Erich_870

I dropped my 87' 4runner off at a local shop "B" to have looked at becuase of a surging problem my rig does after I have accelerated and let the gas up a little to slow down. My rig starts surging like I was tapping the breaks faster then humanly possible for me. VERY ANNOYING I thought it was a plugged fuel filter or something like that. I just called the shop and they feel it is my clutch. I trust these guys, but the thing is that I had my clutch replaced LAST summer, we're talking less than 10 months ago, and I KNOW that I couldn't have wrecked it. I don't drive like a bat out of and I haven't really been off roading, just dirt roads once in a blue moon.

When I had my clutch worked on the first time, garage "A", which is up where my parents live, said that my first clutch was soo bad that it had warn my fly wheel to the point where it had to be replaced too. Now I know for a fact that I didn't cause that because it never shifted correctly from the day I got it and that was the reason. I guess the clutch wasn't bolted down flat so part of it was always touching the fly wheel. If I didn't put it into first gear as I slowly roled to a stop at a stoplight I almost needed a sledge hammer to get it to go in.

What I would like to know is if any one has an idea what would cause a clutch to grab like that? And if you think it could be garage "A"s fault. Thanks for any ideas, and sorry about the length, I just have to figure out how to explain this to my parents, I'm sure they will think I did it:pat:

jx94148

Its possible that your rear main seal is leaking and motor oil is getting onto the flywheel. Just a guess.

Erich_870

What would the oil on the fly wheel do? Would it cause it to slip and then grab again?

growinseed

Oil reduces the friction between the clutch plate and the flywheel, which could cause the slip.

Nathan

Erich_870

I can totally get that, I just would assume that the oil would tend to spread its self across the whole clutch so I wonder why it would shudder like it does.

growinseed

Don't know if this insults your knowlegde but check it out.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/clutch2.htm
IMO the engage becomes erractic due to the oil 'interfering' with the flywheel to clutch plate resulting in a studder i.e. it starts to slip than engages over and over. The surge is quciker at higher speeds?

Erich_870

Ok, that makes sence, and yeah the surging does get faster the faster I am going. If that is the case what do you think you have to do fix it?? Is it a complete clutch job?

growinseed

If the rear main is leaking you might mave some oil leaking from the seam where the bottom of the bell housing and the engine block. Also if you pull the boot covering the fork at the slave cylindar it might also be have oil on it . Both these places should be free of oil. If its no engine oil but gear oil the front seal on the transmission might be leaking causing the same type of contamination. Are you losing either of these oils?
The fix involves dropping the tranny. cleaning and inspecting the cluch. replacing the seal that is the source, resurfacing the fly wheel and reassembly. If your last clutch job didn't include a pilot and throwout bearing, do these now so they aren't a problem in the future. With the proper tools and a bit of wrenching you can do this yourself. Did shop 'a' have any warrenty on their work?
Good luck.

Erich_870

Thanks to everyone who helped with ideas. You were all correct about my seal leaking on my clutch. I got my rig back today with a brand new clutch and found out that the rear main seal had been leaking and the fly wheel had never been resurfaced when the garage that was supposed to be very well known and respected replaced it for me LAST SUMMER. So now it is up to my dad to figure out if he wants to use the parts and digital photos I have of the mess they found when my rig was opened up last week to try to get some money back We'll see what happens, at least I didn't do it

Thanks again!