clutch needs adjusted or replaced?

[bkvail]

The clutch on my 97 OBW engages very close to the floor, like only 1'' off the floor at the most - it doesn't have enough free-pedal in my opinion. Is there an adjustment or do I need a new clutch? Car has 137K on it, don't know if it is original clutch, but I am assuming it is original. My son has had the car in Idaho for college and I drove it when he got back and it seems like it's engaging even closer to the floor than before. It makes it so you have to sit with your seat more forward and closer to the steering wheel to be able to get it to disengage!

[GeneralDisorder]

Disengaging close to the floor is an indication of problems with the cable or hydraulics that actually pull on the clutch fork. If it's a cable clutch it may need to be tightened. Hydraulic may need to be bled.

 

In any case - the newer the clutch (from a clutch disc wear standpoint), the closer off the floor it will engage when the pedal is released - so it sounds (at least initially) as though the clutch may not actually be worn. Though that depends on how it feels once the actuateing mechanism is gone through to find out why it's requireing too much travel.

 

GD

[davebugs]

2 best guesses. Slave cylinder or clutch fork - more than you'd think crack.

 

You may want to start by bleeding the slave.

[nipper]

137,000 miles it can be either the clutch or the hydraulics. It is a little early for the hydraulics.

 

Time for ye olde clutch test:

 

Put front bumper against something immovable (big really big tree or building). Set the parking brake. Put the cat in 5th gear. Release the clutch and do everything in your power to keep the car runing. If the clutch is good no matter what you do the car should stall. If you can keep it running then the clutch is on its way out.

 

nipper

[bkvail]

137,000 miles it can be either the clutch or the hydraulics. It is a little early for the hydraulics.

 

Time for ye olde clutch test:

 

Put front bumper against something immovable (big really big tree or building). Set the parking brake. Put the cat in 5th gear. Release the clutch and do everything in your power to keep the car runing. If the clutch is good no matter what you do the car should stall. If you can keep it running then the clutch is on its way out.

 

nipper

 

Interesting test! I will try that today and see. I sure hope it's only in need of bleeding! With a bent clutch fork also a possibility - I might as well replace the clutch while I'm at it huh?! Ick. Just this week, my son's pathfinder, the clutch went out - he thinks the clutch fork broke because he heard a snap and then the clutch wouldn't work (hydraulic clutch also) So, we already have one rig we have to tear out the transmission, don't wish for two

[nipper]

There is no such thing as just a bleeding in the Hyd system (clutch) as there is just one way for air to get into it, a leak. If that is the case replace both the master and slave cylinder. I seriously doubt it is a bent clutch fork as that almost never happens on a car that doesnt see rough off roading.

 

Or does it?

 

 

nipper

[bkvail]

There is no such thing as just a bleeding in the Hyd system (clutch) as there is just one way for air to get into it, a leak. If that is the case replace both the master and slave cylinder. I seriously doubt it is a bent clutch fork as that almost never happens on a car that doesnt see rough off roading.

 

Or does it?

 

 

nipper

 

 

oh lordy. My 18 yr. old son is the current driver. And, his Pathfinder (that the clutch fork just broke on) is his ''wheeler'' (we straight axled it, lifted it, 33'' tires, etc) - so, it's quite possible that my precious OBW is seeing some hard times. He does go in the mountains in Idaho with it (he is in college at U of Idaho), and I noticed grass/dirt stuck in the hitch on it the other day (he is home for spring break). So, it's quite possible he is being very rough on it ::sniff::

[GeneralDisorder]

Sometimes the fork's get stress cracks in them - probably on cars that see a lot of inner-city driving I would guess.

 

Fortunately the fork's aren't real expsensive - unfortunately the only way to replace them is to do a clutch job.

 

GD

[bkvail]

Sometimes the fork's get stress cracks in them - probably on cars that see a lot of inner-city driving I would guess.

 

Fortunately the fork's aren't real expsensive - unfortunately the only way to replace them is to do a clutch job.

 

GD

 

ah, yes, the people that owned it before lived in Seattle if I remember right.... so lots of inner city driving there......

[Setright]

I would suggest a (to me) more common failure:

 

The throwout bearing has collapsed. It's thinner than normal now and needs more pedal travel to disengage.

[bkvail]

I would suggest a (to me) more common failure:

 

The throwout bearing has collapsed. It's thinner than normal now and needs more pedal travel to disengage.

 

which also requires the same thing - pulling of the tranny, bleh.

[nipper]

Well so fare almost everone is saying no matter what the clutch has to come apart. i dont really suspect hydraulics, but its a possability, especially with a 18yo driver + the mileage.

 

 

nipper

[frag]

oh lordy. My 18 yr. old son is the current driver. And, his Pathfinder (that the clutch fork just broke on) is his ''wheeler'' (we straight axled it, lifted it, 33'' tires, etc) - so, it's quite possible that my precious OBW is seeing some hard times. He does go in the mountains in Idaho with it (he is in college at U of Idaho), and I noticed grass/dirt stuck in the hitch on it the other day (he is home for spring break). So, it's quite possible he is being very rough on it ::sniff::

 

I think your son might have gone on spring break in more ways than one.

Sorry, could'nt resist

[bkvail]

I think your son might have gone on spring break in more ways than one.

Sorry, could'nt resist

 

spring BREAK for sure, LOL. One of his buddies backed into my soob the other night too broke the bug guard and put a small crease in my hood

[lmdew]

I had the same symptoms on the wifes 98 Outback.

 

The fluid was dark, I changed the fluid today and its better.

 

Using a Vac hand pump I pulled the old fluid out of the MC. I replace the fluid with new and then used the Vac pump to pull fluid from the slave cylinder.

 

I also pushed the clutch fork in to help remove the old fluid from the slave cylinder.

 

Now that the new fluid is in there the pedal feel is much better.

[bkvail]

I had the same symptoms on the wifes 98 Outback.

 

The fluid was dark, I changed the fluid today and its better.

 

Using a Vac hand pump I pulled the old fluid out of the MC. I replace the fluid with new and then used the Vac pump to pull fluid from the slave cylinder.

 

I also pushed the clutch fork in to help remove the old fluid from the slave cylinder.

 

Now that the new fluid is in there the pedal feel is much better.

 

well, that's interesting - it would certainly be worth a shot to try that! Hubby says we are not tearing into it until it fails Would suck for it to fail on him in Idaho though when we are in NW WA! He is back to school again today and so I guess we'll try to replace the fluid when he gets out mid-May and comes home for the summer...