Do I need a new clutch?

[boricua123]

It seems like I need a new clutch, but I am not sure. This is a 99 Eclipse non turbo. I was driving the other day and I noticed that I was having a hard time shifting. It felt like if I was not pushing the clutch all the way in. Only a day after that the clutch seems to be almost out. I put the clutch all the way in and if the car is in first gear, I barely move my foot and the car starts moving forward.

Do you know if I need a new clutch? If so, what parts should I buy? Is that a hard thing to do?

[curtis73]

It sounds like you need a clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder. Its a hydraulic clutch and it works very much like your brakes. When you push the clutch in, a piston in the master cylinder pushes fluid through a hose. That fluid pushes a piston in the slave cylinder which disengages the clutch. Old clutches were mechanical, and although they were reliable, they were a packaging nightmare.

What happens in your situation is one of the pistons (in either the master cylinder or the slave cylinder) loses a seal and leaks fluid. When you push the pedal down, it doesn't transfer motion to the clutch as well because the fluid leaks past the piston seals.

That's my guess, but I'm sure someone with more clutch expertise will come in and clear things up

[boricua123]

Thank you so much. That helps!

[curtis73]

I thought of something else...

If you hold the clutch in for longer periods of time, does the engagement point change? If so, I guess that its what I said above. Like if you just push the clutch in to change gears, does it engage further out than if you hold the clutch in at a stoplight for a minute or so?

If its consistent, I would also suggest that maybe you've somehow introduced an air bubble into the system. Fluid doesn't compress, but air does. So when you push in the clutch, its possible that the air bubble compresses each time predictably making the same thing happen every time. The way to fix that is to buy more fluid and bleed the system. I think I would try that first since it would cost much less than new parts

[Sluttypatton]

I'm with curtis on this one. He has pointed out all of the most likely causes. Start by checking the cheapest one, replace your clutch fluid and bleed the line properly.

[boricua123]

Thank you Guys. I will try that first. I have been trying to look on the internet to find out where the clutch reservoir is but I can't find anything. I have to wait to get home and look at the car to see if I find it.

[Sluttypatton]

It should be mounted on the firewall in the engine bay, on the drivers side of the car. The clutch pedal is connected to a rod that goes through the firewall and into the master cylinder, which is where the fluid reservoir is as well, so the reservoir should be directly in line with the clutch pedal. When bleeding a clutch, the bleeder valve will be on the slave cylinder, which is a hydraulic piston attached to the bell housing of the transmission (or transaxle as in your case). It will be on the other end of the hydraulic line coming from the master cylinder you just located.

Bleeding a clutch is usually a two man job because of the distance between the clutch pedal and the bleeder valve and the fact that it is necessary to operate both at once. It is, however, very easy to do.

[boricua123]

Well guys, I found the reservoir and it was empty. I bled the line and it still the same. I just took it to PepBoys so they can tell me what's wrong with it. Once I find out I will let you know so you can tell me if it is an easy thing to do.

Thank you.

[boricua123]

I just got the results back and they told me I need to change the master and the slave cylinders... Is this a hard thing to do?

[Sluttypatton]

No it isn't really that hard, but it find it hard to believe that both went in unison. Usually it is one or the other, not both at the same time. However, they physically saw it, while I am on the other end of an internet connection, so I suppose their word is better than mine. If you feel like tackling the job yourself however, all it requires is basic hand tools and probably about 1-3 hours depending on your skill level.

[boricua123]

Do you think I should change the master cylinder first and see if that fix the problem before I try to change both of them?

[RandomTask]

One other thing, he could have a bent clutch fork or a hydraulic throwout bearing thats leaking, just FYI

[curtis73]

Dangit RandomTask... you always get the stuff I forget *touche*