My clutch is not working Entire clutch repair or clutch master cylinder repair? How do I check the cylinder?
While driving my car, I heard a pop, or recoil sound. The clutch pedal is nolonger going all the way to the floor and car will not shift into any gear, as it is stuck in neutral with no pedal ability.
Entire clutch repair or clutch master cylinder? How do i check the cylinder?
Entire clutch repair or clutch master cylinder? How do i check the cylinder?
My car has 130000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. Check the slave cylinder to the clutch and see if the piston is all the way out. If the piston is all the way out or its not touching the clutch fork, then the release bearing has broken and the fork has moved into the clutch. If the slave cylinder is relaxed and the fork is against it, then the clutch pressure plate has sprung a pressure spring. If the pedal can go down but not all the way to the floor, then the clutch needs replaced with a new release bearing. If you need further assistance with a clutch replacement, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Common signs include low or dirty fluid, difficulty shifting, and abnormal pedal behavior.
If there is no leak, then there may be air in the clutch hydraulic system. I recommend bleeding the clutch slave cylinder and the clutch master cylinder. If you need further assistance with your clutch not working, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
The purpose of the Clutch Position Sensor is to interact with a magnet fixed to the master cylinder piston to indicate the position of the clutch pedal. The clutch position sensor is used to detect clutch engagement.
Air as cause of malfunction
As far as the hydraulic clutch is concerned, the following symptoms may occur: Change of the pedal travel. Difficulties in disengaging the clutch. Imprecise pedal feel.
Like other components of the clutch system, the clutch master cylinder can exhibit very characteristic faults. It is therefore very important to be aware of all of them. Depending on the vehicle model, repairing the clutch master cylinder is usually quite simple, as well as inexpensive.
Master cylinders are divided into two primary categories based on the internal mechanism used to generate hydraulic pressure: seal over port systems and center-feed type systems.
If there is air in the system, you do not get enough pressure and the clutch is not able to fully engage. Bleeding the clutch is a process in which you remove all the fluid currently in the system, getting out all the liquid and air, and replacing it with purely liquid.
To achieve this, many modern manual vehicles use a clutch switch (or clutch sensor) which is a small component located under the dashboard near the clutch pedal. Its job is to prevent the car from starting unless the clutch pedal is pressed down, disengaging the transmission form the engine.
The clutch switch, also known as a clutch sensor, is a safety device on most modern manual transmission vehicles. Its purpose is to prevent the engine from starting while the vehicle is in gear. The switch is normally mounted on the clutch pedal, but it may also be located on the clutch master pushrod.
A malfunctioning clutch can also cause poor acceleration. The reason why is that the clutch is slipping and unable to transfer power from the engine to the drivetrain.
The average lifespan of a clutch is anywhere between 20,000 to 150,000 miles. Luckily, your clutch will likely give you ample notice that something is going wrong. Don`t get left at the side of the road with a vehicle that won`t shift into gear.
With a sudden breakdown, the clutch ceases to work entirely and the car won`t move. With gradual failure, you may experience problems such as the car not stopping when you press the pedal. Sudden failure is most often caused by a broken or loose clutch cable, linkable or a failed hydraulic master/slave cylinder.
It`s often easy to tell when a hydraulic system fails — symptoms can include high temperatures, low pressure readings and slow or erratic operation are glaring problems.
In the case of hydraulic systems, there are three easily detectable symptoms that give early warning of root cause conditions. These symptoms are abnormal noise, high fluid temperature and slow operation.
Most hydraulic clutch systems have their own dedicated master cylinder; however, some vehicles use one master cylinder for both the brake system and the clutch system. Any time you open the hydraulic system you will need to bleed it to remove air pockets.
If you are sure that your clutch has worn out beyond repair then you can potentially replace the clutch yourself at home. It is possible, but it is a relatively lengthy and complicated procedure. There are several fiddly steps where there is a wide scope for things to go wrong.
Filling the Clutch Master Cylinder
Most vehicle`s require SAE J1703, US FMVSS or 116 DOT 3 brake fluid in the clutch master cylinder.
Although some hydraulic clutches can be adjusted, many are self-adjusting. Check in your car handbook or service manual. If slip occurs on a self-adjusting clutch, the clutch has to be overhauled. If drag occurs, the hydraulics may be at fault (See Checking and removing a clutch master cylinder ).
Pedal ratio is the amount of leverage your clutch pedal exerts over the master cylinder. On average, clutch pedal ratios range from 5.0-7.0:1. To determine the pedal ratio, measure the pedal pad to the pivot, then measure from the master cylinder rod mount to the pivot and divide the second measurement into the first.
The difference between the clutch master cylinder and the clutch slave cylinder. The clutch master cylinder is a part connected to the clutch pedal and the clutch booster via oil pipes on a car. It collects pedal travel information and achieves clutch separation with the aid of the booster.
The Stage 2 clutch, featuring a segmented or full-faced pure Kevlar disc with steel backing and offers slightly longer life and higher torque capacity than the Stage 1.
When the clutch pedal is released, the springs of the pressure plate push the slave cylinder`s pushrod back, which forces the hydraulic fluid back into the master cylinder.
Checking the cable
Move the clutch pedal by hand. You should be able to feel whether the cable slides smoothly. If it does not, the cable may be bent at too sharp an angle by being wrongly routed. Usually there are guides to keep its path smoothly curved.
Pressing the clutch and raising the RPM to 4000 to 5000 can be destructive for the entire car clutch system. A few wheel spins might make you replace your clutch place or even the entire clutch system.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My clutch is not working Entire clutch repair or clutch master cylinder repair? How do I check the cylinder?
ANSWER : Hi there. Check the slave cylinder to the clutch and see if the piston is all the way out. If the piston is all the way out or its not touching the clutch fork, then the release bearing has broken and the fork has moved into the clutch. If the slave cylinder is relaxed and the fork is against it, then the clutch pressure plate has sprung a pressure spring. If the pedal can go down but not all the way to the floor, then the clutch needs replaced with a new release bearing. If you need further assistance with a clutch replacement, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
I have no clutch it goes to the floor and I cannot find the slave master cylinder for the clutch master cylinder please send pics
ANSWER : The reservoir supplying the fluid to both cylinders is the brake master cylinder reservoir. However, adequate fluid there means nothing as a diagnostic. The clutch slave and/or master cylinder could be leaking internally (no visible external leak) or there could be air in the clutch hydraulic system that will have to be bled out. There are other mechanical causes of the clutch pedal going to the floor but in your circumstances that hydraulic circuit should be looked at first. If you desire a diagnostic, and repair of this issue, right at your location, please request a clutch system inspection. If you request that inspection, the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Clutch pedal goes to the floor and doesn’t return
ANSWER : Hello, thanks for your question. You could watch the clutch fluid as it mentions in the test, but this really doesn’t tell you much. Most of the time this is caused by a bad clutch master cylinder. If the fluid level is low the first thing to do would be to locate the leak. If the fluid is full then I watch to see that he clutch slave is moving when the clutch is pressed. If it is and if it is releasing but the pedal stays down then that is another reason to change the clutch master. If the clutch slave and fork are not releasing then it may have an internal clutch failure. If you would like help getting this inspected or repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to perform the inspection and make or suggest any repairs needed.
Clutch pedal stays to floor. Replaced master cylinder. Clutch push rod broke. Also do I need to change slave cylinder
ANSWER : If you have an issue with your clutch pedal going to the floor, the slave cylinder is normally the cause of this circumstance.
Also, if the push rod has been broken the first step would be to track down a new one because that push rod is a very necessary part of the clutch pedal system.
Once a new push rod has been located and installed, I would recommend having a new slave cylinder installed as well.
If you are in doubt about this repair, I would recommend having it performed by a qualified professional, such as one from YourMechanic. One of our mobile technicians will be able to come to your home to diagnose the issue with your clutch pedal and replace your clutch slave cylinder as necessary.
Clutch not working after replacing slave cylinder and master cylinder
ANSWER : Hello. We will be happy to help you with your vehicle. It sounds like you have a problem with your throw out bearing. You would likely need to drop the transmission once again and check that the installation of the throwout bearing is proper. You may also try to peel back the boot around the slave cylinder to see inside of the transmission. By doing so you may be able to see possible damages on the throwout bearing. It will be a great idea to use a stethoscope before you take the vehicle back apart to help pinpoint exactly what portion of the transmission coming from. Another very important thing that you should check are your axle’s, make sure they are seated correctly inside of the transmission.
Master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder replaced
ANSWER : Unfortunately, using the same plastic clutch slave cylinder assembly the vehicle was manufactured with will cause the same results if the vehicle is abused. The plastic part is very strong, but cannot withstand the heat and pressure from hard driving. You may be able to do some research and find a higher performance part produced by an aftermarket company, as some companies specialize in manufacturing upgraded parts for higher performance. If you would like some assistance with this, one of the technicians from YourMechanic can come to your location to inspect the shaking problem and let you know what repairs are needed.
Replaced master cylinder and brakes still going to the floor and not working. Bed both master cylinders and each wheel.
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. At first it sounds like you may still have air in the system. The other option is that you may have a leak somewhere. Try to bleed the master cylinder and the lines again. The new master cylinder must be bench bled off of the vehicle exactly as the instructions say. The other problem could be a leak on the system. You should check for drips, puddles forming, or other signs of leaking brake fluid. Worst case scenario, the replacement master cylinder may have come to you faulty in the first place. This is rare but can happen, especially when it comes to remanufactured master cylinders. New ones typically don’t have issues. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.
Replaced clutch master and slave cylinder, but my car still won’t go into gear while running
ANSWER : If the hydraulics are working correctly, there are a couple of things that could be wrong with the clutch that would prevent it from releasing. Unfortunately, any of them will require removal of the transmission for repair.
At 191,000 miles, it could be that your pressure plate has failed and is not fully releasing, or it could be that the disk is severely worn and there is an accumulation of debris between the disk and the plate which would also keep it from releasing. Either of these would be corrected with a clutch replacement.
If you contact YourMechanic, they can send a technician to your home to evaluate your problem and help you figure out what to do next in order to avoid any unnecessary repairs.
