Clutch engagement question...

[Guest Anonymous]

I looked in the archives but found no answer...

Was driving on the weekend and as I shifted into fourth, the clutch failed to engage completely w/o slipping a bit. I could smell a bit of burnt disc. It was kind of like there was something (like oil) on the disc, but I don't have any leaks back there.

Is this a weak pressure plate, worn disc, or clutch slave cylinder problem?

TIA

Delia Wolfe

'73tii

Inka aka ("Orange Julius")

#2762756

[Guest Anonymous]

prob have to pull it to find out for sure.

best of luck with it,

B

[Guest Anonymous]

...before I began. I don't want to disable the car to diagnose the problem.

In order to do it right, such a repair will cost money and time, even if I do it myself (which I can). If I have to tear into it, I want to be able to accumulate all of the parts necessary to complete the task in advance.

Britt, you sound like dealer service advisor or a mechanic who works flat rate. Tell me something I don't already know....

DW

[Guest Anonymous]

A worn clutch disk begins making itself known in higher gears first. I had a clutch go in a Chevy S-10 pickup as well as in my old '75 2002, and in both instances I got slippage upon engagement of top gear and the smell of burning clutch. This behavior would not manifest itself in lower gears until the clutch wear was fairly advanced. Maybe this phenomenon has more to do with my driving style than with failure mode of clutch disks, but for what it's worth...

Other vaguely related thought: wouldn't a bad slave cylinder fail by no longer disengaging the clutch sufficiently? Would seem that with hydraulics doing the work to separate the pressure plate from the clutch disk that a bad cylinder would not fail by working harder, as it were, by keeping the plate and disk separated, but rather by not allowing sufficient disengagement. Yes? No?

Again, I don't know for certain...but in my experience, slippage in top gear accompanied by the smell of superheated friction material has meant a clutch disk on its last legs.

Good luck, Delia!

Tim

'76 2002

'03 Golf

Wants a MCS

[Guest Anonymous]

Is it possible that when I take my foot off of the clutch pedal (after shifting) that the slave cylinder may somehow fail to move quickly back to the "up" position? That would mean bad clutch slave cylinder, yes?

When you refer to "engaging" and "disengaging" the clutch, I get mixed up. Does engaging the clutch mean put your foot on the pedal, or does it mean engaging the engine to the rest of the drivetrain?

Delia

[Guest Anonymous]

with regards to the slave cylinder not returning, I experienced the same problem with my toyota. A crude but somtimes useful test is to simply try and move the clutch fork back towards the cylinder. On occasion it will move back half an inch or so. If this is the case it's likely to be a sticky master cylinder. Not too common a problem but does happen. When trying to move it just to it by hand but try to get some decent leverage.

once again not likely but worth a test.

[Guest Anonymous]

I've never heard of a sticking master or slave cylinder causing the clutch to slip, but it seems possible.

Maybe just swap out the slave and master first to eliminate the possibility.

The times I've worn out a clutch it started slipping in high gear first. In high gear, the drivetrain reaction torque is highest of all the gears. That's why cars have higher acceleration in lower gears than in high gears.

[Guest Anonymous]

Maybe like the rubber brake hoses? If the flex hose going to the slave is getting blocked, then I would think releasing the clutch would be a problem.

Matthew Cervi

'73 tii

[Guest Anonymous]

I bet the clutch disc is just about finished. I say its highly unlikely that the slave is getting stuck. I can move the clutch release lever (what the slave pushes on) by hand with the clutch released. One has to push fairly hard on it but it should be movable. If not- maybe the slave is stuck- maybe.

Get ready to pull it all out. Clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing,pilot bearing, re-surface/ replace the fly wheel, etc. Might think about the rear main while your at it- If you do it all at once you won't have to do it again for a long long time.

[Guest Anonymous]

It appears as if I must begin accumulating parts so I can tear into this project. At the moment, I can say that I'll not be spinning any wrenches until spring. I just graduated from college, and the job market is still pretty shakey.

Had it out on the highway on Sunday and opened it up. Still managed 180 kph (111+ mph)and still pulling strong in traffic.

As long at drives, I can nurse it along, but it definitely means that I'll not be going to BMW CCA Oktoberfest in Austin.

Aside from the clutch disc, pressure plate, release bearing and rear mainseal, I'll have to consider a lightened flywheel and then maybe even that 5-speed conversion.

Delia Wolfe

'73tii

Inka (aka "Orange Julius")

#2762756