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Clutch Pedal Creaking/Clicking Fix

F6HAD

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Another forwarded by Terry Vincent to me, originally created by Alnug I believe.

Tools required:

A syringe with a small tube attachment...the tube size needed at the end is what you will find in common bic biros :). Or you can use a grease gun or some sort.

A GOOD o-ring compatible grease or a high quality medium/thick silicone grease.

1-1.jpg


Mine was a silicon based grease i bought from Renault many years ago..was used for ball bearings on plastic runners. It's very good stuff and sticks where it's placed plus is high temp compatible...this is important since clutch fluid makes the clutch master cylinder hot.

DO NOT..I REPEAT DO NOT! use WD40 or similar water displacing/ grease removing fluids (yes wd40 actually removes grease!) read below. ALSO Spray can lithium type greases or silicon sprays are also less effective since they don't have the viscocity. Some say it lasts for about a month if that and I have no idea how the lithium reacts with the o-rings.

What I'm trying to say is that the grease type used will determine how effective this is.

METHOD
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-look up into the footwell and see where the master cylinder rod goes into the clylinder from the clutch pedal. where the rod goes in you'll see a holding washer(??) which prevents the rod from springing all the way out..on this washer there are two notches cut out and these notches are where you will insert the syringe extension tube (see pic where syringe enters)

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-push and HOLD the clutch pedal inwards...this is IMPORTANT! not doing so will mean you don't get the grease all the way in.

-push the extension tube of the syringe as far into the holes as you can and squirt in some grease.

-rotate the washer, where your syringe enters round,...yep it actually moves around and squirt in more grease...do this all the way round

-once you've squirted in enough grease try spreading it around the inside of the cylinder+pushing it as far into the cylinder using the syringe extension.

- once that's done work the pedal backwards and forwards to work the grease in. some/ a lot may squirt out of the two notches in the washer but the grease will be where it's needed.

Hopefully that will fix the creak/click for a long while...enjoy the drive!

DO NOT..I REPEAT DO NOT! go squirting WD40 or similar fluids in there...it may work for a day or more but as the fluid evaporates the lubricity (is there such a word!!!??) vanishes and you're back to the beginning. Worse still WD40 removes what grease was in there to begin with and also dries out the rubber/EPDM that makes up the o-rings in the cylinder and you end up being worse off!

You've been warned! you need a thick grease which will stay put.
 
Will be very useful indeed, reminds me, my clutch pedal needs so grease.
Anyone recommend a good thick grease?
 
I hear KY is pretty good ;)
 
Have tried thick lithium grease but the creak comes back, didn't have a nice syringe though so will experiment when I can find one! If not will be trying something silicone based soon, thanks Fahad!!
 
I've been using Molykote grease I got from halfords but it comes back after a week. Even got HH to put there grease in but it still came back.
Any recommendations guys?
I use a syringe with a cotton bud tube but it's not long enough. Any recommendations guys?
 
I had this issue a couple of years back and asked the dealer to lubricate it when it was serviced. The "creak" was back withing a few days.

Lancaster Honda, to their credit said no problem, bring it back and they replaced the master cylinder under warranty. Might be worth a try if yours is within that sort of warranty period (Though I'm guessing a lot won't be now)
 
Dow Corning Molykote O-Ring Grease is the stuff that the older site recommended. I got some and use it from time to time when the creak returns.

And I must say, the original writeup makes the job look simple. It's not !!! The photos especially make it look like you can casually hold down the clutch pedal with one hand while gently guiding the grease in with the other. If I try this, I reckon I'd lock my back and could only be extracted from the car if the fire brigade first used angle grinders to remove the front of the car from the A-pillar down. :eek:

Hint: no matter the pain, when you're down there keep at it and don't give up. Even when you think you are done, dig in to some previously-forgotten reserves and get more grease in, pump the clutch pedal just a few more times. The trick is to extricate yourself from the footwell mere seconds before medical intervention is required.

Or get it fixed under warranty ...
 
Hint: no matter the pain, when you're down there keep at it and don't give up. Even when you think you are done, dig in to some previously-forgotten reserves and get more grease in, pump the clutch pedal just a few more times. The trick is to extricate yourself from the footwell mere seconds before medical intervention is required.

When I did it my left arm was shaking holding the pedal in, and my right index finger starting cramping holding the home-made plunger. I think I must have used all my reserves cos when I got out I felt dizzy and nauseous for half an hour afterwards. :huh:
Gonna have a proper go now I've got a proper syringe.
 
When I did it my left arm was shaking holding the pedal in, and my right index finger starting cramping holding the home-made plunger. I think I must have used all my reserves cos when I got out I felt dizzy and nauseous for half an hour afterwards. :huh:
Gonna have a proper go now I've got a proper syringe.

I tried to make a syringe but the grease was too thick to go through. I have to push it past one of the slots in the washer with my finger.
 
Thanks for this brilliant thread !!

Was really enjoying the build quality of my Accord and how rattle free it is but then the clutch creak started !!

Although not the same as my 2.0 type s I managed to recognise the bit that needs grease and get some in - creak gone !
 
just an old tub of good quality grease - used the syringe from my mountain bike disc brake bleed kit :)
 
Excellent how to, thanks.

I bought some Molykote 55 O ring grease from eBay, although I think the 100ml tube may well last me forever, so are there any other places I can use it on my car? :)

I also bought some syringes with blunt needles, intended for ink cartridge refilling, and they were perfect for getting into that oh-so-narrow gap.

Once i eventually managed to tie the picture up with what i was looking at in my footwell, I think I only strained my left shoulder three times and my neck once while administering the grease.

It wasn't the easiest job to squeeze the thick grease through the 1mm bore syringe needle whilst lying on my side over the door sill and pressing the clutch in with my left hand at the same time, but after doing it I worked the clutch in and out with my foot to get as much in as I could, before a second and third squeeze.

The creak appears to have gone, although I've only tested it by pumping the clutch while stationary, but once my shoulder and neck brace comes off in six weeks time, I'll be able to report whether this is still the case when actually driving the car.
 
Thanks for this, I've had the same issue. The dealer greased it and it lasted for a few weeks but the creak is back.

I've ordered some grease from eBay, plus I found a syringes with tube on there as well:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160756664462
 
Thanks for this, I've had the same issue. The dealer greased it and it lasted for a few weeks but the creak is back.

I've ordered some grease from eBay, plus I found a syringes with tube on there as well:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160756664462


I'd be interested to know whether that tube fits inside the notches you have to squeeze the grease into, as it looks a lot easier to use than the one I used.

Can you let us know once you'vw given it a go.


I've now done about 1,000 miles and the creak hasn't returned, so all good as far as I'm concerned.
 
Thanks ive used the info and done it :) I used the ebay Syringe mentioned above and the tube was a good fit. It took about 20 mins and seems to have gone for now :lol:
 
I tried to do mine, but couldn't get the grease through the tube!

Filled the syringe, but couldn't push the plunger past a certain point.

I'll try shortening the tube & try again, I've located where it needs to go & can reach it with a bit of twisting.
 
my creak is back so lasted about 3 weeks :(

will try again with a better quality grease and see if that works...
 
it didn't work :(

Fortunately Boston Honda were brilliant and have changed the Master cylinder under warranty for me :)
 
The creak came back ever so slightly last week so ive just put some lube on the shaft and its gone again
 
Just also to point out that it might be worth while bleeding the clutch "brake" fluid too, as it absorbs water over time and that's never good for cars' internals. My bro had a ridiculously squeeky clutch pedal, changed the fluid it lessened the niose dramatically :eek: It also improved the biting point/feel from his clutch too B)
 
Chain lube for MC worked flawlessly when I had this problem on my EP3.
 
Chain lube for MC worked flawlessly when I had this problem on my EP3.
how long did it last for you?
Can you recommend a product for me as I am suffering from this and it drives me mad sometimes.
 
Recently I had a "noisy" clutch pedal and thought of using this guide to lubricate the clutch master cylinder. The guide was no good because I was not able to put the thin tube inside the clutch master cylinder to grease it decently, any way, I managed to put some grease in there, but not much... Still, the noise was there.

When I was doing the job, I put a bit of grease on the pedal clutch ***embly, but no good. In the next day, surprisingly, the noise was gone, but after another day, the noise came back...

I started to suspect that the noise came from the pedal itself, and not from the master cylinder. So I took a can of silicon grease in spray, and applied it in some points of the pedal ***embly. It got better for a a couple of days, but the it came back. This proved my theory: the noise was from clutch pedal ***embly. So I took of the whole pedal ***embly, dissembled everything, lubricated every moving parts, put it all together. So far, after 4 days, the noise hasn't came back :rolleyes:

TIP: If you guys lubricate the master cylinder and the noise persist, remove the clutch pedal ***embly(2 nuts + 1bolt + 1pin), disassemble it(1 nut) and lubricate all moving parts. It's quite an easy and fast job to do.
I used red rubber grease, the one I had laying around and is safe to plastics, but I guess you can use any general purpose grease on the pedal itself(not the master cylinder).

Hope this helps someone with this annoying problem B)
 
Is there a definitive answer on the best sort of grease to use?

My new (to me) 7th gen didn't have a creaking clutch until I read this... :rolleyes:
 
Would this be any use?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Locksmiths-Lock-Lubricant-Lubrication-Dispenser/dp/B00DZJPHSS
 
It's got be O-Ring safe lubricants and general grease can corrode the rubber. Seems there are two thread for this topic that are much the same. The grease you need is Molykote 55.

Here's the other thread. It has a but more info on the grease and stuff.

As for the syringe, any basic, small medical syringe should do the trick. Doesn't need a needle as such. I used one I got from the vet for administering laxative down my cats throat. No sharp end. Like what you have for giving babies liquid paracetamol etc. Small, plastic, no frills, cost a few pence from the pharmacy. You'll get it onto the notch on pushrod of the cylinder quite easily and just put ample on and work the pedal back and forth a lot to spread it all around. Honestly, it makes the clutch feel soooo much better.
 
Just ordered a tube of Molykote55, and I'll raid the medicine cupboard at home for a syringe. Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:
 
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