Changed clutch, pedal now stiff..?

[Parky]

I swapped the OE clutch for an ACT HD organic yesterday as the Nissan one started to slip / stink, I was told it had roughly the same feel as an OE clutch, but after putting everything back together and giving the pedal a press it now feels really stiff and spongy. It's not a new clutch, it has slightly less meat on it than the OE one did, I got it cheap off fleabay just to tide me over until I can afford a new one.

I put everything back together exactly as it came off and followed the service manual, I didn't disturb the hydraulics at all, just unbolted the cylinder off the bell housing then bolted it back on. The only thing I changed was the thrust bearing as the old one was noisy. Clutch works as it should, engages and disengages just fine.

So why does the pedal feel totally different? Before it was super easy to use but now it's pretty hard and needs a fair amount of leg power to use. Is this just the way the clutch is? Or have I missed something?

 

[Auss15]

The spring center is probably stiffer then the OEM pressure plate. I aliviated it on mine with a Nismo slave cylinder..

 

[Parky]

I thought that might be it. So the nismo slave cylinder is stronger and makes it a little less of a back-breaking, leg pumping affair?

 

[S15_SAM]

Have you removed the clutch dampner loop? That helps a hell of alot! Basically undo the metal pipe from the loop that's bolted to the chasis underneath. You can then unbolt it from the slave cylinder, and gently bend the metal pipe to connect straight to the slave.
Bleed the clutch and it gives such a better feel. I did this after fitting my Act HD organic.

 

[Parky]

I haven't Sam, didn't really want to touch the pipes / fluids as the pedal feel was awesome and I wanted to keep it that way. I'll get it back on a ramp this week and have a look at that. Assuming you have to drain the fluid to remove that pipe?

Edit - This, right? http://garage.projectraine.com/content_guides/240_clutchdamper/clutchdamper.html

 

[S15_SAM]

Yeah that's the process parky! You will loose the clutch fluid but if you can put a small cap over the pipe from the master cylinder then it will stop the flow.

Then you'll have to bleed it, but it just stops the spongy feeling.

 

[spoonman]

pedal feel as in slip to bite is adjusted by the length of the fork on the master, if its biting too early or too late in the pedal travel adjust the for length, if its harder for your foot to press the pedal thats because you are using a stronger clutch so in turn the clutch fingers are a hell of alot more stiffer to move, as the boys above have mentioned there are a few things you can so to have a slightly easier clutch feel, but normally stronger lightweight clutches have a much harder to push clutch pedal.

I just removed the old hard line on mine for a braided clutch line, you just unbolt the slave and the master with the line still attached, (and the loop bracket) once all are out of the car you just unbolt the slave and master from the line, screw in the braided line, stick the slave into a vice to hold the pin in place, then bleed the whole system the same way you bleed brakes, stick it all back into your car as a complete system, bolt up....

 

[Auss15]

Yes, I can recommend removing the loop, it will give you a better peddle feel..