2004 Imprezza shifting/ clutch problem

[aa8jzdial]

2004 impreza. 120k miles. 5 speed. My daughters car.

2 problems that may or may not be related.

 

#1 She complains of troubles shifting when cold. Michigan cold.

When fully depressing the clutch peddle cold the clutch is not quite disengaged as indicated by some grinding going into reverse or 1st.

After 15 minutes of warm up time it is ok but the peddle still needs to be near fully to the floor. I am not sure if the warm up of the engine compartment or the interior is significant. This leads to #2.

 

#2 With interior cold, and releasing the peddle it will only return up about 3 to 4 inches and requires snagging the peddle with her shoe. It then snaps up clipping her ankle on occasion. When warm the sticking tendency is still there but seems to be overcome by the additional spring I Mcguivered to help.

 

It is very difficult for an old guy to see around the clutch peddle linkage while upside down, very uncomfortable, and with bad eyes.

 

I know there has been 2 engine swaps so things under the hood are not virgin.

If this was a cable operated clutch I would adjust the problem away.

I think.

Ideas??

Thanks all

rick

[edrach]

I'm not sure of this since this is a much newer car than our '97 Imp and '99 Forester, but if I remember correctly there is a return spring on the clutch fork that might have been "forgotten" during one of the engine replacements.

 

Second thought is that the slave cylinder is in need of replacement. At the very least top up the hydraulic fluid and bleed the system to remove any air bubbles. If that doesn't do it, the next thing would be the clutch master cylinder. I'd do the slave first since that easier and cheaper than doing the master.

[Durania]

Agreed. Sounds like classic slave cylinder failure.

[Fairtax4me]

Clutch cylinder failure, or air in the line. Try bleeding it first with Dot 4 brake fluid.

 

How old is the fluid in the trans? 75w-90 synthetic will help with the cold shifts.

[aa8jzdial]

Will try the slave cylinder.

I hope it is not a fork spring as mentioned.

That is a big job for a small problem.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

And sorry about the double post.

I am not sure how to delete it but will try.

[Fairtax4me]

Just edit the title and text to "double post" or something like that and the mods will delete it later.

 

Did you try bleeding it first?

[edrach]

Will try the slave cylinder.

I hope it is not a fork spring as mentioned.

That is a big job for a small problem.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

And sorry about the double post.

I am not sure how to delete it but will try.

Fork spring is external; not internal. Shouldn't be much of an issue if that's the case.

[aa8jzdial]

Upon further review, discovered this is a 2002 and not 2004.

 

Replaced the slave cylinder with a used unit just to check things.

Could not get fluid flow.

Replaced master cylinder with the mate to the used slave cylinder.

Still no flow.

Tried pumping fluid through the original master while held in the vice and appears as though the check valve (must be one in there some where) is not allowing a draw from the reservoir.

This one had some nasty build up on the bottom of the reservoir.

 

Ordered new from Advanced auto. Be in tomorrow.

 

Are either of these units rebuildable? If so, is it worth the bother?

Thanks for the info.

rick

w mi