Squeeking clutch and harder to depress

[Big O]

Well, yesterday, at about 4500 mi., I heard the "squeeking" clutch for the first time. Not as bad as some post that I have read about, but still irrating. Has anyone come up with the solution yet?

But the worst part is that it seems to be about 25% harder to depress than before. Really, it seemed overly easy originally, but not now. Has anyone experience this or have a solution for it? :confused:

[DSLPOWR]

I noticed this with the ZF's, after the first few thousand miles they break in to this. But with my new 2002 it seems the pedal pressure to disengage the clutch it erratic, soft and easy most of the time but if I cruise on the highway for 50 + miles without having to shift I notice it "hardens" up on the first depression, almost like it's lost the slave cylinder. Maybe it's heat buildup? Not sure about this but it has yet to affect the actual engagement of the clutch itself. Not too worried at this point. Just keep an eye on your fluid level.
http://forum.62-65-dieselpage.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=003002

[ 03-18-2002: Message edited by: DSLPOWR ]</p>

[1BADDMAX]

You know DSLPOWR, I think you are right about it getting harder to depress on long trips! I have noticed this after a couple hour drive. My clutch pedal creaks so bad now I just turn the radio up. I have a week off in April and will be taking the truck to the dealer for several issues. Overall the truck kicks ass though!

[Monica]

I have a 2001 2500HD 6 spd manual. I started having problems with the clutch about two months after I had it. At first it was just squeaking but then it made a loud sound. I took it to the dealer. Aparently the spring that holds the clutch pedal "came loose" and they had to reattach it. I took it back six months later for the annoying squeaky cluth pedal. They ordered a new cluth spring, bushing and other components to eliminate the sound. The parts just came in this week. I am taking back to have the parts installed. That should take care of the noise they say. The problem now is that the master cylinder is leaking. They tested the brake and clutch system but cannot find where the leak is coming from. I have no problems braking or shifting gears. But the leak is a problem. Anyone else had problems with a mystery leak?

[Big O]

Monica,
Please post again after you have the parts installed and give an update on whether the problem has been fixed.

No problems with my brakes.

[Monica]

I made an appointment with the dealer for April 1 (figures it would be April fool's day) to install the new clutch parts. The leak is still there and they are still puzzled. So much for expert mechanics at a Chevy dealer. I will post the results after I take the truck back.

[ZFMax]

On a recent trip I thought I noticed the clutch stiffening up, too. I thought it was my imagination, or maybe my leg just getting weaker from sitting so much. Other people have seen this too? I'm not losing my mind?

[Bmacs]

Yup,

Mine does the same thing on long trips without shifting- requires about 10x the force to depress the clutch.

Anyone have an explanation????

[Red Diesel]

I had the pedal replaced in mine back in Feb. because of creaking. It is doing it again. The warmer the weather (Temp. inside cab actually) the louder the "creaking". Greater pedal resistance is felt too. I sent comments to Chevy. and they suggested replacing it again. I am awaiting a new pedal assembly now. It is on back-order. The Service Rep. at the dealership said this could mean that they are re-designing the pedal as there is no word of when a new pedal will be available in warehouses. Hopefully the pedals will be made of metal now. I will let everyone know what happens.

[neophyte]

I also took mine in to replace the bushing. It stopped squeaking for a few weeks, but it is starting to squeak again. Not as bad as before yet though. I did notice that it squeaks only when it is hot. Being in Miami though it is hot most of the time, but when I drive at night and it is cool, it does not squeak. The heat must have something do to with it. The fact that it is a plastic clutch pedal has always bothered me. I hope the replacement you speak of becomes available soon.

[AndrewF]

Re the squeeking clutch, there is an easy fix which several of us ( X38,Neil Edmunds, DMaxcc6speed )performed last year. Take the spring assembly off and throw it away as far as you can!! Result : squeek will permanently disappear and shifting as smooth as a Porche !
10,000 miles since then and smoothe as satin :D No more of this.... :mad: :confused:

[neophyte]

Maybe I should remove it and send it in a gift box to my dealer. Their fix to the squeaky clutch problem is to have us come in and drop the truck off for service..again..and again...and again.

[RealBigTruck]

Anyone know if this squeaky clutch problem is related to the pedal arm being plastic? What if we could get one made of aluminum or steel. Would it fix the problem? Would anyone want one?

Gary

[AndrewF]

Neophyte --- try it , I think you will end up smiling for a long time. That squeek drove me mental. Far worse than the 'tick' , but at least the cause is obvious and so is the solution.

[DieselsRule]

Definitly the squeak is a heat related problem. In the morning when it's cool no squeak. Went out to lunch on these hot days we've been having here in NJ this week, and pedal squeaks every time you touch it. Left the windows open to keep the inside temp down the third day and -- no squeak.

[MaxRock]

I've got the same squeeking clutch problem. I received my truck from the dealer in late November '01, and the clutch started squeaking a few weeks ago. I have around 13k miles. I did remember reading that some of ya'll took the springs off. I have to do an oil change this weekend, I'll try and take it off then. I'm also thinking about maybe straight piping the exhaust. The darn thing is just too quiet!

MaxRock

[X38]

AndrewF is exactly right. I cut the spring off back around 15K miles and haven't heard a peep out of it since. Have 42K miles on it now and its still smooth as glass and totally quite. I have no idea why they put the spring on it!!

[Red Diesel]

Well, my truck is back at the dealership having another clutchectomy. I told the tech. that many have had sucess with removing the spring and he said it might be a good idea but with this clutch he'd like to try something he thought of the other day and that is to lube, with black grease, the ball socket part of the pedal that actually pushes in the slave cylinder. The new pedal came with the spring lubed with white lithium grease that eventually dries out. He said if this fails then he'd remove the spring if I want him to. We'll see what happens. Still no technical bulletins about these clutches. :eek: :eek:

[Wilky]

Big O:

I have no fix for the squeak, but the Pedal pressure problem can be fixed. The transmission is basically the same as the one in the Fords. You can goto www.ford-diesel.com and use the search option, you would need to go to the archieves. If I remember correctly there is a simple fix to the hard pedal. Something about pressure building and venting.

[Big O]

Wilky

Thanks a lot.

[gregmican]

:mad: Mine squeeks too, drives me nuts. Mine started this crap about 2 months after I bought it. Funny thing was that it squeekes when it is cold or hot. I took it in twice, but my local dealers shop techs suck. So I tried lubing the spring and other moving parts with white lithium grease. It seemed to help for a little while but now its squeeking like a mouse again! Oh well its the only complaint I have about this awesome truck. Hopefully the clutch pedal replacement will become a reality. ;)

[AndrewF]

As already suggested, take the spring off and see what you think , you can always put it back on again if you find you are feeling too tranquil and happy !!!!!!
Removal of the spring assembly works like a charm.

[Red Diesel]

Mine is squeakless, at least for now. The tech did not use the replacement pedal he ordered. (Same plastic one we all know and love) He used wheel bearing grease on the ball and socket part that pushes the slave cylinder. He first tried just removing the spring and he said it helped to quiet it some but it wasn't until he tried the grease that it became quiet as a mouse (A mouse that doesn't squeak that is) He told me that GM Tech Services will get an update from him on the resolution and may put out a bulletin if they feel his fix is proper. I hope this works!!

[rberner]

My clutch squeaked for a while when I had about 2000 miles on it. Took it to the dealer and they lubed it and it quit for about a day then started again. I was leaving for Central America and told them I would come in when I returned. The squeak stoped sometime when I was driving to Guatemala and didn't return, actually I forgot all about it until I read this post .I have about 16,000 miles on it now and no squeak.

Also I notice it is harder to push the clutch in after a long ride without using it for a while. Thought it was my imagination for a while.

[ZFMax]

Well, I can't speak for everyone, but my experience parallels Red Diesel's. Taking the spring out did not stop the squeak, and I didn't like the clutch action sans that spring anyway. There's nothing pulling the clutch all the way back anymore, and you lose the spring assist pushing it in.

I messed with trying to lube it with aerosol lubes, got absolutely nowhere, UNTIL I sprayed it in the general direction of the ball/socket piece Red Diesel described, where the master cylinder plunger pin meets the clutch pedal. Very difficult to get to, but it was worth the effort, as it was the only place I sprayed that had any effect on the noise at all. WD-40 cured it (temporarily I'm sure). Oddly, the competing product from Liquid wrench sprayed into that area made it worse, not sure why. In any event, that's definitely the area it's coming from. Getting the whole thing apart to grease it properly looks complicated, I'll get a dealer to do that when the squeak comes back.