Let's talk clutches...

"The Lurktastic Opponaught" (oppolurker) 11/11/2016 at 17:58 • Filed to: None

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...since I’m sitting in a parking lot waiting on a flatbed, as my car won’t go into gear.

My shifter felt a little different this morning on my way into work, meaning it took a little more force than usual to get it into gear with the clutch pedal depressed. Tonight after work it was harder to get into gear, and then just plain wouldn’t go into gear about three stop lights later. The clutch doesn’t seem to be disengaging with the pedal fully depressed. And now, after waiting a bit with the car off, it will juuuust go into gear, but the revs drop below idle and the car will creep forward if I let off the brakes.

As an added variable, this is after a short block replacement around a month ago. And last but not least, I checked the hydraulic fluid reservoir, and it’s full.

Happy fucking Friday!

WRXforScience > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:04

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Sounds like a throw-out bearing failure, did it make a squeeling sound before it quit working all together?

Cé hé sin > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:05

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We could talk alternators. Was driving home a couple of hours ago, clattering noise followed by no charge light, followed by gradually slowing wipers, followed by dimming lights and then silence as the engine stopped (it kept going for only ten minutes or so on the battery).

HammerheadFistpunch > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:09

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Sounds like a subdural hematoma to me

E90M3 > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:10

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Maybe some water got into the system? I know brake fluid is hydrophilic, and I believe clutch fluid is very similar to brake fluid.  

The Lurktastic Opponaught > WRXforScience 11/11/2016 at 18:11

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No, but with the clutch pedal released in neutral it’s making a ticking sound.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > WRXforScience 11/11/2016 at 18:11

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Also, the failure seems intermittent.

Die-Trying > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:19

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air bubble in the line? slave cylinder out?or..........clutch master cylinder out?

ive had the clutch pedal itself outright give it up. truck ran fine in gear.......... i would shut the truck off at stops, and put the truck in 1st. then start the truck in gear, and take off. float/scratch the gears when it was time to change them, up or down(rev matching). downshift best as possible, up until it was time to stop, and then if traffic was just not going to move, kill it and then start over.

good times..........

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:22

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Possible failing clutch master/slave cylinder? May need to re-bleed after the short block replacement? Just throwing out ideas that don’t require major money and pulling the trans.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > E90M3 11/11/2016 at 18:28

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It’s the same reservoir in this model.

E90M3 > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:29

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Brakes feel spongy at all?

pip bip - choose Corrour > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:35

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clutch slave or master cal maybe?

The Lurktastic Opponaught > pip bip - choose Corrour 11/11/2016 at 18:46

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That’s my guess.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > E90M3 11/11/2016 at 18:47

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Not to a noticeable degree. I did try pumping the brakes and clutch to see if it would do anything to help. No bueno.

E90M3 > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:48

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Hmmm, my guess would be the slave cylinder or maybe as others have suggested, the throw out bearing.

LongbowMkII > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 18:54

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Throw out/slave failure. sorry.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 19:43

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I had that happen once, a spring from clutch popped out and got jammed in the fingers. It would work some of the time. It required a clutch replacement.

JRapp: now as good as new again > The Lurktastic Opponaught 11/11/2016 at 20:25

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3 guesses.

First, the easier to check, is the clutch slave actually moving as much as it should when you depress the pedal? If not, it’s something in the hydraulics - slave, master, air bubbles, etc.

Second, the clutch pressure plate. Sounds like the throw-out bearing may have been pushed through the (broken) fingers of the pressure plate. Happened on my Fiero a couple of times.

I’ve also heard of bent clutch pedals that hit the floor before it’s had a chance to engage the clutch all the way.

wafflesnfalafel > WRXforScience 11/11/2016 at 22:30

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yeah - if it was the TO bearing he would have heard it squeel... (though if they have to go mucking around you might as well replace it at this point.)