NewYorkLaw

I've searched and read all the related posts. Thanks to the posts, I think I now have the courage to try to tackle this problem myself, or at least with the help of a friend who is a 'real' mechanic (diesel mechanic).

Today, the clutch pedal went straight to the floor and remained there. The car only has 36,000 miles on it. Up until the moment the pedal hit the floor, the clutch was operating FLAWLESSLY.

When we pump the pedal by hand, fluid pumps freely from the slave. Secondarily, the master has a slight leak, as grime and residue could be seen on the inside firewall, at the bolts. I will change both.

At first look, my friend (who has worked on many clutches, but never on an rx7) was concerned that because the slave's piston was not touching the throwout lever the clutch might have been damaged. His first thought was that the clutch might have caused the slave to fail. But, when we pump the pedal, the slave (although it pumps liquid freely) is still going in and out. I assume that if the throwout lever and the clutch caused damage to the slave, the slave would not be "working" but I was hoping for opinions. Is there any (easy) way to determine whether it's the clutch before I go ahead and change the master and slave? If its the clutch, I'll let a professional do it (and the master/slave).

Next, it seems that the job is not too difficult, based on some of the posts I've read. I never changed a clutch master or slave, but understand the parts and how they function. They look fairly easy to access. Am I missing anything? I have a deep 12mm socket that several people mentioned needing, and otherwise, have a decent set of tools. Are there any specific precautions or words of advice (other than have a beer & relax) ??

I checked rockauto.com and did not see any "kits" - so I assume I must buy the slave & master separately. I will get a hydraulic hose, too. Are there other parts I need to order? Are there any special tools I might need? If I am not in the mood to wait, will I be able to buy the same parts at my local Strauss, pep boys, or autozone store? Should I avoid any of those?

Finally, I'm in Staten Island, New York. Does anyone recommend a mechanic?

Thanks for any help or opinions!
Pete

justint5387

iTrader: (1)

It is not hard to change both the master and slave cylinder for the clutch, just that the 12mm bolts for the master is a little difficult to get to. You just need some patience.

NewYorkLaw

Other than removing the hose coming off what I imagine is an oil cooler, is there anything else I need to remove to get to the slave or master? Are there any specific concerns about that hose going to the oil cooler?
Pete

rd_turbo

iTrader: (4)

Fluid coming from the back of the clutch master at the firewall suggests an internal leak and sounds like the master cylinder is not really pumping with any significant pressure...it's probably just transferring fluid from one side to the other. Replace both master and slave....and likely the flex line too. They're cheap and will render the system good as new. You should confirm that the throwout lever/fork is not broken or bent. With the slave removed, you should not be able to move the lever by hand, as it should be preloaded by the pressure plate.

NewYorkLaw

So, is that the "test" for the throwout lever? If there is any play by hand, does that mean something's wrong with the clutch? If Autozone or Strauss have the master, slave, and hose, I plan to get started tonight.
Pete

rd_turbo

iTrader: (4)

With the slave removed, you'll find that it can move forward but it shouldn't move rearward. The lever is basically a fork which gets pushed in by the slave, which in turn slides and pushes the release bearing against the pressure plate diaphragm. First, confirm that you're generating enough hydraulic pressure to keep things tight. Then confirm that the slave push rod is not allowed to overtravel by a defective or broken lever. I would suspect that you simply have worn out seals in your clutch master. If you find a seal kit, you might want to consider rebuilding it yourself....but it may not be worth your time. If you find them in stock, get rebuilt ones. From time to time, they show up on Ebay as NOS. I would replace the flex line too. The one on my FD had tiny cracks that quickly exposed a leak this past summer. Make sure everything fits...there was a thread difference on some of the earlier FB slave cylinders...can't recall the year break, but who knows what might have been replaced on your car already.

NewYorkLaw

Thanks for your help. For those interested, the project (both master and slave) took under 2 hours for two people.
Pete