LCP

I think it may be what is causing my odd clutch behavior. I want to hear your stories.

My car won't go into gear oftentimes when started up and the car is cold. I can, however, put the car in a forward gear (not reverse though), and start the car up. Then the car will creep while in gear with the clutch pedal fully pressed. The engagement point for the clutch is seemingly below the bottom of the floorboard, although I can usually shift into a higher gear once the car is moving if I rev match and am patient enough to push it into gear. As everything warms up over 5 minutes or so, the clutch engagement point moves up a little higher away from the floor and eventually I can drive the car normally, although at best there might be a half inch of travel between the floor and the clutch engagement point. Then it all starts over again if the car sits long enough to cool off.

RKA

AFAIK, a bent fork would cause "hard shifting" issues (car won't go into gear smoothly), but not an issue with the clutch.

If the clutch engagement point is moving around on you, and the clutch isn't fully releasing (why you can't shift sometimes), it's possible a bad slave cylinder is causing that.

I would try bleeding the slave cylinder really well...and if that doesn't improve the situation, replace it.

Just an guess, really....

LCP

...this problem began after replacement of the clutch, then the slave/master cylinders were replaced, so it disappeared for a month after replacement of the slave/master cylinders, then it reappeared again, then it disappeared after replacement of the clutch (again) for a month, and now it has reappeared again.

RKA

I can't explain it, but I have a hunch that slave cylinder is the culprit. It could be the mechanic (overtightening the bleed valve, effectively ruining it, or undertightening it, allowing air to seep slowly over time).

Again, I would probably start by bleeding that cylinder. Either do it yourself, or take it to a different mechanic.

If that doesn't fix it, it's possible that the valve on the slave cylinder has been permanently damaged by whoever was doing the work. Again, take it to a different place and have a new slave installed/bled.

LCP

...the clutch pedal engagement point was even a couple inches off of the floor.

LCP

...the only reason he suggested the bent clutch fork is because he had the problem I'm having on one VR6 that took them forever to diagnose and sure enough the clutch fork was bent. It was the kind of thing he said you wouldn't notice unless you were looking for it. Hairline cracks were also a possibility.

Yippers®

wouldn't periodically straighten itself.
The clutch master/slave shares fluid with the brake system .. perhaps a good fluid swap and rebleed of both circuits is in order?

LCP

The theory was when it gets warm the metal expands enough to make it work "ok".

Yippers®

That's a lot of expansion to allow the release point to move up the pedal travel an inch or two.

LCP

...it moved up an inch or two after the second time that the clutch was replaced, and then worked its way back down to the floor over time.