What's going on with my clutch? Or crankwalk?

[Gregory]

Hey all,

I’m having a problem with a 98 GS-T right now. The clutch started engaging/disengaging closer to the floor one day. It wasn’t a huge difference, but definitely noticeable. I tried adjusting the master cylinder rod (as it connects to the clutch pedal) to correct the problem. After driving it shortly, it started to engage/disengage really far off the floor. Odd, right? Again, I tried adjusting it back, but it has continued to vary where it wanted to engage. I haven’t done anything related to the clutch or hydraulics of the system since the clutch was replaced and I replaced the master cylinder which was leaking (both at least 10k miles ago).

Nothing is leaking. The reservoir is full. I tried cracking the bleeder valve on the slave and fluid poured out with no signs of air on that end.
So as it stands right now, I have to adjust the master cylinder rod completely in one direction in order to get the clutch to disengage, and it just barely does before the pedal hits the floor. With it like this, I looked at where the plunger on the slave cylinder pushes the end of the fork. With the pedal completely to the floor, the end of the fork only looks perpendicular to the housing. It starts angled slightly towards the cylinder (obviously), and then only gets to about 0° (straight off the housing) with the pedal all the way down. I was doing this in order to determine if the problem is just in the hydraulics or there is an underlying problem in the clutch with the fork, throwout bearing, or am I just experiencing my 7 bolt motor starting to walk?

I don’t see/hear any of the other symptoms of a walking crank so far. Yes, I have an ACT 2600 clutch, so I’m at higher risk. The idle stays steady when the clutch is pushed. There is no ticking when the clutch is depressed (indicating the crank hitting the crank angle sensor, I believe).

I’m not really sure what’s going on here. The slave cylinder pushes about ¾ of an inch with the throw of the clutch pedal. I don’t know if this is right or not.

Any ideas? I will keep everyone posted.

If think you have a thought as to what it might be, please provide information as to why you think that.

Thanks for all your help, as always!

Greg

 

[dented_coffee]

Even thow the TOB was recently just replaced with a brand new OEM one that don't mean that its not bad. There have been cases that people buy a brand new OEM TOB and they install it only to find that there was a manufacturing flaw or defect or within a few miles it went bad. My 6/bolt in my 1990 GS-t kinda felt like what your describing. It was just a bad TOB and it was all good.
Also make shure that a bolt on the flywheel or pressure plate is not backed out or loose. I use red threadlocker on all of them bolts because catastrofic clutch failure is not one thing I ever want to have happen on any of mine or any vehicle that I work on.

I hope your problem is as simple as that. Inspect your TOB and inspect for loose bolts.

 

[Gregory]

Thanks for your reply. If it's something internal in the clutch, like the throwout bearing, then I probably won't tackle it myself. I've never removed or replaced a clutch before, so I'm somewhat reluctant to do so now.

I think I've done everything I can to check the hydraulic system, and as far as I know, it seems to be fine. When I find out what's going on, I'll make a post.

Thanks again.