my CLUTCH is LIMP! - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

adey · 11-02-2002, 09:27 PM

Driving back to LA from SpeedtrialUSA tonight, I finally ran into some traffic about 20 miles outside of LA.

After the hour or so of 5th gear cruising at ~90 or so on the 5 fwy, I brake, clutch in to downshift, and put it in fourth. However, my clutch no longer feels stiff and clutch-like, it feels more like the accelerator! Scared, I shifted in and out of a few other gears to try and figure out what was up.

My clutch would push easily down to about 2" from the floor pan, then the last 2 inches would have 'pressure', and would engage/disengage the clutch as though the whole 7" or so of normal clutch travel were compressed into those 2"... the biting point was TINY and hard to find, and I almost stalled from a stop into 1st.

The next time straffic came to a stop, I tried pumping the clutch (I don't know why that seemed logical to me) but to my surprise, it caused a revival of the old, stiff, hard clutch with normal pedal travel.  <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/eh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':eh:'>  This is very boggling, and in the little thought I've given it, I imagine it is some sort of air leak or air bubbles in the clutch system somewhere...

Please help if you have suggestions as to what it may be, and how I might diagnose it/fix it!  <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>

S13Grl · 11-02-2002, 11:49 PM

Nice topic title, no wonder you got no replies. [tsk, tsk]

In daylight, open your door and look at your clutch pedal. If you see a slight trail of clear fluid seeping down from the firewall onto the pedal mounting crap shit whatever you wanna call it, seeping down by your clutch pedal, your master clutch cyl. is leaking and probably needs replacement. Have you checked your clutch fluid? You should check that, add some, and then see if any of it is gone a little later.

/etc/shadow · 11-03-2002, 07:49 PM

This behavior described my car before I rebuilt the slave. I rebuilt it with a $5 seal kit from Autozone and it works fine now. Check the Archives/FAQ section for a part number.

adey · 11-03-2002, 07:59 PM

aww come on, the topic wasn't that bad was it?   <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='

'>   I thought I'd throw some humor (or whatever you want to call it) in. But thanks for 'reviving' the topic. <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>

I will check for the leaking fluid.
Under the hood, I assume the little bottle/container right in the far corner, right by the firewall on the driver's side is the clutch/slave/whatever cylinder... right?

Thanks!

MorganS13 · 11-03-2002, 08:04 PM

i just replaced my master and slave cylinders and while you're at it i would HIGHLY recommend bypassing/removing the clutch damper box inbetween the 2 cylinders...  it makes bleeding the system take only 5 minutes instead of hours.  if u wanna know how i did this then u can IM me at Morgan1774 and i'll be glad to help you out in any way i can.

Morgan

adey · 11-03-2002, 08:13 PM

Thanks for the offer, morgan! If it turns out to be this and I have problems, I will more than likely IM you. <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='

'>
So where on our cars are the master/slave cylinders?

MorganS13 · 11-03-2002, 08:21 PM

the master is a metal pipe looking thing with a white plastic resevoir in the upper drivers side corner of the enigne bay, the slave is mounted on the passenger side of the tranny, i had to jack up my car to be able to get to it, but its pretty easy to see. it has a short black rubber hose off of it that leads to a metal line that goes to the dampener box which is even easier to get to... hope this makes sense

edit:  check to see how high the fluid is in the master cylinder resevoir...

adey · 11-03-2002, 08:31 PM

thanks! <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>  I'll check this out tonight.

Is it possible for my clutch to have failed, or for the MC/SC to spring a leak simply from driving hard? (Buttonwillow/speedtrialusa)

*transient* · 11-03-2002, 10:42 PM

Yeah, that really does sound like the slave cylinder. I had the exact same experience right after the zilvia meet on august 17th.

adey · 11-04-2002, 12:49 AM

Okay, so assuming for the time being that it IS my slave cylinder, how do I go about repairing this, and how can I make sure it doesn't happen again?
What causes this type of failure?

shrumhead · 11-16-2002, 08:56 PM

EEK... Ok I know that this is an old topic but my car is doing the exact same thing.  I saw some fluid on the clutch about 3 weeks ago... I wiped it off and it hasn't happened since.  My fluid is to the top of the container so I know that it is full but it is really hard to downshift now, and the clutch is like.... limp as hell.  I'm going to take it in for a tune up soon, so what do you guys thing the price will be for the new slave cylinder?

silvsx · 11-16-2002, 09:51 PM

when i had my 2 wheel drive truck (same transmission) the slave cylinder went out twice in 200000.  the whole cylinder cost 36$, but you can buy a seal kit for 5$ if your feeling ambitious.

- by the way, install it yourself -- it's so easy it's not worth paying to have done!!!

adey · 11-16-2002, 10:08 PM

shrumhead-
I can't say what your problem is, but it seems like my fluid just leaked out somewhere. I don't know where it went! When I opened up my MC reservoir, it was empty, so I just added fluid, bled the system, and voila, it's now working as well as it did before the incident. I found it strange that I would lose all my fluid, then after re-filling it, not leak any at all. Very strange indeed.
I would recommend trying to bleed the system first. There are two things that you need to bleed- first the slave cylinder, and then the air purge valve or something to that extent. It bleeds exactly like brakes. It's all in the FSM (which I don't have now-- left it in the car). Don't forget to top off fluid (Preferrably Dot 4 brake fluid) when you're bleeding it, too, because if it goes dry, it'll be a pain and you'll have to start the process all over again.
This took me about an hour with two sets of feet and hands... and the friend who helped was NOT mechanically inclined. (a girl) ... <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':laugh:'>

shrumhead · 11-17-2002, 12:51 AM

<!--QuoteBegin--adey+Nov. 16 2002,11<img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (adey @ Nov. 16 2002,11<img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>8)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">shrumhead-
I can't say what your problem is, but it seems like my fluid just leaked out somewhere. I don't know where it went! When I opened up my MC reservoir, it was empty, so I just added fluid, bled the system, and voila, it's now working as well as it did before the incident. I found it strange that I would lose all my fluid, then after re-filling it, not leak any at all. Very strange indeed.
I would recommend trying to bleed the system first. There are two things that you need to bleed- first the slave cylinder, and then the air purge valve or something to that extent. It bleeds exactly like brakes. It's all in the FSM (which I don't have now-- left it in the car). Don't forget to top off fluid (Preferrably Dot 4 brake fluid) when you're bleeding it, too, because if it goes dry, it'll be a pain and you'll have to start the process all over again.
This took me about an hour with two sets of feet and hands... and the friend who helped was NOT mechanically inclined. (a girl) ... <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':laugh:'></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
thank you very much adey, I will definatly try bleeding the system b4 taking it into a nissan dealership <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='

'> But my case is sorta different. Even when I did see that little bit of fluid on the clutch it didn't seem as though any fluid was missing from the MC resivior, and even now the thing is just about compltely full. I don't know whats happening but I will definatly try bleeding it first.

thx man !

11-03-2002, 07:59 PM	#4
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,061 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	aww come on, the topic wasn't that bad was it?   <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>   I thought I'd throw some humor (or whatever you want to call it) in. But thanks for 'reviving' the topic. <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'> I will check for the leaking fluid. Under the hood, I assume the little bottle/container right in the far corner, right by the firewall on the driver's side is the clutch/slave/whatever cylinder... right? Thanks!

11-03-2002, 08:13 PM	#6
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,061 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Thanks for the offer, morgan! If it turns out to be this and I have problems, I will more than likely IM you. <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> So where on our cars are the master/slave cylinders?

11-03-2002, 10:42 PM	#9
transient Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Los Angeles, California Age: 37 Posts: 2,947 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Yeah, that really does sound like the slave cylinder. I had the exact same experience right after the zilvia meet on august 17th. __________________ Learn everything you can, while you still have the chance.

11-17-2002, 12:51 AM	#14
shrumhead Leaky Injector Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 70 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	<!--QuoteBegin--adey+Nov. 16 2002,11<img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (adey @ Nov. 16 2002,11<img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>8)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">shrumhead- I can't say what your problem is, but it seems like my fluid just leaked out somewhere. I don't know where it went! When I opened up my MC reservoir, it was empty, so I just added fluid, bled the system, and voila, it's now working as well as it did before the incident. I found it strange that I would lose all my fluid, then after re-filling it, not leak any at all. Very strange indeed. I would recommend trying to bleed the system first. There are two things that you need to bleed- first the slave cylinder, and then the air purge valve or something to that extent. It bleeds exactly like brakes. It's all in the FSM (which I don't have now-- left it in the car). Don't forget to top off fluid (Preferrably Dot 4 brake fluid) when you're bleeding it, too, because if it goes dry, it'll be a pain and you'll have to start the process all over again. This took me about an hour with two sets of feet and hands... and the friend who helped was NOT mechanically inclined. (a girl) ... <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':laugh:'></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'> thank you very much adey, I will definatly try bleeding the system b4 taking it into a nissan dealership <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> But my case is sorta different. Even when I did see that little bit of fluid on the clutch it didn't seem as though any fluid was missing from the MC resivior, and even now the thing is just about compltely full. I don't know whats happening but I will definatly try bleeding it first. thx man !

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11-02-2002, 09:27 PM	#1
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,061 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Driving back to LA from SpeedtrialUSA tonight, I finally ran into some traffic about 20 miles outside of LA. After the hour or so of 5th gear cruising at ~90 or so on the 5 fwy, I brake, clutch in to downshift, and put it in fourth. However, my clutch no longer feels stiff and clutch-like, it feels more like the accelerator! Scared, I shifted in and out of a few other gears to try and figure out what was up. My clutch would push easily down to about 2" from the floor pan, then the last 2 inches would have 'pressure', and would engage/disengage the clutch as though the whole 7" or so of normal clutch travel were compressed into those 2"... the biting point was TINY and hard to find, and I almost stalled from a stop into 1st. The next time straffic came to a stop, I tried pumping the clutch (I don't know why that seemed logical to me) but to my surprise, it caused a revival of the old, stiff, hard clutch with normal pedal travel.  <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/eh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':eh:'>  This is very boggling, and in the little thought I've given it, I imagine it is some sort of air leak or air bubbles in the clutch system somewhere... Please help if you have suggestions as to what it may be, and how I might diagnose it/fix it!  <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>

11-02-2002, 11:49 PM	#2
S13Grl Married to the Mob Join Date: Dec 2000 Age: 40 Posts: 3,670 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Nice topic title, no wonder you got no replies. [tsk, tsk] In daylight, open your door and look at your clutch pedal. If you see a slight trail of clear fluid seeping down from the firewall onto the pedal mounting crap shit whatever you wanna call it, seeping down by your clutch pedal, your master clutch cyl. is leaking and probably needs replacement. Have you checked your clutch fluid? You should check that, add some, and then see if any of it is gone a little later.

11-03-2002, 07:49 PM	#3
/etc/shadow Zilvia Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 167 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	This behavior described my car before I rebuilt the slave. I rebuilt it with a $5 seal kit from Autozone and it works fine now. Check the Archives/FAQ section for a part number.

11-03-2002, 08:04 PM	#5
MorganS13 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Midwest Posts: 707 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	i just replaced my master and slave cylinders and while you're at it i would HIGHLY recommend bypassing/removing the clutch damper box inbetween the 2 cylinders...  it makes bleeding the system take only 5 minutes instead of hours.  if u wanna know how i did this then u can IM me at Morgan1774 and i'll be glad to help you out in any way i can. Morgan

11-03-2002, 08:21 PM	#7
MorganS13 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Midwest Posts: 707 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	the master is a metal pipe looking thing with a white plastic resevoir in the upper drivers side corner of the enigne bay, the slave is mounted on the passenger side of the tranny, i had to jack up my car to be able to get to it, but its pretty easy to see. it has a short black rubber hose off of it that leads to a metal line that goes to the dampener box which is even easier to get to... hope this makes sense edit:  check to see how high the fluid is in the master cylinder resevoir...

11-03-2002, 08:31 PM	#8
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,061 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	thanks! <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>  I'll check this out tonight. Is it possible for my clutch to have failed, or for the MC/SC to spring a leak simply from driving hard? (Buttonwillow/speedtrialusa)

11-04-2002, 12:49 AM	#10
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,061 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Okay, so assuming for the time being that it IS my slave cylinder, how do I go about repairing this, and how can I make sure it doesn't happen again? What causes this type of failure?

11-16-2002, 08:56 PM	#11
shrumhead Leaky Injector Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 70 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	EEK... Ok I know that this is an old topic but my car is doing the exact same thing.  I saw some fluid on the clutch about 3 weeks ago... I wiped it off and it hasn't happened since.  My fluid is to the top of the container so I know that it is full but it is really hard to downshift now, and the clutch is like.... limp as hell.  I'm going to take it in for a tune up soon, so what do you guys thing the price will be for the new slave cylinder?

11-16-2002, 09:51 PM	#12
silvsx Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 15 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	when i had my 2 wheel drive truck (same transmission) the slave cylinder went out twice in 200000.  the whole cylinder cost 36$, but you can buy a seal kit for 5$ if your feeling ambitious. - by the way, install it yourself -- it's so easy it's not worth paying to have done!!!

11-16-2002, 10:08 PM	#13
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,061 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	shrumhead- I can't say what your problem is, but it seems like my fluid just leaked out somewhere. I don't know where it went! When I opened up my MC reservoir, it was empty, so I just added fluid, bled the system, and voila, it's now working as well as it did before the incident. I found it strange that I would lose all my fluid, then after re-filling it, not leak any at all. Very strange indeed. I would recommend trying to bleed the system first. There are two things that you need to bleed- first the slave cylinder, and then the air purge valve or something to that extent. It bleeds exactly like brakes. It's all in the FSM (which I don't have now-- left it in the car). Don't forget to top off fluid (Preferrably Dot 4 brake fluid) when you're bleeding it, too, because if it goes dry, it'll be a pain and you'll have to start the process all over again. This took me about an hour with two sets of feet and hands... and the friend who helped was NOT mechanically inclined. (a girl) ... <img src="#/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':laugh:'>