Transmission/Clutch Problems

[kmelton]

Hello,

I recently purchased a 1996 Eclipse GSX and drove it for a total of 2 weeks before I started running into problems. With 1 day of driving the clutch began slipping to the point of being undrivable. Once I brought it home and shut it off, the clutch would not engage at all. I could shift in to first gear and dump the clutch while holding the break and the car would just continue to idle.

I changed out the clutch and it was worn to the point where it had melted off the rivets. I changed out the clutch plate, pressure plate throw out bearing, and I also had the flywheel resurfaced. The car ran find for 100 miles, but the next morning the clutch was slipping again.

I replaced the slave and master cylinders and flushed the lines. The fluid came out grey with little black flecks in it, but after flushing the lines it came out clear. We ran the engine hard after replacing the parts, including several hard launches and a lot of clutching. The engine ran fine without any problem. The car ran fine for 300 milers, but the next morning the clutch was slipping again.

Upon inspection, the fluid in the clutch resevior is at the max line and there is a smell of gear oil around the car. I looked at the spot where I had the car parted, and there is about a tablespoon worth of gear oil on the ground.

I have no idea where to go now, as I've replaced just about everything involved in the clutch system.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[95JDMTSI]

did you not let your clutch break in?

 

[kmelton]

Originally posted by 95JDMTSI
did you not let your clutch break in?

Not sure what you mean. I was rather cautious with it the first 100 miles or so, but it slipped the next day.

 

[kmelton]

Originally posted by kmelton



Not sure what you mean. I was rather cautious with it the first 100 miles or so, but it slipped the next day.

BTW, one thing I may not have made clear is that only two days of driving occured since the clutch began slipping. The clutch began slipping two fridays ago (8/29) and the following day the clutch was replaced. I drove home that night (100 miles) and the next morning (sunday 8/31) the car was slipping. I left it sitting for a week and two days ago (9/6) I replaced the master and slave cylinders and that night drove a little over 300 miles. The next morning (9/7) the clutch begain slipping again after a little more than 4 city miles.

It seems like a fluid issue, because anytime I do anything to the clutch it seems to resolve itself only to fail again after sitting for a while. There was also some fluid that smelled like gear oil on the ground where it was sitting last night.

Hope this additional information helps.

Ken