Clutch doesn't disengage but shifter fork moves fine

[mace01]

Hey guys,
Quick question here...I think I'm already doomed to pull the tranny and replace the clutch. I've probably got about 6k miles on a spec clutch that seemed to be shifting fine for a year after install. Then one day I was driving and I noticed something change:

All of a sudden the pedal felt different and I could BARELY feel that the clutch wasn't quite disengaging all the way (I first could tell that because of a slight whining noise with the clutch pushed all the way in, and then noticed later that after the clutch was hot I could actually get the car to move by having the car in gear and the clutch depressed).

Since then, the problem has gotten much worse and now the car is almost impossible to get into gear and drive.

I took the car to a shop and they replaced the master cylinder and said the pedal felt better but the clutch still wasn't disengaging.

I pulled the boot back on the slave cylinder and there was quite a bit of fluid, but after cleaning that fluid off and watching the pushrod while the clutch was pumped, the movement seemed fine and there was no visible fluid leaking.

So my question specifically is this: if the slave cylinder is moving well and I can't see any leak while the clutch is pumped, is it worth a shot to replace it before pulling the tranny and looking for a broken spring or something? It is also hard for me to think of a scenario that would have made this worse with time.

Thanks!
Jeff

90 TSI

[spoonman]

Try getting a slave cylinder rebuild kit or a new slave. Then bleed the clutch. If it is still not disengaging then adjust the master cylinder rod behind the clutch pedal. If none of these adjustments fix the problem then pull the transmission.

[Black91TSiAWD]

throwout bearing take a crap possibly?

just throwing that option out there

[mace01]

Alrighty, just finished replacing the slave and still no clutch disengagement. Looks like the trannys coming out since I've replaced master and slave and checked the pedal alignment. Booooo....

Thanks for your suggestions,
Jeff

[tbonitz301]

Sounds like you bent or broke some fingers on your pressure plate. Be sure to use mitsu throwout bearing when you tear it down

[DSM4me44]

I second that. I was having trouble getting it into gear when the car was on.

It ended up being a broken finger on my pressure plate with only 9k miles on it!

I had a ACT 2100. Do you know if broken fingers are common?

[Black95awd]

Originally Posted by Black91TSiAWD

throwout bearing take a crap possibly?

just throwing that option out there

This happened to me once, one of the tabs broke off my TOB but it was more of an abrupt feeling when it finally let go.

Also exploded a clutch disk once and got springs stuck in between the fingers and the disc.

<-------- Rough on the equipment

[iugrad92turbo]

Yes i second that use the oem tob, the act i wouldnt use.

[mccurdy]

Hey guys,

where is the actual master cylinder rod behind the clutch pedal?

My clutch is slipping like a mofo, and someone recommended releasing the pressure? Plus i noticed my Ceterforce dual friction engages way too high off the floor. (Should engage immediately off the floor) so i have to readjust it.

Just need to know where the rod/screw whatever is, and what i need to adjsut it. I tried searching but think i was searching for the wrong keywords..

[v8s_are_slow]

Originally Posted by mccurdy

Hey guys,

where is the actual master cylinder rod behind the clutch pedal?

My clutch is slipping like a mofo, and someone recommended releasing the pressure? Plus i noticed my Ceterforce dual friction engages way too high off the floor. (Should engage immediately off the floor) so i have to readjust it.

Just need to know where the rod/screw whatever is, and what i need to adjsut it. I tried searching but think i was searching for the wrong keywords..

Well if it's engaging high off the floor, that'll definately cause it to slip cause what's happening is, it's not allowing the clutch to fully engage. On 1st gen's, the rod is near the gas pedal. On 2g's, I believe it's directly behind the clutch pedal. Just crawl up under the dash, push the clutch in, and watch for a rod that'll move back and forth.

[mccurdy]

Yeah i think that is what is happening, and destroying the clutch in the mean time.
I tried adjusting it, but i cant loosen the stupid nut near the brass bracket. My wrench keeps stripping/rounding out the nut before i can even adjust the rod.

Any suggestions? I gotta drive 1,000 miles this comming weekend and i need a working clutch!

[v8s_are_slow]

Don't use a cheap wrench to try and loosen it. But if it's rounded off, ya may as well go ahead and get some vice grips on that sucker. Have fun.

[BrokenTsi]

I've actually snapped the pivot ball for the clutch fork before. It took me a while to realize it was broke. But the clutch fork moved, but the pedal felt funny. I took the slave off and then wiggled the clutch fork and it was very loose. My car wouldnt disengage hardly at all, sometimes it would, sometimes it wouldnt. I would try that.

[v8s_are_slow]

How exactly was it broken? All the way off? In half or what? My Spec pressure plate broke and they're gonna warranty it. But in the meantime I threw my old ACT2100 back in the car. It was still usable. But it won't go into get at a standstill. Been trying to figure out the problem. Driving me nuts and of course it's never simple.

[mccurdy]

yeah i think i might have to try some vice grips. Hard as hell to get up in there though

[v8s_are_slow]

That's why you use small ones. Lol. I'd loan you mine but doubt you're anywhere close to me.