New Boxster owner here. Not new to driving stick but not a racer either.
So forgive the stupid question. I'm even trying to find the words to describe what is happening. When depressing the clutch, it just doesn't feel like I can go all the way down. Most of the time, after I feel like I've pushed the clutch all the way down, it still seems to have like an 1/8 of an inch left. This results in me almost having to slam on the clutch to make sure I've got it all the way down. Does anyone else have this experience? Can anyone explain what is going on?
987S8DTT, Can you be more specific about why you think you are not getting the clutch all the way down without slamming it to the floor? Are the gears grinding if you do not do this? If your clutch is adjusted properly, them whether it's on the floor or 1/8 inch up will not matter at all.
Also, is your seat adjusted properly? Is it a physical matter of not being able to get the pedal down or just a feeling that it is not all the way down?
No, gears are not grinding at all. I depress the clutch to what feels like the floor but find out that there's still like an 1/8 of inch left. Perhaps it's also my imagination, but I do feel the shifter slides into second (slightly) more easily. So to ensure that I am clutching all the way down, I feel like I have to exert a lot of force on my left leg. However, I recently acquired the car and have only driven it for ~150 miles. So, it may just be me not being used to the clutch yet.
I was thinking about the problem after I posted and will consider adjusting the seat position so I am at a better angle. I believe I am fine in distance from the pedal and wheel. However, I have not adjusted the angle of the seat since the previous owner.
Alright, I just went to the garage and tried out my clutch. I never noticed it before, but I can feel the same thing: clutch goes all the way down and then if you really push hard, it goes just a bit more. Not sure the reason for this, it almost feels like a switch is being activated.
Anyway, I've never made any special effort to get this last little bit, and I would say to you not to worry about it. You do not need to slam anything when driving this car or feel that you need to mash the clutch into the carpet. I can also tell you that the clutch and shifter will get a tad bit more forgiving after the first couple 1000 miles.
Yes. That sounds exactly like what I am talking about. So, I'm not crazy. I know I tend to be very sensitive about the clutch because they're so costly.
Sorry, I should be more precise, the car already has 20K on it. I've only driven it for 150 miles.
Thanks for the help!
If I had looked at the profile more closely, I could have figured out that the car was not new. It's still new to you, so welcome to Planet-9 (also referred to as the "swamp"). Let's see some pictures of the new beastie!
Just so you know (not trying to be smart), but you don't need to depress the clutch all the way to the floor. You merely need to press it past the engagement point, which should be adjusted so it's much higher than the floor.
If you aren't grinding gears, try to "feel" the point at which the clutch disengages. Might be beneficial to go out for a nice long drive with twisty roads that force you to up and downshift!
Really? (Not trying to be smart either) I've always learned the clutch should go down to the floor before shifting. I never knew you just needed to clutch past where it engages.
From your response and bretster, I am not going to worry about that extra movement (can't think of the right word).
