| is either the pilot bushing(soft bronze bushing about the circumference of a pinky finger) or the throwout bearing(about the circumference of a soda can). The pilot bushing goes in the rear of the crank and keeps the input shaft of the trans lined up neatly with the crank and also allows the engine to spin while the trans input shaft does not such as when the clutch is pushed in. It doesn't have anything to do with clutch engagement feel but could very well be the noise you are hearing when the clutch is depressed as then the engine is spinning at a different speed than the input shaft and it must rely on the pilot bushing to allow it to spin smoothly. The throwout bearing is attached to the end of the shift/clutch fork. The clutch fork pushes the bearing against the pressure plate fingers which intern release the clutch. This also could be causing the noise you mention, probably more likely than the pilot bushing. Now, the word you are looking for to describe the clutch engagement is non-linear. A normal or stock clutch has a nice smooth engagement because it is easy to slip, and therefore is easy to module take offs with your foot. 6 puck clutches, especially cheaper ones or ones built for racing applications do not have that ability to slip. They are like an on/off switch except its either engage or disengaged, very little slipping. There is a chance there is something wrong with the clutch, but its a subjective feeling so it would be hard to decipher. I have never heard of a clutch pedal assembly going bad, so I would be doubtful if that is the cause. The first thing I would do is check the master cylinder and slave cylinders. Make sure they are in good working order. Then check the lines for air, at both bleed points to ensure everything is proper there. If that doesn't fix it or you don't find any issues, I would drive the car for a little while and see if you can get used to the clutch engagement. If you deem that you can't live with it, I would replace it with a less aggressive model and replace the pilot bushing and throwout bearing at the same time.
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