Hey guys,

Got a quick question about my clutch. A few days ago it started slipping (accelerating in anything above second gear has a bit of a rev flare before the car gets going), and just want to check everything before I put it in for a clutch replacement.

I'm just looking in the workshop manual and according to the "Clutch Pedal Check" section when the pedal is fully depressed (aka. clutch disengaged) there should be about 5cm between the clutch and firewall. In mine the pedal has made a mark in the carpet from where it pushes in, what could be the cause of this?

Any particular checks that I can do to see if there is another cause for my issue? I mean surely the clutch shouldn't have gone after only 68000km (ticked over today)?

Cheers

Hey guys,

Got a quick question about my clutch. A few days ago it started slipping (accelerating in anything above second gear has a bit of a rev flare before the car gets going), and just want to check everything before I put it in for a clutch replacement.

I'm just looking in the workshop manual and according to the "Clutch Pedal Check" section when the pedal is fully depressed (aka. clutch disengaged) there should be about 5cm between the clutch and firewall. In mine the pedal has made a mark in the carpet from where it pushes in, what could be the cause of this?

Any particular checks that I can do to see if there is another cause for my issue? I mean surely the clutch shouldn't have gone after only 68000km (ticked over today)?

Cheers

Checked the fluid? id get the system bled before replacing the clutch personally

Checked the fluid? id get the system bled before replacing the clutch personally

How can I check this, and any idea on how much I should be paying to get the system bled?

If it's not the clutch I certainly don't want to be paying to replace it yet. I mean as I said the car has less than 70000kms on it!

my sports start to do this after the dealer replaced the gearbox, they bled the salve clynder (i think thats what its called) and its been fine ever since and i've still got the original clutch in mine 148000 and still going. Oh and btw i've got the same mark in the carpet from the clutch pedal

How can I check this, and any idea on how much I should be paying to get the system bled?

If it's not the clutch I certainly don't want to be paying to replace it yet. I mean as I said the car has less than 70000kms on it!
Clutch fluid is the brake fluid, check the little white cannister in the rear left of the engine bay, near the firewall. It could just be some air in the system.

You can also adjust the clutch pedal via the bolts etc under the clutch pedal itself. Best to google how to do that.

my sports start to do this after the dealer replaced the gearbox, they bled the salve clynder (i think thats what its called) and its been fine ever since and i've still got the original clutch in mine 148000 and still going. Oh and btw i've got the same mark in the carpet from the clutch pedal

Perry is right

Get it bled shouldnt be anymore then about 70 bucks to do, a clutch is stuffed when you physically cannot get the car to move when in gear, until then adjustments works well

The clutch in the magnas has a seperate resevoir. Its not hard to bleed yourself, just get a friend to help. Adjusting the free travel is easy too. Look up under the dash, see the bolt the clutch pedal is resting against when it is out? Back off the lock nut and wind the bolt out a bit.

To bleed, you can actually get yourself a one man bleeding kit. Supercheap have them. Dont be scared.

how is bleeding his clutch fluid going to fix his slipping clutch... for one if you had a faulty master or slave cylinder OR had air in the lines.. you'd feel it in the pedal. the pedal wouldnt come up nicely when you release it AND it wouldnt require the same amount of force it used to to push it to the floor.. you'd also probably have trouble changing gears as the clutch wouldnt be disengaging properly...

the hydraulics are there to pull the pressure plate away when the pedal is pressed...

if the hydraulics were the problem disengaging the clutch (ie pulling the pressure plate away from the clutch plate) would be the problem.. which would result in difficulty changing gear.. faulty hydraulics or system requiring bleeding will NOT make your clutch all of the sudden start slipping...on a working car you can take off the hydraulics's all together and the clutch would be 100% engaged and will not slip. of course you wont be able to change gear though with the engine running

adjustment wont do anything either.. UNLESS you have no free play left. ..push the clutch softly.. you can feel if you have a bit of free play before the pedal goes hard ..(it goes hard when the fork is starting to bring the pressure plate away from the clutch plate).. if you have free play then your pressure plate is hard up against your clutch plate.. therefore there is no adjusting to do....


MY OPINION mate your clutch plate is worn out.. 70k of decent driving will do it... time for a new clutch kit

MY OPINION dont waste your $70 getting the hydraulics bled... waste of your money, it wont fix this problem

gremlin, explain Perry's post then? Same symptoms and a fluid bleed fixed the issue. Surely going balls-out on a new clutch is OTT when he can first try the small things that may well fix the problem. I highly doubt a clutch would die after a short amount of time, especially on a standard Magna.

Guys, if there is air in the clutch system, you will not be able to change gears due to the pressure plate not releasing the clutch plate all together.

I am confounded how bleeding could in any way assist in a slipping clutch

The clutch will slip when there is not enough pressure against the cluch plate from the pressure plate. There can be 3 main causes, Weak Pressure Plate, Worn CLutch Plate or perhaps and rare, bent clutch fork.

The oppersite is true, ie does not release when the clutch release system is not working due to lack or fluid, air in the system (either case you need to find out why), bent or broken fork etc

So in short, a dud cyliner or air in the system will cause the clutch not to release and thus it will not slip at all.

It is even more the case with Third Gens as they are a pull type system not a push system like on many RWD cars

The only savour could be a seized clutch slave or master cyl, bleeding may release some pressure as may adjustment, this could cause slipping

I've got about an inch of free-play in the clutch pedal, probably a bit more.

I presume my clutch fluid should be a nicer colour than this yeah?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/mitchello/IMAG0013.jpg

I've got about an inch of free-play in the clutch pedal, probably a bit more.

I presume my clutch fluid should be a nicer colour than this yeah?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/mitchello/IMAG0013.jpg

Yep that fluid looks pretty nasty, i would do a full bleed of the clutch system with new fluid, pretty easy to do especially with a friend helping.

Clutch was changed in my Magna after only 110000kms on the clock, it was slipping quite badly due to it being slipped a bit too much (stupid people dont know how to drive a manual properly withough slipping the clutch) and a "friend" leaving their foot partly on the clutch pedal for a bit whilst driving the car.
Once the clutch starts slipping it will hardly ever "fix" itself it will only get worse to the point where the clutch wont have any friction left.
Standard organic clutch plates while being easy to use and easy on the gearbox do not take well to heat and slipping at all, also the standard clutch plate size in my TH magna is rather small considering the size and torque of the engine so it doesnt take much to wear it out if not treated right in my opinion.

Certainly needs changin, the 2 most neglected areas in FWD cars are the brake fluid and clutch fluid

I change mine every 12 months or so with a full bleed

I've got about an inch of free-play in the clutch pedal, probably a bit more.

I presume my clutch fluid should be a nicer colour than this yeah?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/mitchello/IMAG0013.jpg
That fluid looks like it's boiled nicely at some stage.

slipping at all, also the standard clutch plate size in my TH magna is rather small considering the size and torque of the engine so it doesnt take much to wear it out if not treated right in my opinion.

rather small??? its the same size as an evo 7/8/9 .. that size can handle MASSIVE HP as we no.. the size isnt an issue...

the TL/TW have a smaller diameter clutch than the TH/TJ's.. dunno why mitsu went smaller but thats what happened..

hope a bleed fixes it for you mate but i totally disagree with ppl saying it will.....

rather small??? its the same size as an evo 7/8/9 .. that size can handle MASSIVE HP as we no.. the size isnt an issue...

the TL/TW have a smaller diameter clutch than the TH/TJ's.. dunno why mitsu went smaller but thats what happened..

hope a bleed fixes it for you mate but i totally disagree with ppl saying it will.....
Thats weird, when we pulled the old slipping clutch plate out it was quite small in diameter, i had a friend buy just a new clutch plate for my model magna which was alot larger than the old one when measured but it fit perfectly and is still working fine 20000kms down the track.

1) Madmagna is correct, air in the hydraulics will prevent the clutch from disengaging fully causing the gears to crunch while changing.

2) Don't see how clutch fluid could boil - it only reaches engine bay temp. But yes, it should be replaced at the appropriate time intervals.

3) From the symptoms you described, start saving for a new clutch.

Cheers

1) Madmagna is correct, air in the hydraulics will prevent the clutch from disengaging fully causing the gears to crunch while changing.

2) Don't see how clutch fluid could boil - it only reaches engine bay temp. But yes, it should be replaced at the appropriate time intervals.

3) From the symptoms you described, start saving for a new clutch.

Cheers
:nuts: Ever been to the drags? It happened on my Ralliart magna. :confused:

:nuts: Ever been to the drags? It happened on my Ralliart magna. :confused:

You want boiled clutch fluid, I have done this many a time on the track and in the rally car also, hot engine bay combined with hammering the clutch, it will boil like you would not believe

You want boiled clutch fluid, I have done this many a time on the track and in the rally car also, hot engine bay combined with hammering the clutch, it will boil like you would not believe


Well there you go.. Learn something new everyday..:)


Im gunna lean towards its new clutch time mitch. You wont get much change out of 1k for the job either..:(

Well Given that Mitch doesnt track his car and he doesnt drive it that hard on the street i doubt its boiled. Clutch fluid is the same deal as brake, its Gyroscopic so it absorbs water lowering the boiling point, now for it to boil while driving around normally would have to be pretty damn old.

Mitch get it flushed get some Castrol Dot 4 in there (red bottle). Dont get the silver one as it doesnt like getting mixed and can eat rubber fittings as well

If the clutch is still bitey but slips under load (ie. will still engage quickly and spin the wheels, but starts slipping in second or third when you plant the foot) then it would be your pressure plate. I would see if it can be adjusted first.

If the clutch is still bitey but slips under load (ie. will still engage quickly and spin the wheels, but starts slipping in second or third when you plant the foot) then it would be your pressure plate. I would see if it can be adjusted first.

Hydrolic clutch self adjusting. No adjustment.

Hydrolic clutch self adjusting. No adjustment.

Oh true just thought i'd throw it in as an old car of mine had a weak pressure plate and adjustment fixed it, i'm still learning. :confused:

Hydrolic clutch self adjusting. No adjustment.

Yes and no

There are adjustments for clutch pedal free play and also the pedal rod length. If this has been messed with you can have issues later down the track also with slipping as the slave cyl rod is not able to push all the way back

Haven't done anything yet, clutch seems to be fine today :nuts: Isn't slipping like before.

And yeah, I don't drive it hard, sure I give it the boot occasionally like everyone does, but most of the time I just cruise around.

Had the same issue myself a couple of weeks ago. fitted a new clutch kit and all is ok. I don't think adjusments will resolve your issue as i don't see how a fully engaged clutch(foot off it) can cause it to be slightly disengaged. To be sure, if you can get to the slave cylinder, try pushing the rod back into it. if it goes back manually, your clutch is stuffed for sure.

Car's at the mechanics now, said he's having trouble separating the thrust bearing and pressure plate (I think that's what he said)...

check this post (http://aussiemagna.com/forums/showpost.php?p=890887&postcount=43) out...

cheers,
.wook

Just gave him a call and he has succeeded in getting it off, but thanks for the advice wook :thumbsup:

Said the clutch is trashed, I'm getting him to chuck it into a box in the boot so I can have a look, will post pics.

Dropped in at the mechanics to have a look, and while I've never seen a clutch in person I'm pretty sure what mine looked like is far from what it should!! Scraped and burned, I'd say the one of the two previous owners didn't know how to drive a clutch properly!!

Car's on a hoist for tonight, will pick it up at lunch time tomorrow. Lucky my sister's letting me borrow her TJ to get to work in the morning ;)