Clutch problems..

[MountainDew]

If it weren't for my good compression numbers I finally got last night, I'd be pushing this car off a cliff.

I've got a 95 TSi AWD. Many of you probably know all the problems I've had. Headgasket, turbo, etc. It's come a VERY long way and everything is almost worked out. Of course, once everything is going pretty good, something else happens.

The car has a TRE Tranny and a Stage 3 Clutch that was installed in 03', before I bought the car. Now yesterday I was painting the calipers, so I had those off and everything. The calipers were still on the hose, I just had to pressurize the pistons or whatever. (Dad helped me, sorry if I seem kind of clueless)

Car was running fine. I installed my Halo headlights today and I was going to go drive the car a little bit. I push my clutch in and there is absolutely no pressure whatsoever! It's just really springy, hell it feels even lighter then an OEM Honda clutch..

I don't really know much about clutches or transmissions at all, and my dad is at work and won't be back until later tonight. I just need some ideas on what could be wrong. Maybe just low on fluid? Broken cable? Like I said, I know next to nothing when it comes to this stuff.

This is my daily driver so I need to get it figured out here pretty quick. The car did still start with the clutch to the floor. Another thing I noticed, the clutch when it worked, the pressure would be kind of soft, then get really hard and springy, felt like a stage 3 alright. Noticed it the most during warmups and what not.

 

[Spln_Hrd]

A stage 3 eh? I got a shifty five in mine now . Anyways now that I am done pokin fun.

Your car does not have a cable. Check the fluid for your first step, it is next to the brake fluid resevoir and brake booster. If it is full I would check the line that is bolted to the transaxle it is rubber check for any signs of bulging. If those both check out I would lift the car, put it on jack stands and look at the slave cylinder pin and see how much movement you have. It should be about 1/2" if it is moving, I would pull the transaxle out and inspect all of the components in the bellhousing of the transaxle.

FYI: your car has a transaxle not a transmission if I an throwing you off.

 

[Spln_Hrd]

Also another note, if you are that sick of your car I would love to take it off your hands. It will have a loving home and a spot in my big garage next to an old friend off the assembally line

 

[absolute_DSM]

Try bleeding the clutch.

 

[MountainDew]

Try bleeding the clutch.

About to do so. There was literally no fluid in the little tank thing.

Now to find the bleeder. The manual sure does help a lot.

 

[MountainDew]

Won't have a chance to bleed it, I'll try tomorrow.

My dad thinks the Master Cylinder is shot. I did notice a little bit of fluid leaking through the firewall.

 

[turbodsm18]

Is the clutch still engaging or is the pedal just going to the floor and not coming back up?

 

[DGajre777]

Sounds like a bad master cyl., like your dad said. Check your slave cyl. too, pull the boot if you see fluid, replace it.

 

[MountainDew]

Is the clutch still engaging or is the pedal just going to the floor and not coming back up?

Not engaging, it's real springy, pedal still comes up. Just real loose when it goes to the floor.

 

[MountainDew]

Just ended up needing to be bled. I'm keeping an eye on fluids now. I'll probably rebuild the master and slave cylinder whenever I get some time and money just to be safe and certain.

Thanks for the help.

 

[meliketoball]

You may have cracked/snapped your clutch fork! That is what happened to me. I had an unsprung 6 puck and HD pressure plate by ACT with stock everything and one day, I was driving and all of a sudden I heard a snap and the clutch becomes very springy and rough in other words not smooth at all.

I check the fluid in the master cylinder and it leaked all the hell out; after jacking the car up, I proceed with bleeding the clutch. After building more and more pressure on the hydraulic system, the clutch fork snapped inf front of my face. My heart dropped and spent about 13 hours by myself pulling the tranny and replacing everything!

So, hopefully it didn't happen to you but, just a thought that may be the culprit of all your stiffness going out.

EDIT: That's what I get for not reading everything. If it got spongy or springy and went away from bleeding the clutch, it may happen again. You may think about replacing the hydraulic cylinders. Good luck!

 

[MountainDew]

You may have cracked/snapped your clutch fork! That is what happened to me. I had an unsprung 6 puck and HD pressure plate by ACT with stock everything and one day, I was driving and all of a sudden I heard a snap and the clutch becomes very springy and rough in other words not smooth at all.

I check the fluid in the master cylinder and it leaked all the hell out; after jacking the car up, I proceed with bleeding the clutch. After building more and more pressure on the hydraulic system, the clutch fork snapped inf front of my face. My heart dropped and spent about 13 hours by myself pulling the tranny and replacing everything!

So, hopefully it didn't happen to you but, just a thought that may be the culprit of all your stiffness going out.

EDIT: That's what I get for not reading everything. If it got spongy or springy and went away from bleeding the clutch, it may happen again. You may think about replacing the hydraulic cylinders. Good luck!

Yup planing on rebuilding the cylinders. There was some MINOR leakage through the firewall.

Thanks for the input.

 

[MountainDew]

Turned out being the slave cylinder. Replaced it with ease, no more problems and the clutch feels better then ever.