HELP! Clutch/shifting problems!!

[YoungGunSupra]

ok well im not having shifting problems but heres the deal. usually my clutch has about an inch or two of free play before it engages. all of a sudden i no ticed it has about 4-5 inches of freeplay..im just guestimating. but its pissing me off! i dunno whats going on with it. is my clutch on its way out?! also i noticed there was some red fluid on my garage floor. dunno if that has anything to do with it..looked likee either toyota red coolant or maybe the power steering fluid. dunno..but yea help please!!

John

 

[SupaMan]

slave or master cly is leaking replace both of them, they should always be replaced as a pair. your pedal is getting freeplay because air is in the system.

fluid is brake fluid. which is used in the clutch hydraulic system.

 

[YoungGunSupra]

brake fluid is used in the clutch system?! hahah im new at this. thats weird. i had my brakes done at driftmotion. they used clear brake fluid so i dont think it was that unless it turns red somehow ^.- only thing that has red fluid that i KNOW of in my car is the toyota red coolant and power steering fluid. maybe i should check my clutch resevoirs -_- lol

 

[YoungGunSupra]

anyone else got an opinion?!

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

anyone else got an opinion?!

Check your slave and master for the clutch, the brakes are on a separate system.

 

[arknotts]

Yes, check your clutch master cylinder first to see if the level is low. Brake fluid will darken over time and usually turn a gold/brown color. My guess is that it's leaking from the slave cylinder on the transmission. Next time you go out to your car look and see where the puddle of fluid is leaking from.

 

[GrimJack]

slave or master cly is leaking replace both of them, they should always be replaced as a pair. your pedal is getting freeplay because air is in the system.

fluid is brake fluid. which is used in the clutch hydraulic system.

QFT - Quoted for truth. Check your clutch master cylinder, I'll bet it's low on fluid. And if it is, consider that it's a closed system, and that fluid had to go somewhere...

 

[suprajztwenty]

check the texture and smell of the fluid, if its thick like engine oil and you can rub your fingers together really easy then its power steering (my guess)

if it smells sweet then its red coolant, but it wont taste sweet so dont try, youll def regret it, lol.

if its a fairly thin oil (sort of like baby oil or brake fluid) you shouldnt be able to rub your fingers together very fast.

really just dip your finger in each reservoir to figure it out.

if its not brake/clutch fluid (which it definatly could be, just rusty, burnt, old clutch fluid) then my guess is your clutch is done adjusting itself and its on its last leg. the clutches are self adjusting to keep that free play in check, once that starts getting further, clutch slip will start to be an issue...really thats just a worst case scenario, i think its going to be something simple like air in the system like they said.

 

[Poodles]

Coolant DOES taste sweet, sickly sweet (face full of coolant from under car = FAIL)

 

[Flateric]

I had the same issue and the verification came from finding that I had fluid under my carpet inside the car just behind the pedal. There was no fluid under my car at all. It was hiding out inside my car just under the carpet. Which you also want to get cleaned up really well if is the case. It attracts dirt like crazy. It also is not good for you paint and can lead to exposed metal and then eventually rusting.

But any unusual play mean the fluid gone somewhere and it shouldn't really ever be consumed or need topping up. It doesn't get consumed so to speak.

 

[Poodles]

When I had this problem the bolts that hold the clutch fork flucrum backed out and one broke...

Rare (and I had MORONS do a clutch job...)