Ok, So I had my clutch replaced at a shop here in Colorado last April or May and after nearly a year my clutch will not even engage completely. I started noticing what I thought was a tranny issues maybe 2 weeks ago and today I went to drive it and my clutch would not engage, I couldnt even get it into 1st, so I shut the car off and put it in first then restarted it. I noticed that with my foot on the clutch (all the way down as far as it would go) that it would start to go forward uphill! I was wondering, if somebody here could help me and tell me possibilities, also if anyone can help me by telling me how hard it is to take the tranny down to look and see if I can find anything that would not "look" normal. I have a 1990 4Runner 3.0 and as far as I know the tranny and transfer case are original. I have a very limited supply of tools (a 32 piece craftsman set). However, I do know a bit about cars so I think if I have to borrow tools I could possibily do it myself if its not to hard.. Please get back to me as this is my only car.

Thanks,
Julian

 

Have you checked your pedal bracket yet?

 

No, I have not. What would I look for? Is it just where the clutch pedal attaches? Im sorry, I searched on here but didnt really find anything. Also, I was talking to my mom about it and she said when she was driving it while I was out of town that it made a pop noise. Im wondering if a spring or something popped out of place, if thats even possible.

 

Sounds to me like it is not disengaging. Is the master cylinder full of fluid? Have you tried pumping the clutch pedal? Any fluid leaking out of the slave? With it in neutral, have someone look to see of the slave cylinder/clutch fork are moving while you pump it.

 

x2 on the bracket, im in castle rock and can come take a look and weld it up of need be

 

Well, how I understand it, is when its engaged you can shift correct? If so, then it is not engaging. Because while im sitting still it will engage/disengage partially where the truck will not die but is idling very low and will start to move if my foot is not on the brake.. The Master is full, and if I "double clutch", I can shift a little easier. Is the slave cylinder the one on the Tranny itself?

 

How much would you charge me for that Blake? That would be awesome! But, if someone can just explain what Im looking for I can look. Or I can even try to take pictures and post them here!

 

The way I think of it is engaged means the truck is moving. Disengaged is sitting at idle.

When you can shift, the clutch would be disengaged, as in the tranny is disengaged from the engine.

"Double clutching" might have the same effect as pumping the clutch to build pressure if the master is shot. Yes, the slave is the one on the tranny. If the slave has "blow by" you will see fluid dripping out of it. Because you say the master is full, this would not be an issue. If the master has "blow by", it will just recirculate, and not leak. If you have it in neutral, and pump the clutch, and it starts to build pressure and move the fork (you need a helper to look under while you pump), then I bet the master is shot. If does not move, even with pumping, then I would say the bracket is shot.

Do you know how to shift without the clutch? If you know how, but you can't do it now, maybe the issue is more along the lines of synchros....does this problem occur with all shifts, or only one or 2 gears?

 

Yeah, I know how to shift without the clutch. That's what I did today, and that works just fine. All, I was using the clutch for was to sit at the lights so the truck didnt die. So, if I have someone pump the clutch and the slave moves then the bracket is not broken? But if it leaks then that means the master cylinder is bad?!? Im just trying to understand your post a little better!

Edit: Using the clutch while driving makes no difference, Like when I tried using the clutch it wouldnt shift. I only used the clutch to idle because that all it is good for at this point! I am starting to believe it may be the bracket because now that I think about it, if i push myself all the in the seat with my foot on the clutch it will hit the floor and the idle will go up by maybe 200 RPM's. So im guessing that may be my issue and it may have been the "pop" that my mom heard!

 

if the fluid is blowing past the slave cylinder/piston, fluid will be leaking at the tranny.

if the fluid is blowing past the master cylinder/piston, it is just short circuited back into the reservoir and will not leak.

pumping the pedal can help build pressure to overcome either of these problems (just like brakes)

if the bracket is broken, the bracket will move, countering the action of the master cylinder (instead of pushing the piston forward, the bracket will move backward)

If fluid is full/no leaks, you know the slave is good.

If you can shift fine w/o clutch, synchros are good.

If pumping the clutch helps, master is most likely bad (we already ruled out the slave being bad because the reservoir is full/no leaks).

If pumping does not help, bracket is most likely bad.

make sense?



(P.S. when my slave went out, whenever I came to a stop, the slave wanted to die. if i pumped the clutch, i would be able to get it in neutral. when ready to move, I would pump it a few times, then put it in gear, then shift w/o clutch)

(P.S.S. at least you know the clutch is fine. )

 

Ok, last night when I ran out. I rolled through the intersection because I could not get into first again but after pumping it maybe 30 times it would go into first but was a very "rough" shift.

 

If pumping it really did make a difference, I would lean towards the master being toast. Have a partner watch the fork, or do the pumping for you. See if with each pump it goes a lil further than the last.

 

Thanks, for your help guys.. Im going to check it as soon as I get someone to help me! If its the master cylinder, how hard is that to change? I looked at Autozone its looks like its $30 bucks. I was wondering what you guys think about a used one?

 

Ok, so I got under and looked at the slave cylinder on the car and when the clutch is pushed the cylinder moves but not very far and it has to be pumped quite a bit. I also got under the dash and looked at the clutch pedal and the bracket is cracked in the top left hand corner! Is my only problem a broken bracket or a master cylinder as well?

 

Probably just the bracket. Odds would be slim for both to fail at once. I would be willing to bet that pumping it 30 times like you said earlier did nothing, and that pushing it harder in frustration after 30 pumps is what worked.

 

Thanks guys, I pulled the bracket out the night of the post and checked it. Sure enough it was cracked on the top left corner. I had a neighbor of mine weld it up for me and it has been running fine since then..

Julian