Sorry guys usually I would search, but I really need some info fast.

After a hard launch my clutch stopped working. It is not slipping or anything but it will not disengage. So I can't come to a stop and have to shift without a clutch. When starting I have to start it in gear and hope it runs.

So is this a blown clutch or something else.

Please any advice. Thanks.

 

sounds to me like one of your cluth lines has ruptured/ lost pressure.
on my old car ( it wasent an rx7 btw) i had the same problem. my cluth line had split and lost all its oil so when i pressed the cluth it its didnt disengage the cluth.
does your cluth feel alot softer then normal?

 

One of two "most popular" things that it could be are

A). You broke the cluth fork, which is common
B). The ring on the cluth wedge collar has broken or the Throwout bearing (clutch release collar) has slipped out.


Here is your path forward.

Raise car, use jack stands to support car. Get under car and remove observation panels ( two of them ) on the bottom of the transmission bell housing. Have a helper engage clutch while you peer into the housing using a strong flashlight and see if the TO bearing is still intact in the wedge collar and that the fork is still in place, and moving the TO bearing.

Now don't start asking what the hell these things are because if that is the case, then you take it to a skilled mechanic who knows.


Report back



Later

 

I've had some time to do a little research now. It sounds like it could be bad hydraulics, the pilot bearing, or possible the fork. Would a hard lauch be enough to rupture a line or the clyinder? It seems like this would be a problem that gradually builds up to me. Any ideas?

 

O sorry, didn't see that last post. Ya I'll check that stuff out tomorrow. Thanks for the info. I'm just looking for some areas to start at. Don't want to take it in if I don't have too (my shop is over an hour away). There some other good posts on here too. Thanks for the help.

 

Been there. Either way, you have to pull the trans to fix.

 

I bet it's none of the above. Do you have a clutch master level ? Do you have a brake light on indicating low fluid level ? Is there fluid on the ground ? Do you understand the Rx7 pull clutch ?


Later

 

I don't think it has anything to do with the hydraulic system. The fluid level is good and I can't see any leak, not to say there isn't any, havn't really had time to look yet. Is it possible to cause a leak off a hard launch. After launching I went to go into second and realised something wasn't right. I talk to a few mechanic friends and they seemed to think it is the clutch itself, but this doesn't seem right to me because it drives fine, but I could be wrong.

I hope to get it on a hoist tomorrow, but if not I'll just jack the car and see if I can see any cracks in the fingers. Are these cracks easy to see. From my understanding they form where the pins are.

Thanks guys

 

Just take the observation cover off and look inside. It should be really easy from there to see what's wrong.

 

Ya, I got some time off in the morning so I'll figure out the problem then.

I am still wondering though if dropping the clutch could cause a hydraulic line to give out. Or possibe a cylinder.

 

You might have seized the disk to the flywheel. This is common when using a heavy duty metallic clutch and slipping it excessively. Pull off the access cover and look while a friend operates the clutch. Otherwise check the fork, wedge collar, and hydraulics. If its the clutch fork, I have a good extra one. Its the newer style. Mazda supposedly revised it.

 

So after looking in the observation hole the problem is not the hydraulics, clutch fork, or throwout bearing. These are all working properly and I can see an air gap when the clutch is engage.

Does this mean that it is the pilot bearing? Also there is a bit of clutch material lying around. Could this be the cause of my problems?

Anyway looks like the tranny has to be dropped. Good part: gives me a reason to replace the 5th gear synchro.

 

Clutch forks on the pressure plate, throw out bearing, re-taing ring on the clutch collar is broken or stuck...

Clutch master cylinder or slave is fucked up...

 

Once again it is none of these things, so I think it must be the pilot bearing. Any damage to the clutch plate itself wouldn't cause these symptoms would they?

 

A broken torsion spring that is lodged between the clutch disc and the pressure plate will cause this. The pilot bearing will not.

 

On other threads it says that the a busted pilot bearing can become lodged in the input shaft and cause the same symptoms. So it's either the pilot bearing or the clutch plate I guess. Will have to find out when the trannys dropped. This job can be done in a weekend right?

 

If you know what you are doing, you can have it in and out in about 5 hours. Release of the collar can be intimidating to the first timer but there are a couple of good write-ups here about it. Maybe Mr. Links can hook you up.

 

I've been looking for writeups but can't find any. I'll check with Mr. Links. Any other information or site would also be helpful though. Thanks again.