Have to pump clutch pedal to change gears
 

Lately it seems my clutch pedal travels very easily to the floor with hardly any resistance and I can't change gears when it's like this. If I pump the clutch pedal a few times I get some more resistance enough to change gears. It seemed to be intermittent like every other day or so but now it's getting more frequent. Just tonight I had to pump at a stop light so I know I need to figure this out now. I remember driving on the street and there was a big clump of snow/ice in my lane but I was forced to drive over it because there was a car in the other lane... I'm wondering if that could have done any damage. It went underneath my car on the driver's side but pretty close to the center. I looked into my engine bay and where the transmission hooks up to the rear of the engine at the top there is a metal covering/sheet that is bent back. I think if I had a flashlight into the hole I would probably be looking into the rear of the engine. I don't know if that is unrelated or not but it's probably not a good thing regardless. I'll try to get a picture of it later. I checked the fluid in the master cylinder and it seemed to be at a working level. Is this a problem with a fork being bent or a bearing problem? Or is it simply a hydraulics system problem? From looking in the manual it seems it's either something damaged with the fork/bearing or a hydraulic problem. I'm hoping someone has had a similar situation that knows what's up.

Sounds like the master cylinder is loosing pressure if your not leaking anywhere. Master cylinder is my best bet.

:withstupi
mine was like that, since i have a new slave cylinder so i know its not the slave. after i change the clutch master everything is fine.

make that three votes for clutch master cylinder... and don't do what I did and try to rebuild it, when it's bad enough to necessitate pumping the clutch you probably need a whole new cylinder
Patrick

I'll go with the majority on this one and say master cylinder, but the failure could be anywhere between the master cylinder, the clutch lines, or the slave cylinder since the pressure loss could occur anywhere in between. It wouldn't be a bad idea to replace all 3 components in the clutch hydraulic system. It shouldn't cost more than $100 to all new part, probably cheaper if you can find them in stock at a local parts store and not have to order them online.

Would the third part be the slave cylinder hose then?

1.Clutch Master Cylinder
2.Hydralic Hose
3.Slave Cylinder

I really dont think that you need to replace the hose and the slave cylinder if nothing is leaking from them. You can if you want to, but the problem lays in the master cylinder. Theres no way for the pressure to releive itself from them if they arent leaking.

wouldn't be the slave unless it is puking fluid out, only way the slave can bypass is to the atomosphere which is the ground...

^ Exactly

The FSM shows a gasket at the back of the clutch master cylinder. All the stores around me don't have it and the dealership is closed. Is this gasket necessary?

Alright I installed the clutch master cylinder last night and drove it around the block a little bit and I could shift and all and it seemed to be OK but it was still not how it was before all this. I went to start my car this morning and it was in first gear and I turned the key and the car moved like I was trying to drive it with the e-brake on. I've been able to start the car in first gear before this with no problem. Once I got it started by going into neutral first I had trouble getting into gear. I was headed to work at was at a stop light and I couldn't shift... I pumped the clutch and luckily I was able to shift right before the light turned green. Basically I seem to be having the same problem again already. What else could be wrong? Is it maybe the clutch slave cylinder isn't releasing the clutch and that's why I can't shift? Or maybe a bent fork? I have no idea on this one because I thought the new clutch master cylinder would've done it.

Two words. BLEED IT.


I dunno if you did that already or not but...if not. try this.

First open the bleeder and have a friend slowly put the clutch to the floor...fluid will come out. Once its to the floor, close the bleeder. Get your friend to pull the clutch back up with his hand, then start pumping it. Get him to pump long full strokes, then hold it to the floor, and open bleeder valve. Straight fluid should come out. Youll be able to tell if there is air.

The bleeder is located on slave cyl



Hope that helped.

My dad and I bled it for quite a while last night, although I guess it's possible there still might have been air in there. Also, I used RTV silicone instead of the gasket which takes 24 hours to fully cure... which means it'll be fully cured in about 11 more hours from now. If I can get it home from work tonight I'll try bleeding it again.

Make certain that when you depress the pedal the clutch fork moves accordingly. If all hydraulics look good, don't forget the pilot bearing. If it is seized, the trans won't stop turning and you will have a difficult time shifting. It will also act as if the clutch doesn't disengage as the input shaft continues to turn. Just a thought.

That's the thing, I have a feeling something just isn't right with the transmission and everything. I looked underneath the car and the transmission doesn't seem to be sitting on the washer for the transmission mount. It seems to be up above it. Either the bolt has unscrewed itself somehow or the transmission has moved up on the bolt. Maybe it's how it's suppose to be but I don't remember it being like that all the times I was underneath. How can I check the clutch fork? Will I be able to see it without doing anything else? Also the seal around the slave cylinder seemed to have a little bit of oil on it, but I didn't see any actual leakage coming out.

You'll be able to see if the fork moves when someone presses on the pedal, however that doesn't mean it's moving the correct amount. Do this. Check pedal freeplay, should be less than an 1". Just push with your hand if you can't feel with your foot. Then push the pedal to the floor and hold it there for 1 minute. Let pedal return and check freeplay. If more than the original there is a cylinder problem. The trans mounts are gone. When they collapse, the trans drops and you'll see that the "washer" is lower than the crossmember, but that shouldn't cause a problem with the trans internals. If you see wetness around the cylinder, it's got to be leaking.

So basically I should get a new clutch slave cylinder (and might as well get a new clutch line so the whole system is new(what about stainless steel?)) and some new transmission mounts?

You can replace the slave and hose assembly. Check once again to be certain the master cylinder is not leaking, is operating properly, that air is out of the assembly, and the hose isn't expanding under pressure. Yes, a stainless braided hose is a good investment.

Does replacing the slave cylinder involving dropping the transmission?

ROTFL.

No... it does however involve a wrench, and possibly some bloody knuckles if you have big hands.

--Gary

Small hands here, they'll just get dirty :)