Clutch Problem help me out!

[nube90]

Hey, I just bought my 3rd DSM its a 1990 TSi AWD anyways I cant drive it because of the clutch the previous owner said that it was just worn out but I believe that is wrong. When I picked it up today my friends and I seem to think its out of adjustment but were not really sure this is what its does, there is no pedal until about 2-3in off the floor then clutch when I press it in it doesnt fully disengage and wont start in gear with the clutch down it will just bog the motor, and it is very very hard to get in gear. When driving after starting of the clutch dosent slip and is a little easier to get into gear.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[selmerguy]

Throw out bearing.

 

[nube90]

Also when I get it in gear as soon as I let off the clutch it engages . So theres no way to fix this without changing clutch and stuff.

 

[absolute_DSM]

Check you clutch rod adjustment before you go tearing out your tranny to check a TOB.

My GS did this just last week. Get a couple wrenches and adjust that badboy. If you need help let me know.

 

[nube90]

Yea thats what I was thinking about adjusting that rod and that might help it because they bleed the slave cylinder but didnt adjust that rod.

 

[Stainbox12]

Do this by simple steps. Start with the cheapest and go to the most expensive. I had some clutch troubles in the past, and it took me a while to figure out what was going on.

1. Adjust pedal height.
2. Check for leaking master and slave cylinder.
3. check pedal linkage. (its very common that they go bad on 1g´s) there are a few good write ups on the tech article section about how to fix it.
4. drop the tranny, and inspect for worn components. (clutch fork, clutch pivot ball, pressure plate, and clutch disk)

If you drop the tranny, make sure that the step height of the flywheel is within spec. go here for more info: http://www.roadraceengineering.com/clutchandflywheeltech.htm

Best of luck.

 

[nube90]

Thanks for the help im gonna go out tommorow and see what I can find out.

 

[nube90]

Well I fixed it the guy had a floormat blocking the pedal from going all the way down took me 1min to figure it out. What an idiot he sold it to me cheap cause he thought it had a burnt clutch.

 

[tetsuo12333]

I wish a floor mat was my clutch problem (Hub Spring Popped out on my 1G) you are a lucky man to have that be the solution to a clutch problem.

Make sure to check out those 3 of 4 steps above, just for some PM stuff.

 

[nube90]

Well I thought the floor mat was the cause of it but the clutch was bad from him not putting it far enough down, I figured that out last night when I couldnt get it in gear and basically only used one gear to drive home.

When a bad clutch is cold will it work better compared to when it hot?

 

[tetsuo12333]

It depends, some compounds are different and operate better or worse when exposed to heat. Are you using a stock clutch? Organic? It's more or less like a brake pad material, fiberglass and all that good stuff.

I'm not completely sure on organic but I'm pretty sure it should make little difference between heated and cold. Shifting I know, is different. I was using thin trans fluid and it had slight grinds in the cold. I started using redline, alittle thicker, but shifted alittle rough in the cold, and as it heated up, the shifting was like butter.

 

[nube90]

Yea its the stock clutch im asking this because when it went out the other night it would barely go in gear and when my friend moved it yesterday he said it was going in gear fine.

 

[StR8sPo0Ln]

But have you done the other procedures like everyone else said. Also make sure if you do go into a new clutch like an ACT, change the pivot ball and clutch fork its makes a huge diferance.

 

[tetsuo12333]

But have you done the other procedures like everyone else said. Also make sure if you do go into a new clutch like an ACT, change the pivot ball and clutch fork its makes a huge diferance.

Trust that. Pivot Ball and Clutch Fork! I believe JNZ or http://www.diamondstarmotorsport.com/drivelineparts.shtml has it for 66 bucks for both pieces. Not a bad investment.

 

[scorpion66]

I'm not gonna say I know for sure whats wrong, cause I am no mechanic, BUT something you said didn't sit well with me. You said the floor mat was the problem because it was keeping you from getting the clutch pedal all the way down. Why would you need to floor the clutch pedal to begin with? The floor mat shouldn't have been an issue unless it was really bunched up a lot.

On a side note, I just recently had a problem with my clutch not disengaging at startups, and I didn't have much resistance in the pedal till 3/4 of the way down. 96 GS/
Anyway, I bled the hydrolic line, got a ton of air out, and the problem was gone.
got resistance, clutch disengages properly, and no shifting issues. Now I just need to figure out how all that air got in there to begin with since theres no visable leaks. Maybe just from sitting for 5 months while I was waiting on some part, who knows.

Anyway, just incase you aren't familiar with the bleeding process, I'll write a quick summary of how I did it to save ya some searching elsewhere.

Its a really simple thing to do, and it'd be a hell of a lot cheaper and easier than pulling things off your car. Get yourself a friend, a bottle of dot 3 or 4 brake fluid, a small diamater hose, a wrench (forget the size sorry was about a week ago and I'm too lazy to go check), and a clear cup or jar.

First check the fluid level in the master cylinder for the clutch. Make sure its at the full mark. Pour about a 1/2 inch of clean fluid in the cup/jar, connect the hose to the bleed valve and run the other end into the jar, submerged in the clean fluid.

have your friend climb inside and start pumping the clutch pedal 3-4 times. on the last pump have them hold the pedal on the floor. Open the valve and watch for the air bubbles to stop coming out of the hose. close the valve, and have them pump it again. once theyre holding it again, open the valve again, close after the air/fluid stops flowing again. Its a good idea after every second time to check the fluid level in the master cylinder, so you don't suck more air back into the system. Anyway, just repeat the process over and over untill you stop getting air bubbles out of the end of the hose.

after your done be sure to fill the fluid up, make sure the valve is tightly closed and replace the dustcap on the valve

Will probably take you about 5-10 minutes, and if it fixes your problem you'll be thrilled to death.

Hope it helps

 

[nube90]

Well the previous owner bleed the clutch but it really just has problems engaging after I drive the for a few minutes as in when it gets hot.

Its in the shop right now getting a new clutch no its not an ACT I wanted to put one in it but my Gmah bought a stock one with out me asking.

 

[scorpion66]

well at least your not paying for it

if you got some cash maybe you can buy an ACT I, have the shop swap em out, and since she already bought the clutch, throw it on ebay and get some of your cash back, gmah wouldnt know the diff, but your pocket would.

wouldn't try to sell it after ya drive it all over town, but if the thing is brand new besides being installed, it might sell. who knows.

 

[nube90]

Well I went to the shop the other day he has the car done but im a little short on cash so I havent got to drive it yet. The mechanic thinks the synchros are bad but I think he dosent no what the hell hes talking about, because I went in and asked him how its running and he says I didnt drive it he said he just pulled out of the shop and parked it so how and the hell does he know the syncrhros are bad. And who the hell puts a clutch in a dosent test drive it WTF


I just think its the clutch when its cold it shifts fine no grinding what so ever but when it gets warmed up thats when it dosent want to go in gear just not 1st or 2nd all of them so I doubt its the syncrhos. Any more input.

Also the old clutch was in the car I looked at it but im not really sure how to diagnose a bad clutch there was marks all over it and it smelt really burnt and looked like there was a bronzish colored dust on it.