanks for the help so far, I appreciate it.

[Overboost3]

Hmm.. considering the time it takes to start vibrating on a fresh start-up.. I wonder if it could be a hydraulic issue?

[danesti]

IDRVSLO said he felt the vibration in his clutch pedal first...
he went and got a new clutch setup because thats what he thought it was then 3 days after he got the clutch in, he blew.
i dont think the new clutched changed the feel at vibrations in that range of the clutch engadgement.
take advantage of that waranty.

[06Speed6]

Originally Posted by Overboost3 Hmm.. considering the time it takes to start vibrating on a fresh start-up.. I wonder if it could be a hydraulic issue?

Its not a hydraulic issue, a hydraulic issue would be your pedal going to the floor without it doing anything.

Originally Posted by danems6 IDRVSLO said he felt the vibration in his clutch pedal first... he went and got a new clutch setup because thats what he thought it was then 3 days after he got the clutch in, he blew. i dont think the new clutched changed the feel at vibrations in that range of the clutch engadgement. take advantage of that waranty.

I still highly wonder about this because I have never heard of a bent rod that was only noticable after the car is warmed up and only through a pulsation in the upper portion of the clutch pedals travel.

So I did some research on this...

The only possible causes of a clutch pedal pulsation are...

Drum roll...

Bent crankshaft flange
Warped flywheel
Damaged pressure plate
Improper torque on the pressure plate bolts
Warped friction disc
Damaged bellhousing
Missalignment of the engine and transmission
Damaged throw out bearing

If the pulsation is also accompanied by a drop in engine rpm or the engine stalls at idle...

Worn thrust bearings
Engine main bearing failure

[SharkDiver]

My clucth started to vibrate a few weeks ago.This really sucks to think I may have to change my rods now when I dont have a shop to do it and I never done that myself before.I guess I will have to find a shop and say goodbye to about $3k that I cant afford to spend now.Or I could put it all back to stock and sell to carmax or something.I really like this car tho since I get good power and good mpg.

[JoshC23]

Have the vibrations become more noticeable over time since it started. Are you hearing a difference in engine noises also. Like a slightly different ticking tone than the usual.

What are your mods?

I think Im in the same boat, it started about a month ago and the vibes are slowly becoming more noticeable. Its only when in gear when slight pressure is applied to pedal as soon as the pedal goes in about 1-2 inches it goes away. and I dont know about the cold or warm thing I always warm my car up before I drive it, I think I will go see about this today.
I got 24k miles and engine mods are CAI/TBE(catless)/FMIC/BOV(recirc)/ITV22's

[smakdown61]

Originally Posted by 06Speed6 Its not a hydraulic issue, a hydraulic issue would be your pedal going to the floor without it doing anything. I still highly wonder about this because I have never heard of a bent rod that was only noticable after the car is warmed up and only through a pulsation in the upper portion of the clutch pedals travel. So I did some research on this... The only possible causes of a clutch pedal pulsation are... Drum roll... Bent crankshaft flange Warped flywheel Damaged pressure plate Improper torque on the pressure plate bolts Warped friction disc Damaged bellhousing Missalignment of the engine and transmission Damaged throw out bearing If the pulsation is also accompanied by a drop in engine rpm or the engine stalls at idle... Worn thrust bearings Engine main bearing failure

Add bent rod to that:

http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...ip-speed3.html

[Darksun280]

I was just about to post that

[MadOzodi]

Yup, unfortunately it looks like clutch pedal vibe = bent rod. It seems payin to play with this car is just too high a price. Until DCR figures shit out, which should be after my warranty runs out, stock will have to do.

[LBV]

Pull the oil pan and take a look up at your rods <-- an option.

[JoshC23]

Ok this may be dumb but does the rod slightly bend more and more over time until it finally just snaps. Im assumming thats how it goes, because my vibrations are getting a little worse each week. What is changing the vibes to become stronger if its not the rod?

[JoshC23]

To the OP another thing you should do is get a compression test done.

[Strizzo]

i had the same thing in my rsx basically from when i bought it at 17k, to when i sold it with 40k on it, it never affected anything in that car, i'd bet its a warped disk given the amount of power that gets sent through the clutch in these cars.

[06Speed6]

Ill honestly believe the bent rod = clutch pedal pulsations if someone can tell me exactly how a rod can cause it on a car with a hydrolic clutch system that does not transfer engine vibrations to the pedal.

The only possible thing that I can think of that even might be rod related is the crankshafts runout is out of spec (worn thrust bearing) and the bent rod is moving the crank back and forth causing the clutch assembly to move back and forth which causes the TO bearing to expand and contract which is felt in the pedal as a pulsation.

I have yet to hear of a thrust bearing problem in this car.

[Darksun280]

Originally Posted by 06Speed6 Ill honestly believe the bent rod = clutch pedal pulsations if someone can tell me exactly how a rod can cause it on a car with a hydrolic clutch system that does not transfer engine vibrations to the pedal. The only possible thing that I can think of that even might be rod related is the crankshafts runout is out of spec (worn thrust bearing) and the bent rod is moving the crank back and forth causing the clutch assembly to move back and forth which causes the TO bearing to expand and contract which is felt in the pedal as a pulsation. I have yet to hear of a thrust bearing problem in this car.

I've already learned it doesn't have to make sense it just has to be right. There are two more members with vibrations in there clutch if they blow up within the next month or so I'll you'll know something is up.

what pisses me off is EVERY time I try to think logical with this car and why it does what it does I get owned......

[Buildabong]

Originally Posted by Overboost3 Thanks for the replies: It's not a motor mount issue, the vibration is isolated to the clutch pedal. 06speed6, That's what I think it is, or maybe a broken PP spring, but the clutch is bone stock with 26k miles on it. I wonder if Mazda will warranty it or if I'm on my own.

yeah, mine had the vibration in the clutch then went boom up hill.. lol was insain

[Buildabong]

Originally Posted by Darksun280 I've already learned it doesn't have to make sense it just has to be right. There are two more members with vibrations in there clutch if they blow up within the next month or so I'll you'll know something is up. what pisses me off is EVERY time I try to think logical with this car and why it does what it does I get owned......

haha owned..

no but really though i was like wtf my clutch is feeling weird all the vibration was crazy then i got in boost and weeeee boom.. and i mean the vibration was nasty like a foot massage was installed on my clutch pedel lol

[SharkDiver]

My clutch does not vibrate very much at all and maybe it has been doing it for a long time and I just happen to notice it a few weeks ago.I wish PG would come out with those damn rods for the stock piston they have been talking about for months now.I would like to throw those on my car and be done with it before I have a hole in the block.

[y2kc0wb0y]

Originally Posted by 06Speed6 Ill honestly believe the bent rod = clutch pedal pulsations if someone can tell me exactly how a rod can cause it on a car with a hydrolic clutch system that does not transfer engine vibrations to the pedal. The only possible thing that I can think of that even might be rod related is the crankshafts runout is out of spec (worn thrust bearing) and the bent rod is moving the crank back and forth causing the clutch assembly to move back and forth which causes the TO bearing to expand and contract which is felt in the pedal as a pulsation. I have yet to hear of a thrust bearing problem in this car.

One of the reasons you can move a clutch slave cylinder piston with hydralic, really brake fluid is that the brake fluid itself doesn't compress. So if you push the clutch pedal that fluid movement needs to transfer somewhere...ie cylinder moving forward and back...So if you put/add a vibration/noise/pressure/wave to the system the pedal is going to naturally feel it as the system re-releases the energy back that has been applied to it.

Hope that helps.

[ZMB]

Not to hyjack your thread, but ive had vibration in my clutch for months now and i havnt had any issues yet... Possible that it has nothing to do with a rod?

[Overboost3]

Well, whatever it is I'm going to have the dealer deal with it. I purchased an aftermarket warranty through Warranty Direct that covers basically bumper-to-bumper to 100K and it cost me a 1020.00. If the dealer gives me any stink and I can't get anywhere I can fall back on Warranty Direct. I sort of hope it blows on the way to the dealer.

[Speedn3]

Originally Posted by Overboost3 Well, whatever it is I'm going to have the dealer deal with it. I purchased an aftermarket warranty through Warranty Direct that covers basically bumper-to-bumper to 100K and it cost me a 1020.00. If the dealer gives me any stink and I can't get anywhere I can fall back on Warranty Direct. I sort of hope it blows on the way to the dealer.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Overboost3]

Thank you and I will.

[Overboost3]

Just got a call from Mazda. "This is normal. I have felt this with many other cars and it's never caused a problem" he tells me. I explained to him that I've had the car for 26k miles and it's never done it before... he replies: "It could just be dust in the collar, I wouldn't worry about it"

hehe

Great! Now what?

[Haltech]

Let it blow bro...

[toprock]

Originally Posted by MadOzodi If your car is still within the warranty period, I would HIGHLY suggest you stop driving the car and put it back to stock ASAP. I'll just leave it at that...

I wouldn't go that far...he's only getting vibrations when his foot is resting on it, not when he's depressing it...

I have the same thing, only vibrates like the first half inch before you actually depress it, I think it's normal especially since I have full upgraded mounts. Once I depress it, it's not there anymore. I'd only worry about your engine blowing if it's constantly vibrating like these guys say, even when it's depressed...