Clutch feels gritty when shifting?
 

Anyone ever experience. I did a search but came up empty on the whole gritty feeling.
Let me describe this to you all:

This afternoon, when coming home from work, I noticed that when I pushed the clutch in to shift gears, with the car moving, rather than feeling light and smooth, it felt almost like it was rubbing. When in neutral, it doesnt feel any different than normal to push the clutch in, super smooth.

This feeling occurs through the travel of the pedal, not at the top or bottom of the throw. If the car is not moving, it feels fine.

Is my clutch ALREADY starting to slip? I have <6000 miles on my car and this feeling is very disconcerting. Anyone have any ideas?

This also happens to me and my car only has 1000 miles. I have no clue what is happening but it seems like its not hurting it. Maybe thats the way my clutch feels

this doesnt feel normal though, especially when downshifting or taking the car out of gear when my foot is off of the gas.
I'm not sure why it started today, maybe because it's the first time it has NOT rained in several days and it's been very warm, but I'm not sure.

Just an update, I just hit 6k miles last night and as soon as I did, my oil light came on. It went off a moment later, but I realized i hadnt put any oil in the car since 3500 miles so I stopped and checked it and sure enough it was close to the bottom so I put in a full 2 quarts (well, just under 2 quarts) and it took it. We'll see if it's performing better today though I don't see how engine oil being low would make my clutch feel weird.

:( don't get overconfident with this car....next meeting I'll remind you to check your oil!

Not really overconfidence.. I just plain have had too much crap on my mind to remember that hey, i added oil last at 3500 miles. I always carry 2 quarts in the trunk for precisely this reason.

I checked my clutch fluid today too, it's well within spec. The car drives normal and all it just feels weird. Maybe i'm losing it (again), or maybe the fact that i'm working out like 4-6 days a week has made it possible for me to feel things that I could not feel before. I really dont think that's the case.

Blah..

well it looks like the problem is consolidated and not many others are having this problem, so its all good. keep us posted

I'm not entirely sure it even IS a problem. One of my friends drove and she said it feels normal to her.
Let me ask a simple question that anyone could answer:
Push your clutch in with the car in neutral, it feels super smooth.
Now go drive the car. Change gears at about 4000 RPM and see if there is any resistance in the clutch pedal. I realize there's a friction point but I'm talking through the entire stroke of the pedal. Keep changing gears and checking for resistance.
When I put the clutch in during normal driving, I put it in smooth, not overly fast, but as smoothly as possible. I get the same resistance on the outward travel as i do on the inward travel.
With the car coasting, put the car into neutral and just play with the clutch a bit while coasting. Even that feels smooth.

It's just something I feel in the pedal itself. I only feel it when the car is in gear and moving and I go to change gears, up or down.

I'm probably crazy.

just a small update.. it's only after the car warms up that i notice anything at all. first thing this morning i drove and it was smooth until the engine was warm. i'll be talking to the dealership on tuesday to see what i can arrange (or monday if they're open).

anybody think maybe the throwout bearing not slidng along the driveshaft smoothly would cause a metal on metal gritty feel? That's what it feels like btw.. metal rubbing metal.

just another note, whatever causes this is directly related to outside temperature. I left for work this morning very early and had no problems. I went to starbucks a little later and it was 10 degrees warmer outside and i noticed the rubbing feeling again.

I had the same problem which I reported to the dealer. They replaced the clutch fluid and all is back to normal.

hmmm...

Miatas sometimes do something like this -- mine did. There was an exposed (under the car) section of the clutch cable that needed to be re-lubed every so often, especially after heavy rains. It felt like a metallic rubbing until you got the lube in the right place. Could it be a design carry-over that also affects us?

Possibly. We have had a ton of rain here recently.

When the throw-out bearing started to go on my 7, you could hear it more than feel it, regardless I would take it to the dealer, sounds like a warranty issue.

What the? Nice name :b

Clutch cable? Really, what year Miata was this? I thought clutch cables were a thing of the past.

The RX-8 has no clutch cable.

rx8cited

Yeah, every time I would engage the clutch I would hear a high pitched “whining” noise, like a bearing going out. Never got it fixed cuz I knew the car was at end of life, but everyone said it was the throw-out bearing. I’m thinking if your problem is with your throw-out, you might hear something as well as feel it in the clutch pedal. I didn’t notice any vibration in my pedal before or after the noise began, but that could have been just me. Have you been able to talk to anyone at the service center about it yet?

Re: username, thanks, love Dutch Soccer and love my 8

Nah, i dont have time right now. I'm about to leave town. I should leave it with them until i get back.

So many references for Ajax. Personally, I like the greek hero and the household cleanser.

I been having this same issue. The clutch is "gritty" or vibrating when you disengage it during driving. I brought it to the shop who changed my clutch (at 75K miles) and the mechanic drove it and said he cant feel it and said nothing was wrong with my car.

Any one have any ideas? The vibration or feeling is so annoying.

Should I take it to the dealer for help?