Clutch pedal freeplay

[sdsisuzu]

1995.5 Isuzu Rodeo 103,000 miles. 5 spd, 3.2 engine

I bought this with 97,000 miles on it. Someone drove it the other day and said the clutch is almost shot because the pedal comes up about halfway or so before it engages.

I don't have any service records but it seems to shift OK. I'm used to a honda civic with a cable tranny so this hydro clutch is a little different for me.

Does the amount of clutch pedal travel that I have mean the clutch is on it's way out?

Anyone know the cost of replacing one of these?

Thanks for the input!

[todaugen]

I just bought a 95.5 manual and the clutch comes up pretty high before engaging. It catches strong, though, and is not slipping, so I am going to wait to replace it.

I called the local shop I like using and they said the book price was $1400, which seems ridiculous to me, but the mechanic did say it would probably be less--how much less he couldn't say I was expecting something in the $700 range.

If your truck isn't juttering badly upon moving from a stand still, and there is no clutch slippage, I would drive it as is. You may get another handful of problem free years out of the current clutch.

Another thing--most manual transmissions have synchros that make shifting smooth at speed (without synchros you'd probably have to double clutch every shift). They're little brass rings that can wear out over time. If you're having trouble shifting into gears 1-5 it is most likely a synchro issue.

Reverse is usually not synchroed. If you have trouble shifting into reverse then your clutch may be the culprit.

I say this from experience I've had with other vehicles. I am not super familiar with my Rodeo yet. Keep it in mind anyway, as you do diagnostics.

[sdsisuzu]

Thanks for responding.

I don't have any symptoms of a bad clutch other than maybe the clutch pedal being high but I wasn't sure if maybe that was just the norm for these vehicles.

I think the higher price tag for clutch repair may be due to the price for the replacement components. Of course if they are using Isuzu parts, the bill would be higher. I'm sure the labor invoived in this is extensive.

I don't know if I would pay $1400 to have the clutch replaced or not. At any rate I guess I'll just take it easy on the clutch and hope I get a couple years out of it.