Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Help With Odd Clutch Problem??

[Northrunner]

15,000 miles ago I had a new "Luks Pro Gold" clutch installed by our towns top transmission shop. Just recently it has started to give me a problem. It's fine and normal once I'm moving and shifting through the gears, but in first and reverse as I'm slowly on and off the clutch, if I hold the clutch in for more than 20 seconds it will start to grab even with the clutch pedal fully pressed to the floor. At that point I need to give the shift lever a stiff jab to get it out of gear, then as I let off on the clutch pedal, it comes back up slowly. Then press on the pedal and it feels normal, but hold it on the floor again for 20 seconds and the same thing will happen again. No loss of fluid and the reservoir is full of clean fluid.

Do I have a problem with the pressure plate? Transmission shop owner said he'll put a new clutch in it for me next Thursday, but I thought I'd ask you guys if you've ever had this same problem. Thanks in advance...

 

[snappy]

That could be a master/slave cylinder problem. Will the truck move or lurch if you hold it in first or second?

 

[TBartlett1]

Sounds like air may be in the system, I would first bleed the system by pushing the slave in & out several times this will purge any air up to the master cyl.

Another thing to check is the rod going from the clutch pedal to the master.

My 1990 developed the same problem and I found the bushing between the clutch pedal pin and the rod eye was worn out and caused a decrease in master cyl stroke.

 

[GAmes]

There is no procedure to bleed the clutch hydraulics. It is a closed system. The internal valves wear out over time and the entire assy comes as one piece. If you can "pump up" the clutch to get it to work then you need a new assy. South Bend Clutch sells a heavy duty assy if you don't want another OEM.

 

[GCroyle]

Clutch hydraulic release systems w/o bleed screws can easily be bled, you just need to think about getting the air bubbles out the top and not even think about getting them to come out at the slave cylinder as if it had a bleed screw.



But the choice is yours.

 

[GAmes]

OK, I'll rephrase. It is a closed system, no where for air to be introduced, so trying to bleed it would be a waste of time.

 

[GCroyle]

Games,



Dry master, line and slave w/o bleed screw, assembled on the bench, bleed, and test to confirm bleeding is completed w/o any special tool other than a steering wheel puller.



6 minutes.







Northrunner,



Good luck with your truck.

 

[GAmes]

Games,



Dry master, line and slave w/o bleed screw, assembled on the bench, bleed, and test to confirm bleeding is completed w/o any special tool other than a steering wheel puller.



6 minutes.

Since it is a closed system, and there is nowhere for air to be introduced... ... ..... why bother? And it takes more than 6 minutes to R&R the clutch linkage. No point in doing it twice.



BTW, My first name is Gary also. I don't address you as Gcroyle.

 

[GCroyle]

Gary,



Nice to meet you.



Gary

 

[hsmith]

I'll vote for new hydraulics on this one, especially if they are original.

Sounds like a mc bypassing.

 

[Northrunner]

Problem solved!

Well, those of you that suggested my problem was a bad clutch master/slave cylinder were right. The transmission shop that put the new clutch in my truck 15,000 miles ago thought it might have been a bad pressure plate, but he did say that he had never had one go bad before. He did offer to install a whole new clutch "no-charge" which I thought was generous. After you all suggested the master/slave cylinder possibility I talked to the shop owner and he agreed it was a possibility also and offered to install the new set "no-charge" if I paid for the parts. I agreed and the new hydraulic set fixed the problem. In that this problem was in no way related to the clutch he installed for me approx 15,000 miles ago, I did not feel right about having him do the labor "no-charge", so after I paid for the parts, I handed him two fifty dollar bills and shook his hand.

Thanks again for everyones help. If I had not had your help, we would have put a new clutch in my truck at the shops expense only to find that was not the problem. Then we would have narrowed it down to the real problem and I would have had to still buy the parts and pay even more for the labor.

If any of you ever need a good, fair and honest transmission shop in North Idaho, try Rod's Transmission in Coeur d' Alene at 208 772-7895. He's treated me right for years.

 

[GCroyle]

Northrunner,



Congrats, that was a real nice outcome, sepecially the way you and your shop worked on it and worked it out.



Curious, if you have the old parts, can you see any fluid leaks? Pull the slave cylinder boot off, fluid? And at the master cylinder where the pushrod sticks out, remove the start switch, check for fluid, see anything?

 

[Northrunner]

I did not ask for the old parts back. It's been a few days now and the clutch is functioning as normal.