Help?! How do I remove clutch master cylinder? Options

[hurley97]

With that many miles the frequency of fluid changes would be critical to know. If the fluid was last changed at like 150k that would be bad, but it should show signs of grinding, maybe the grinding in reverse was a slight hint.

Did this mechanic say why he thinks it's still a hydraulic system issue? If the slave cyl doesn't move the fork at all while holding in the clutch it's either leaking from a line somewhere, in which case you'd notice a drop in fluid level, or it's something completely different.

[DEATH]

Doesn't the levin 6speed tranny [e58?] bolt right up and also sport LSD. With similar parts needed but OEM just like an e153 swap for us s54 guys ["hybrid" clutch? "Hybrid" axles with spacer etc] I may be all wet - IDK "A" series trannys other than having changed one in a MKI MR2 twice. IIRC that levin tranny bolted right up to his stuff but it's been many many years. I can talk to him

This post has been edited by DEATH: Oct 15, 2008 - 6:50 AM

[GriffGirl]

With that many miles the frequency of fluid changes would be critical to know. If the fluid was last changed at like 150k that would be bad, but it should show signs of grinding, maybe the grinding in reverse was a slight hint.

Did this mechanic say why he thinks it's still a hydraulic system issue? If the slave cyl doesn't move the fork at all while holding in the clutch it's either leaking from a line somewhere, in which case you'd notice a drop in fluid level, or it's something completely different.

He thinks it's a fluid/hydraulic issue because of the drop in RMPs and the vibrating when idling in 1st, and the general inability to change gears w/the engine running. Granted, he's going solely by what I've told him; as the car is not drivable right now, and him being 60 miles away, it's all basically being done over the phone and w/text messaging.

[GriffGirl]

Also, how do I check the linkage? Can anyone provide me a picture of what the linkage is? Is it those thingies that move back and forth when you shift, kind of rod-like things on the firewall side of the transmission? What do I check for?

[Batman722]

I'm guessing that when you had your clutch changed the seals were either probably pinched or cracked and you've been dripping tranny fluid for a while (also the person who changed it probably used the cheapest stuff they could find).
change your tranny oil, use syncromesh (about $7 a quart at autozone) theres a how-to in the stickies with pics, it's not difficult, you can do it.

[GriffGirl]

I feel confident in my ability to change the tranny oil (which I will be doing tomorrow regardless of whatever the hell is wrong with the car, unless of course there's metal shavings when I drain the tranny) but I want to check the linkage too and rule it out as a possible culprit before I delve into dropping the tranny. Is the linkage basically those connecting rods on the firewall side that run from the shifter to the transmission? What kinds of things should I check for?

[DEATH]

Watch the side fill plug on the A series trannies likes to cross thread and then you're fcuked - did it on my buddies GSI - sucked till the end of time [for that 4A-GE anyway ]

This post has been edited by DEATH: Oct 17, 2008 - 1:54 PM

[Dr_Tweak]

You can change gears with the engine not running, so it's not the linkage.

I suspect that you'll see the problem as soon as the tranny comes out. Speaking of which, I noticed that something was just delivered a couple minutes ago...

-Doc

This post has been edited by Dr_Tweak: Oct 17, 2008 - 11:24 AM

[GriffGirl]

^I feel giddy over that

Exedy FTMFBBQW as the EC6GCers like to put it

This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Oct 17, 2008 - 12:19 PM

[DEATH]

Watch the side fill plug on the A series trannies likes to cross thread and then you're fcuked

[GriffGirl]

I WILL NOW GET OFF MY BACK

[DEATH]

ONE A DEEZ DAYS ALICE...ONE A DEEZ DAYS...

[GriffGirl]

you so love me

[DEATH]

TO DA MOON ALICE!

[GriffGirl]

Here's the update:


C'est clutch! The offending chunks of metal were found wedged between the clutch and the pressure plate. They came from "inside" the clutch (the little sandwichy part where the springs lie).

Exedy OEM organic clutch is in place, transmission is mounted back up, and the rest will be finished tomorrow night after work when I can get back out to where the car is. Motor mounts suck! They're a b*tch to get back in. Luckily I have help, who, in fact, has actually done a significant part of the work, at least the take-down. At least I got to watch; I'm doing the re-assembly though.

And before you ask, YES I GOT THE FLYWHEEL MACHINED.

[hurley97]

Wow, that's a new one. Glad you found the problem, and you got to learn a hell of a lot about the hydraulic system for no reason

[GriffGirl]

I'm choosing to believe that it is the failure of the hydraulic system that caused the failure of the clutch. I guess theoretically it's possible, right? Like if the master cylinder failed, it could have caused the slave cylinder to fail which in turn prevented the clutch from disengaging, and of course with the clutch still engaged it could have gotten mysteriously chewed up.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it. At least it's a somewhat educated theory. Ooh, that makes it a hypothesis.

[hurley97]

I would tend to doubt the hydraulic system was that bad without you noticing way before. When my master cylinder went I waited way too long and the car was almost un-driveable before I actually replaced the slave and master, and my clutch was just fine after that. But you never know, it might depend on the clutch that was in there and how old it was, etc.

In other words... sure, that sounds like a somewhat plausible hypothesis to me

This post has been edited by hurley97: Oct 22, 2008 - 9:14 PM

[GriffGirl]

I will hold on to the belief about the hydraulic system only because I need to somehow console myself for spending $100 that I didn't really have on parts I didn't really need. Although doing the clutch myself and saving the cost of labor is more than enough consolation - overspending $100 but saving myself another $400 by doing it myself definitely helps

I drove the car to work this morning! It runs, well... fabulously. The clutch pedal feels very different than it did before, almost to the point that I thought something was wrong with it last night when I test drove it. It goes in MUCH easier now than it did before. It's a LOT smoother... I checked the pedal play and it's right, and it feels right, so it's not that or anything. I think it's just having fresh fluid in the line, basically a new hydraulic system, and a new clutch is all new to me. I've never had a new clutch before - this is the first car I've ever had to replace a clutch on.

I will also sing high praises of Penzoil Synchromesh. The difference between how my car shifts now and how my car shifted before is remarkable. It's so smooth, it virtually glides into gear. Reverse has never been such a joy! LOL

Thanks all of you guys for all your help and tips and advice and for putting up with my obsessive posts. Hopefully it'll be a long time before I need to solicit any actual mechanical help again.... 239,000 miles and going strong!