86_runner

I have a 97 tacoma 4x4 3.4 and the clutch pedal is getting stuck. Its not out of fluid and I bled the slave cylinder. Can ANYONE help with any info?

ilikesoup

is it sticking to the floor?... is the clutch action ok, as in driveable? I'm kindove having the same problem, but it has to do with my return spring (which is a piece of crap) I am going to be installing a linear spring as soon as I get around to buying it. Check it out here...
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...lastic+bushing

If the return spring is not the problem, Maybe someone with more knowledge can help ya out.

~Ryder

86_runner

Yes it is sticking to the floor but the clutch itself is ok. It doesnt do it all the time but sometimes the pedal goes to the floor and i have to pull it back up. The spring on this truck is about an inch in diameter and is perpendicular to the pedal, "correct??" See i tried to put a regular return spring on the pedal but there was a larger spring mounted above it that got in the way. Any ideas?

ilikesoup

ok now i realize we are having the EXACT same problem. My clutch is fully functional, but gets stuck down sometimes. I really don't know what is wrong... it FEELS like my spring unraveled one rotation, and is at about 30% of the tension of stock.

Ok to answer your question, yes the spring is mounted above the clutch pedal. (Looks like this) But in that link that I posted, they remove the coil spring, and replace it with a linear spring just like your brake pedel. You can not add the linear pull spring without removing the coil up spring, because it is in the way. The thing is, there is already a little place for the spring to hold on to that will allow you to put in a linear spring without any fabrication, almost like they were GOING to put in a linear spring, but decided not to.

XPY

So if I'm to understand this string of conversation the squeaky clutch sound is caused by the broken and or worn out plastic bushings that hold the coiled return spring in place. And if the clutch system is working but your clutch pedal sometimes stays to the floor and won't return on its own it's because the spring is worn out? Easiest fix is to install a linear spring, correct?

04 Rocko Taco

whether thats true or not, I can't tell you, but I can tell you that yes, thats what this thread says.

garrett1478

a worn spring should not prevent the pedal from returning. i have had no spring (neither torsion nor linear) at all for 6+ months and have had no problems with my clutch pedal returning fully.

XPY

Actually if you go here:
https://www.yotatech.com/newreply.ph...reply&p=417902

If you read throught the discussion according to Unhappy99, and I'll quote him.

"The only drawback here is that you no longer get help from the torsion spring to push the pedal down. If you look at the photos, or under the dash, you will see a lever arm which the torsion spring acts upon, and depending on where this lever is relative to the axle to which it is attached, the torsion spring pushes the pedal both up and down."

ilikesoup

Yeah, i finally installed a linear spring... fixed my return problems. When I had no spring in place, my runner drove fairly normal, because of the pressure plate returning the pedal. What I *think* might have happened, is the torsion coil spring was actually helping the clutch pedal go down too much, and it was causing it to stick on the floor, because after the removal of the torsion spring, the pedal operation was a lot more consistant, and not getting stuck to the floor. My spring actually looks different from the picture I posted earlier in the pic, and i think it might have broken free from it's proper location.

I did play a little bit with the clutch pedel freeplay adjustments which are on the back of the pedal, those are a bit tricky, and took me a while to adjust properly.


Also...
I was merely making a suggestion to install a linear spring, to aleviate some of the issues with the clutch pedal, obviously if the pedal doesn't return on a regular basis, something might be seriously wrong with the clutch system (master cylindar, slave... blah blah)

98_T100

First, I would like to thank all who have posted remedies here. I just went through an episode of this and the comments really helped.

My symptoms were that the clutch pedal occasionally stayed down. In most cases I could hook it with my foot and drag it up. A wrinkle I had was that on rare occasions, the clutch pedal could be all the way down, but the clutch was engaged. I'd have to haul the pedal back up and press it down again to disengage the clutch. In the process of resolving my issues, I learned a couple things.

1. Resistance (push back) from the clutch pressure plate (via the hydraulic system) plays a role in returning the clutch pedal to the relaxed (up) position. With no master cylinder in place, the pedal easily moves to the floor and stays there. As noted by several of you, the torsion return spring actually helps disengage the clutch as the pedal nears the floor.

2. There are no shortages of 'advice' on the topic. I was told by various repair facilities that it was absolutely a) bent fingers on the clutch pressure plate, b) a bad throwout bearing, c) a faulty slave, d) poor linkage (pedal height) adustment, e) a faulty clutch master cylinder, f) a tired return spring and g) worn plastic bushings.

In my case it turned out to be a bad master cylinder. We all expect a bad master cylinder (brake or clutch) to leak past the push rod (usually down the inside of the firewall). This one did not. After I put in the new master cylinder (MC) and found that it solved the problem, I disassembled the old one. The Toyota MC has two piston seals on the rod. What was happening on mine is that the leak was to the front (away from the opening at the back of the push rod) permitting that rare instance when the clutch stayed engaged. On those occasions when the pedal merely stayed down, the relaxation created by the leak meant there was not enough 'push-back' to overcome the torsion return spring.

The message I take way from this is that there are several things that can cause the pedal to stay down. Your situation needs to be carefully analyzed to determine which applies in your case. If all else fails, start with the cheap stuff and work your way towards the expensive. I managed to save myself from the $2K clutch installation recommended by my local Toyota dealership.

Dave

desert-rat660

if i were to guess i would say u have a bad master cylinder, ive replaced them before for an occasional sticking to the floor.

Turbospeed90

So I had this same issue, I replaced the spring and the clutch MC. I'm still having an issue with pedal sticking to the floor. The old clutch fluid was really nasty so I bled it all out before connecting the new MC. I can't get the new MC to pump any fluid through the line, I stuck an air hose to it and it blew out just fine, so its not clogged. Is there a special way to refill the clutch line? Thanks

One_96TR4

You need to bleed the system though the slave once it's all connected together again. It'll take a few pumps to get all the air out. It'll seem like nothing at first but it'll bleed.

XPY

I ended up replacing the master cylinder & picked up a break pedal spring that I installed onto the clutch pedal, problem permanently solved.

mabundis

Turned out it was a bad seal on the master cylinder. The dark brake fluid in the M-cylinder reservoir indicated dirt . . . which I then found inside the cylinder itself - - the dirt, which had then partly worn through one of the seals. But the seal did not fail entirely, so the fault was only intermittent and thus hard to track.

bmcghie

^ Dammit, that sounds exactly like my problem. Clutch works fine... occasionally sits on the floor and will engage/disengage as I play with the last 1cm of pedal travel available. Bad seal methinks...

Thanks for the help guys!

MP's4R

I first noticed my clutch not returning from the floor intermitantly. Then it evolved into the clutch slowly engaging while the petal is still pressed to the floor. If i sit at a stop light long enough the vehicle will start to stall and its hard to yank it out of gear. I notice at idle with the trans not in gear, ill put my foot on the pedal but not enough to depress it, just the weight of my foot, the pedal will slowly sink to the floor and nt pop back up. What could be the cause of this funkness?

bmcghie

$10 says it's your master cylinder seals going/gone.

I caught mine before they failed completely... but the initial symptoms were similar. Pedal staying down occasionally, but becoming more frequent over a week or so... pedal "feel" changed... sometimes barely releasing the clutch, othertimes completely normal.

I think you'll find replacing your master cylinder (or rebuilding it, there are kits) will solve the problem. New ones are pretty cheap too. Make sure to take your time bleeding the system afterwards. Also, bench bleeding before installation is NOT necessary, but does speed up the whole process.

Good luck!

XPY

I agree sounds like the seal on the master cylinder is going, I never could see or find the leak on mine and Toyota doesn't rebuild them, I also picked up a break pedal spring that I installed onto the clutch pedal, after installing the new master cylinder problem permanently solved. I still have my old master cylinder.

billabob1234

Hey Mp's4r
My 96 4Runner is doing the same thing you describe. Do you recall what ended up fixing the issue? I keep seeing stuff on the internet about replacing the spring, but I'm thinking that if the clutch allows the gear to engage while the pedal is depressed, something must be hydraulically wrong.

Bill