Clutch Pedal Squeaking? Best $10 youll ever spend..
My Clutch pedal has been squeaking since the day I bought my MSP nearly two years ago; and the clutch has gradually been engaging further and further toward the firewall. So much so that it was hard to put it into gear at stop lights and I was occasionally missing shifts. I lubricated the clutch pin before (and noted the major groove in the pin at the time), but the squeak came back, and now I needed to do something about the clutch engagement issue. Before attempting any adjustment, I figured I would address the worn clutch pedal pin issue.
I decided to hit the local Mazda dealer and get a replacement pin. I bought a new pin, and a new clutch pin bushing and the retainer clip. (I even picked up a new Fuse Cover, which seems to be a common failure items for MSPs for like $4). The grand total $12 !!
When I removed the existing clutch pedal pin, and saw how it was supposed to work, I was shocked to see how far gone mine was. To replace the clutch pin is easy; you remove the clutch pin retaining clip (long needle-nose pliers work pretty well), and take out the pin, and the bushing. I hadnt realized that the pin is supposed to ride inside a plastic bushing (mine was toast). After reinstalling the new bushing in the pedal, and the new pin and clip, the clutch was actually engaging way too high (due to removing the slop caused by the worn pin assembly). So I actually had to adjust the clutch pedal travel to engage lower. You can adjust that by loosening the jam nut and rotating the threaded rod toward the pedal (remember to re-tighten the jam not).
If your MSP has 100K miles or more, and youve never replaced your clutch pedal pin (or if you pedal is squeaking, or your loosing pedal travel) Im guessing yours is probably in need of replacement. The difference in feel, and smoothness is really worth the $10 and 20 minutes of work. One of the cheapest and easiest fixes for better drivability. Give it a shot.
My Clutch pedal has been squeaking since the day I bought my MSP nearly two years ago; and the clutch has gradually been engaging further and further toward the firewall. So much so that it was hard to put it into gear at stop lights and I was occasionally missing shifts. I lubricated the clutch pin before (and noted the major groove in the pin at the time), but the squeak came back, and now I needed to do something about the clutch engagement issue. Before attempting any adjustment, I figured I would address the worn clutch pedal pin issue.
I decided to hit the local Mazda dealer and get a replacement pin. I bought a new pin, and a new clutch pin bushing and the retainer clip. (I even picked up a new Fuse Cover, which seems to be a common failure items for MSPs for like $4). The grand total $12 !!
When I removed the existing clutch pedal pin, and saw how it was supposed to work, I was shocked to see how far gone mine was. To replace the clutch pin is easy; you remove the clutch pin retaining clip (long needle-nose pliers work pretty well), and take out the pin, and the bushing. I hadnt realized that the pin is supposed to ride inside a plastic bushing (mine was toast). After reinstalling the new bushing in the pedal, and the new pin and clip, the clutch was actually engaging way too high (due to removing the slop caused by the worn pin assembly). So I actually had to adjust the clutch pedal travel to engage lower. You can adjust that by loosening the jam nut and rotating the threaded rod toward the pedal (remember to re-tighten the jam not).
If your MSP has 100K miles or more, and youve never replaced your clutch pedal pin (or if you pedal is squeaking, or your loosing pedal travel) Im guessing yours is probably in need of replacement. The difference in feel, and smoothness is really worth the $10 and 20 minutes of work. One of the cheapest and easiest fixes for better drivability. Give it a shot.
