Two Ways to Test a Clutch Pedal

Car buyers often purchase automobiles with a standard transmission that has a clutch pedal because they like the power a stick shift provides. However, when a car owner goes to buy a new car, the pedal might disengage earlier or later than the older one. Adjusting a clutch pedal can also prevent slipping. Luckily, testing a clutch pedal to see if you want to make adjustments is easy, so you can skip paying a professional and follow these few steps instead.

Self-Adjusting Clutch

The self-adjusting clutch is one of the two types of clutch-adjustment testing methods, and it is the easier of the two.

Step 1 – Lift Up the Clutch Pedal

With your car engine running and your parking brake engaged, slip one foot beneath the clutch pedal and lift it upward toward you.

Step 2 – Depress the Pedal

Then, test it by depressing the pedal and putting your car in gear. Make note of the distance your clutch has to move downward before you can change gears.

Step 3 – Test the Pedal

To give it a fair test, try putting it into low forward gear, then second forward, and finally third forward. Make note of how much you need to depress the clutch pedal before it disengages the clutch and allows you to put the car into gear without grinding any of the gears. Be sure the clutch pedal doesn’t come up too high before it disengages the clutch.

Manual Clutch Adjustment

Step 1 – Get Into the Proper Position

With your engine turned off and your hand brake engaged, get into a position in the front seat where you will be able to see behind the car’s dashboard on the driver’s side. If necessary, get into position outside the car with the door open. Lower yourself so that your head is partially under the dashboard.

Step 2 – Push the Clutch Pedal and Locate the Hook

With one hand, push the clutch pedal toward the floorboard and hold it there. Next, locate a large hook-like object on the clutch assembly. It should be near the top of the clutch shaft.

Step 3 – Pull the Hook Upward

As you continue to put pressure on the clutch pedal, pull up on the hook-like object until you hear it click once. Then, release your pressure on it.

Step 4 – Test the Clutch

Next, test the clutch. Climb back onto the seat and start the engine. Keeping one foot on the brake pedal, push the clutch pedal downward toward the floor with your foot and adjust your gearshift lever to put your car in gear as you did in the first test. If the clutch pedal isn’t working properly, you can replace it yourself in a few steps, too.

taken from- http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-adjust-a-clutch-pedal