Hi guys I'm new here and just bought a 1.6 TDCi, the car has 52k on the clock. It drives fine but noticed that the clutch height is a little higher than I would expect, there is no slip at all. I know these are self adjusters so even when its worn there is no real tell tale signs, has any one else found this with the clutch? Its not right at the top but just bites well over half way up and then is fully off about two inches from the top.

Also I've found the engine to be a little noisy from within the cabin, it isn't really noisy when outside but the sound dampening within the car seems pretty poor. I have a 1.6 diesel Kia Cee'd and that is far quieter to the extent you cannot hear the engine at all until you rev it hard.

If your car has recently had a new clutch then this would display the symptoms you are referring to, if its that much higher than your expecting it could be new clutch, or maybe an aftermarket clutch that is built differently, either way, if its that noticeable, I query if you are running the original clutch or not...

I too have the Kia Cee'd, although as my main car, and having had the 1.6 TDCI Focus, I know what you mean, outside its fairly quiet, but inside you do hear it more, and that is down to the lack of soundproofing on the doors and through the cabin. you can add your own soundproofing but the koreans beat the americans ont this front! (even if it is only marginal!)

It can vary so much depending on so many things. Personally though I don't think there's any problem, I say this because my last car, which was a Fiat Punto MK2 sporting had a clutch which bit right at the top, and I mean right up. You'd feel like you were about to stall the car and over compensate with the gas. There was no slip (a good way is fifth gear around 20 mph and put your right foot down hard).

I bought the car with 85,000miles and come a couple of months ago when I sold it the car had just over 100,000 miles (lots of motorway journeys etc) and the clutch was exactly the same. I figured it's a Fiat thing, but it's so hard to judge because it can vary so much between vehicles.

I would suggest lilke jeebowhite that it's probably not the original clutch, I would guess that there isn't that much difference between vehicles using OEM clutches, but when they are changed and pattern parts are fitted then the quality etc can vary.

Hope that helps, enjoy your car!

I don't know if its the original clutch or not, it just seems to start biting just over half way then seems to take another inch or two before its fully engaged like there's a lot of pedal needed if that makes sense. Maybe this is just how the clutches are on these, just takes some serious getting used to. I wonder how how other peoples clutches are when they are fully engaged, and when the clutch starts to bite.

you could always be very cheeky... look around at a few local garages / dealers - if they have a similar focus, you might want to go for a "test drive" and just take a few of them for a spin, then if the clutches feel different, you can look further into it, however I would say if the clutch feels similar throughout you have no need to worry

[quote name='jeebowhite' timestamp='1316786440' post='145347']
you could always be very cheeky... look around at a few local garages / dealers - if they have a similar focus, you might want to go for a "test drive" and just take a few of them for a spin, then if the clutches feel different, you can look further into it, however I would say if the clutch feels similar throughout you have no need to worry
[/quote]

hydraulic clutches bite high anywhere from mid point to high is normalk if theres no slip then it could go a lot longer thousands of miles so no slip no worry as for cabin dynamat on the inside bulkhead would help as this is where the soundproofing is almost non existent

What I would like to know is if anyone can test this for me my clutch starts to bite just over half way up but I'm not fully off the clutch until about an inch from the top. Does anyone else notice this? It's like there's half the clutch travel between starting to bite before being fully off it. I don't know if this is normal on these.