Mk4 gti 1.8t clutch pedal sticking on the free travel at top . hydraulic clutch version. the clutch engages prpoerly and does not slip its just annoying.

where does the clutch engage, right at the bottom of the pedal travel or right at the top ? if at the top the pressure plate is faulty, if right at the bottom it is the clutch plate that is worn. if it is a hydraulic system they have no adjustment.

hydraulic clutch control , faulty clutch master cylinder
cable clutch control breaking cable jamming in outer case

The clutch is hydraulically activated and it is not adjustable as it is self adjusting, if the pedal is hard or engages way high in the travel or it slips you need a new clutch assembly.

Possible on older cars with normal clutches/not as easy with the newer cars that have hydraulic clutches.

Your pedal height may be adjustable by a stopper bolt at top of pedal. You would have to check the specification for your car. Most important that the pedal has about a half inch free travel before clutch begins to engage. You need that free play to ensure the release bearing (the throw-out bearing) is not touching the fingers on the pressure plate when not engaged. If it always is touching, it will be rolling around constantly and will go out prematurely.
Your new clutch will allow gear engagement sooner as the clutch pedal is released. I mean gears will engage just as pedal is lifting off from floor. You should notice that difference-the old clutch would have taken longer pedal travel from floor before releasing.

Hi Riaan, This is a two or three person job. Make sure the reservoir is full and kept full during the whole operation. open the bleeding nipple on the slave cylinder until clear fluid is seen running from the opening. Close the nipple and press the clutch pedal from the top of its travel to the floor four times and while the pedal is fully depressed open and close the bleeding nipple. Repeat until clutch pedal pressure feels correct. Make sure the reservoir is full and off you go. Regards John

It sounds like the clutch is close to being worn out as the pressure plate is not gripping the clutch plate with sufficient force when power is applied. Before you consider replacing any thing, first check the clutch free travel adjustment because as the clutch plate wears the free travel does decrease and if there is no free travel, then there will be some releasing action on the pressure plate allowing cluth plate slip. Hydraulic setups are usually self adjusting but you should check the free travel of the clutch pedal which should be about 3/8 to 1/2 inch measured at the pedal rubber. This is done by adjusting the push rod that links the pedal arm to the piston in the master cylinder. Adjust by first loosening the locknut on the rod at the end where it attaches to the pedal arm and turning the rod in either direction to obtain the correct free travel. One adjusted retighten locknut.
For a cable setup there should at least 1/8 inch of free travel of the cable before it starts to move the clutch fork on the outside of the bell housing. To adjust, hold the operating fork so that the release bearing is touching the fingers of the pressure plate. You will need to turn the cable adjuster so there is only about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of free travel of the cable where it attaches to throw out fork before it starts to move the fork when the pedal is depressed.
If all adjustments are correct and clutch is still slipping then the pressure plate diaphragm spring has lost its tension and /or the clutch plate has worn down to the rivets. Either way you will have to do a complete clutch rebuild.

YOU DO NEED A NEW DISC AND MOST LIKELY A MASTER AND SLAVE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH CYLINDERS, THE STICKING MAY BE DUE TO OVER TRAVEL DUE TO THE WORN OUT DISK.

check clutch master cylinder rod adjustment and pedal height should be just higher than brake pedal. could try and bleed system also.
most hydraulic clutch systems have high take up points, adjust master cylinder rod, check for free play at top after adjusting if all that is O.K. then clutch plate may be nearly worn out but not slipping at this stage.

the clutch is hydraulic and self adjusting, if it is slipping then it is time for a clutch, the sign of a worn clutch is the clutch engages when the pedal is near the top of its travel when u let it out