I left my car in gear at work (e brake on) and when i started it up it was kinda stuck in first. i had to almost force the damn thing out. When I tried to put it back in it wouldn't go (i had to make a bit of an effort to get it back in). Anyway, I started driving it and the clutch engaged a lot sooner than it used too. I drove it home and it was the same story all the way.
Not being much of a mechanical guy, I can't really explain what I think it is, but I'm guessing the clutch is going out, but I wanted to ask on here because there are some geniuses on here that know every problem.
If anyone knows what this might be, I'd appreciate some advice...

 

check to make sure the slave clutch cylinder on top of the tranny is moving out all the way, bleed the clutchy hyrdros

 

Check hydrolic fluid levels, if it's low add to it and bleed the clutch. If the fluid levels are ok, then the master cylinder or slave cylinder may be bad. You can tell if the slave cylinder is good by looking at it move (its located ontop of the transmission housing). If the slave cylinder is moving but the clutch still wont engage, the master cylinder is probably bad. If you change the master cylinder and it still wont work, move to the clutch.

 

Well, most of that sounds like some foreign language to me... (I'm not exactly used to these mechanics, i'm a noob)...
If someone could give me this in "dumb-***" terms, some sort of step by step procedure for idiots, I'd appreciate it. I have all day tomorrow to look at it.
thanks guys. i appreciate it

 

1. pop the hood
2. look in the DRIVERS SIDE / FIREWALL corner of the engine bay.
3. There's a small fluild resevoir, this is for clutch fluid
4. Fill it up with dot 3 brake fluid (they're the same thing)
5. Follow the hard, metal line coming from this assembly that runs along the firewall, it turns into a soft, woven fiber hydraulic line. Check for leaks!
6. If leaks, replace
7. Besides that, I don't know how to describe anything else... lol
8. At least you'll know the general area of where your 'clutch stuff' is located.

 

Summer is having its way with everyone's clutch hydraulics... I know a creepy number of people who all recently had the various cylinders go bad.

It's probably the slave, but could be both... for $100 from kragen you can buy OEM replacements and read the FSM for replacement directions...

Probably not the clutch, those are more gradual.

--Gary

 

cool thanks guys. I'll post tomorrow when i have a look. I really appreciate the help.

 

Okay, so lets say it is the slave cylinder ( i have a pretty darn good feeling it is ), what does it take to replace it? I got a quote from a local shop ($125ish) but I checked mazdatrix.com and they have the slave cylinder for like $38. Is it a pain in the *** to replace or is it just an afternoon project? I checked around but couldn't find any write-ups about how to do this...
Thanks.

 

I just changed out my slave and master cylinder like last week by myself.

 

You will probably know if your master or maybe slave cylinder is gone if you look at the fluid in top of the master and it is really dark and you can't see through it. On replacing them both you can do both in an afternoon if you have some regular tools. It costs about $103 to buy the clutch master cylinder, slave cylinder, and a quart of dot 3 brake fluid to put back into the system.

 

How do you get to the slave cylinder? Am I just dumb or is it hidden somewhere...?

 

Check the Factory Service Manual (FSM) to take it apart and put it back together.

http://www.cochran-racing.com/FSM/index.html

Go into your year. Then into "Clutch." It will download a PDF Adobe Acrobat file that will tell you everything you need to know about FC clutches.

It's really not that hard at all. Possible one of the easiest fixes I've done to my FC. But you might need one tool you possible won't have. But then again you might not need it if your lines aren't that corroded. But the tool I'm talking about is a open ended wrench that can go around your clutch line and hold onto the nut without stripping it. You also might need an extension for your ratchet to get to the slave cylinder bolts.

Here's the break down of how you do it. I will try to make it as easy as possible.

1. Use open ended wrench to take off the clutch line connected to the master cylinder, and SLIGHTLY move it away from the master cylinder.

2. Go inside your car, under the steeringwheel behind the clutch footpedal you will see the two shiny offset nuts that hold the master cylinder to the Firewall.

3. Take out the nuts and remove the master cylinder.

4. Remove the small plastic gasket from the old master cylinder and put it on the new one if it isn't broken or if you don't have a new gasket to go on the new master cylinder.

5. Replace with new master cylinder.

6. Put nuts into master cylinder from inside car.

7. Follow the line to where it changes from metal to rubber, or metal to wire mesh.

8. Unscrew the line from the metal side with the special open ended wrench being careful not to strip it, and remove the metal line.

9. Take out the C clip that is holding the rubber side/ wire mesh side to the Firewall with a wrench, and make sure it is not being held by the mount on the firewall.

10. Follow the rubber side of the Clutch line to the SLAVE CYLINDER. It should be located on TOP of your engine, toward the transmission, hence the clutch.

11. Unscrew the nut connecting the line to the slave cylinder with the special open ended wrench being careful not to strip it, and remove the rubber clutch line.

12. Use an extension and your ratchet to get to the two bolts holding the SLAVE CYLINDER down.

13. Remove the Slave Cylinder and the push rod that is sheathed by the rubber molding, and clean the push rod if necessary.

14. Remove the Push rod from the OLD Slave Cylinder and put it into the NEW slave cylinder if your new Slave Cylinder does not come with one. Make sure all rubber moldings are back in place in the rod and slave cylinder.

15. Put the New Slave Cylinder back on the car making sure to both getting the rod in the middle of the Clutch fork (that's what the push rod pushes to disengage your clutch), and to get the wire that went under one side of the slave cylinder back in place to screw the 2 bolts back in on the Slave.

16. Screw in the 2 bolts on the Slave Cylinder.

17. Blow out the two lines you removed (the rubber and metal ones).

18. Remove any rubber fillers (they are yellow) in the new cylinders holes and replace the rubber line to the Slave Cylinder making sure not to strip it.

19. Replace the C clip into the rubber line after you reinsert it in the firewall mount. (use a small hammer if you have to)

20. Replace the metal clutch line and tighten it to the rubber clutch line. (Make sure it is tight. When I did mine this was a connection that leaked and I had to retighten it hard)

21. Screw back in and TIGHTEN the clutch line to the Master cylinder.

22. Fill the Master Cylinder with the DOT 3 Brake Fluid.

23. Bleed the system by having one person get inside the car and have the other under the hood. Start by connecting a small clear tube to the end of the BLEED SCREW on the slave cylinder. Put the other end of the tube in a small cup which will catch the bad clutch fluid in it. Then unscrew the bleed screw with a open ended wrench and tell the person in the car to press the clutch. This will shoot the fluid from the master cylinder through the system and out the tube. CLOSE the bleed screw. Have the person inside the car pull the clutch back up to the original height which will suck more fluid into the system. Open the bleed screw and push the clutch again. REPEAT the entire process until only nice clean fluid without any bubbles comes out of the tube and into the cup. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LET THE LEVEL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER GET TOO LOW OR YOU WILL HAVE TO DO THE ENTIRE PROCESS AGAIN!! You can tell if there are bubbles by watching the clear tube and the fluid in the cup. If you still see bubbles after a long time then you might have a leak in the system. Check the lines for leakage.

When you see pretty clean fluid and no bubbles, close the bleed screw and tell the person to push the clutch again. This should engage the clutch in normal operation and should feel great!!

Toss any old parts away.

MISSION COMPLETE!

 

Someone should STICKY this. It took me an hour to write.

 

You're awesome. Thanks!

 

Please someone sticky this!!

 

If you do not know what you are looking at on your car i highly suggest you make the FSM your new bible, or buy a Haynes manual, my car came with one. Saved me alot of headache.

 

Okay, so i got my slave cylinder today and put it in. I haven't bled it just yet but was wondering how you can tell if the master cylinder needs to be replaced?
I ask because when I press the clutch pedal down, it just gets stuck there and i have to literally pull it back out. Is this just because I haven't bled it yet, or is it an indication that the master also needs to be replaced? thanks!

 

No this is totally normal man. if you read what I said in my "Do-it-yourself" post. Number 23. Bleeding the clutch.

 

you shouldn't be pushing it down though without having fluid in the master to pull it in.