1996 4runner 5 speed, 3.4. My clutch feels like a 60s dump truck, very hard to push in. Extremely annoying in heavy traffic. I haven't really started looking yet but the mc has fluid. I beleive the clutch has been replaced. I recently brought this thing back to life after it sat for 12 years or so. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

If it sat for 12 years, it's possible the hydraulics have partially seized with corrosion or contaminants, or the pivot has rusted, or the input shaft/throw out bearing has lost lubrication and is sticking. Or the pressure plate got hot and tempered the springs.

I would start simple with flushing the clutch fluid. See if that helps, You can replace the slave or master if it doesn't hurt your budget. The remaining checks and services will require splitting the trans from the motor.

 

Good ideas above. Also I would check and lubricate the pedal mechanism, and inspect its motion carefully. Sometimes the firewall metal where it is mounted rusts and gets soft and the pedal bracket can twist and go funky in action making the action much harder.

 

Thanks fellas. I unbolted the MC off the firewall and the linkage seems fine, I had already lubricated everything. I'm going to go ahead and get a new MC and slave cylinder and flush it with all new fluid. If that doesn't do it I'll probably go ahead and put a clutch in it. I have a feeling it's probably the throwout bearing or the springs are too stiff.

 

I had a very stiff clutch pedal when I bought my 97 5speed 3.4. I did all kinds of things, the spring mod to the clutch, the slave and master cylinder, It turned out to be the clutch pivot (?) not sure what it is called. It was cracked three ways! Once I tore down, I went ahead and put a new clutch in as well. (At 170K) It has been shifting great ever since!