As I started my commute home last thursday the first time I hit the clutch to back out of my parking spot the pedal felt really odd and there was a clunking sound. I released the pedal and then tried again and it seemed somewhat normal. So I tried to drive on it. I noticed that the throw distance was completely different - when letting the clutch engage it used to engage about 3/4 of the way out and now it was near half (so contact with the pressure plate was way sooner than expected). I also thought I felt some vibration in the pedal I had never felt. It still goes into gear and shifts but it is a little tougher to get it in gear and of course it engages sooner than I expect in every gear. I checked for fluid and there is none and the resevoir is full. So the question is can the slave partially fail? The slave has always had a slow leak- meaning if I held the clutch to the floor at a long light I couldnt put the car in gear unless I let off the clutch and put it back to the floor. I have it up on stands and am looking at it now but everything looks normal - at least as much as I can see through the inspection plates.

Thanks for the time,

Shawn

 

If it slave starts to leak and not hold the pressure (aka "partially fail") then the pedal would just start to get stuck on the groud (more or less).
The clunking sound is strange, and I don't see how the slave can cause a clunking sound. IMO I think that its not your slave but maybe your clutch fork.

 

i would have to go with fork on this myself. the clunk could have been a small piece that cracked off and flywheel *clunked* it into the belhousing?? i would drop the trany and inspect it. i know you can do it Shawn.

 

Yea I know I can do it if I can find someone to lend a hand. But man I dont want to. I can see the lower arm of the fork and it looks fine but cant see the upper. Also I dont have anyone to press clutch while I am looking at it so I am trying to rig something. There is a local shop that would let me rent the lift and I am sure I can find someone to help but I am trying everything I can before I got that route. I called up to the local autozone and they have both rebuild kits in stock.

If it was only the car I wouldnt be to worried about the problem - in fact I like working on it. But I have a million ***** in the air right now and I need my car to just be a car this week.

Shawn

 

Update.

Got a friend to stop by. When he was pressing the pedal the clutch release collar moved about 3/8" up. It looks like there is enought room on the collar for a 2 inch throw so it seems to me the slave or master is gone. Another thing I noticed wedge collar seems to be about extended 1/4" from pressure plate arms. I dont know if this is normal so is it possible that it has pulled out from pressure plate making the throw less distance?

Shawn

 

The wedge collar will separate from the pressure plate a little (which is why you have to push the throw-out bearing forward to separate the tranny). If its keeping the throw-out bearing from popping out, it's doing it's job.

 

Update #2

I have the master and slave out and went and picked up the rebuild kits at autozone. Feeling pretty good about the direction I am working. The mechanical parts all seem to be working right when I push with a screwdriver.

So what % chance do you guys give it that when I get these rebuilt, back in and bled that I will be back on the road?


Shawn

 

DING!!!DING!!!DING!!!DING!!! We have a winner! Moehler made the call - it was the fork! Of course it took me a while to get to that point so now I have new master and slave cylinder, stainless clutch line, and a new fork. I am going to start another thread to pass the things I learned from this ordeal.

Thanks for the help guys!

Shawn
Proud owner of a currently mobile 3rdgen.