1993 Toyota Truck Clutch Adjustment

[KManiac]

A friend of mine has a 1993 Toyota baseline pick up with 4 cylinder and 5-speed stick, 183,000 miles and the original clutch. They have said that the transmission (clutch?) appears to slip from time to time when in gear and accelerating. This is a hydraulic actuation system, not cable. The clutch master is full.

Is this clutch system adjustable or are they experiencing an original clutch approaching the end of it's useful life?

Any comments would be welcome.

[fourwd1]

The clutch is well beyond it's life span, replace it now.

[fourwd1]

I take it you like 1964 Chryslers ?

[KManiac]

My friends have lent me this truck so I can drive it for myself and inspect it's overall mechanical condition.

Regarding the clutch, during normal driving, say during a first to second upshift, as soon as I let out the clutch pedal and give it throttle, the rpm's will pop up, then come down again, as if clutch engagement is somehow delayed. It doesn't do this all the time, just every once in a while. While cruising at speed and in either fourth or fifth gear, if you give the truck WOT, the rpm's will slowing spike up, then drop again, indicating that clutch application pressure is low, allowing it to slip slightly. Again, it will do this maybe 20% of the time, but not all the time.

I am thinking that there might be some type of binding in the hydraulic accutation system for the clutch that is somehow delaying or not allowing complete engagement of the clutch. Has anyone ever experienced this sort of thing with the hydraulic system, say like a sticky slave cylinder or a deteriorated hydraulic hose acting as a check valve?

Yes, I realize, too, that the clutch disc itself may very be at the end of it's service life. Not having a service manual handy, is there any way of inspecting the clutch disc thickness without removing the transmission or some type of wear indicator that could tell me the condition or thickness of the clutch disc without disassembly?

As far as clutch replacement goes, I presume that will require removal of the transmission. Are there any special tools required for a do-it-yourselfer, like me, to do this work in my garage?

All comments are welcome.

[rhandwor]

You will need four jack stands and a floor jack. A set of 3/8 and 1/2 drive metric sockets. A set of metric combination or double box wrenches. A long extension a couple of ratchets. A couple of impact swivels for 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive. Basically Toyota uses a lot of 10mm,12mm,14mm,17mm,19mm.
A big screw driver and something to move the engine to loosen some pressure plate bolts. Some sort of clutch alignment tool.
Remember to disconnect the battery negative before you start. When everything is disconnected have somebody help balance it on the jack before you pull it out. Buy a clutch kit and new clutch slave and master before you start.
Advance Auto and Auto Zone loan some tools.