Clutch Issue... Help!!

[DanR9595]

I have a 93 LX 5spd with a T-5 with about 78k on it.
The car is bone stock... except possibly the clutch.

My problem is the clutch is VERY VERY stiff. It takes a ton of pedal effort to get it to the floor. It's actually tiring to drive it in stop & go traffic.

The tranny shifts great & I have no grinds or weird noises.

1. Is there anyway to get a lighter feel to the clutch pedal???
2. Or is it time for a new clutch all together???

I've driven other 5.0 coupes & noticed the clutch has a lot more play & takes less effort. So, please help.
Thanks for helping with my newbie questions.

 

[tording]

Could possibly be the clutch cable. The cable inside the sheath can get gummed up and not want to slide properly, escpecially if it sees a lot of heat. This will cause a stiff cable. Do you have the stock plastic quadrant? I am not 100% on this but I if you do have the stock quadrant still it could possibly be that causing a bind making the pedal effort high. Just a couple of things to check on. Unless the car has been driven hard I doubt its the clutch itself at only 78k miles.

 

[HISSIN50]

If someone replaced it with a HD Ford clutch, that PP takes a bit of effort.

I agree with Tording. Also consider the input shaft retainer if the uptake is rough or choppy at all.

Good luck.

 

[DanR9595]

Yeah, that makes sense. Could be the cable or quadrant. I'm 90% sure, they're stock as the previous owner wasn't into modding the car at all.

Those are both relatively cheap & worth the switch anyway.

THANKS guys!

 

[DJ MIKE A]

If it's the stock clutch I would check the cable. If it isn't stock, that's just how a lot of aftermarket clutches are. I get ****ing tired in stop/go traffic. I would get a aftermarket cable/quadrant now so you don't go through what I did.

 

[EMW150]

Check the routing of the cable also. Someone may have had it apart and routed it wrong when they put it back together. It makes a huge difference in the stiffness of the pedal. I've even heard of guys bending pedal assemblies from shifting a car with a misrouted cable.

 

[HISSIN50]

Eric is right.
I totally forgot to mention routing. It can also flex or start to tear the firewall.

Good luck.