Stocker

Driving home, the clutch pedal went to the floor, and when I fiddled with the pedal it went all the way up and stuck, hard pedal at top of travel



Going for unlikely-but-cheap first, I put a new slave cylinder. Not it.

Next most-likely: master cylinder. Not it?! I've been at this in the heat for a while and my think is broken. Help me out here, HA!



After bleeding the system, I have a hard pedal still at top of travel. When the throwout arm is connected to the slave cylinder, I can push the slave cylinder back all the way in, and when an assistant pushes the pedal the slave cylinder extends. I disconnected the slave cylinder from the TOB linkage arm and I can move the arm from nearly the anti-clockwise travel stop, through about an inch of travel in the direction of release, the direction the slave cylinder pushes.



There is NO resistance and NO push-back from any springs anywhere.



Shouldn't I be unable to move the throwout arm at all, and have to compress the slave cylinder in order to mount it on the throwout arm? Does this mean I have a bad throwout bearing or pressure plate, and which seems more likely . . . and WHY does it seem more likely?

WytchDctr

No noise was mentioned and no mention of slipping, etc. This came on suddenly when its a bit hot outside.. I am going with the snap ring let the TOB go. If I remember right when I put the ACT in my Elantra using the pedal to seat the TOB resulted in a bit extra pedal pressure way up top (I thought I was going to break it). Maybe its not going back in or not being held? My opinion is based on the suddenness of the problem combined with your ability to move that fork around with ease. I brought up the extra heat because metal expands (thats probably not the cause of it at all as that thing will get freaking hot regardless) If you could do that by hand the hydro system would be overkill.



If that is the case you may be able to "fix" the snap ring? If you want to do the work and not put in the parts when you are in there. I would assume if you try hard enough and found one of the same size you could yank the old one out and replace it. That or if there is a chance I'm close to right.. apply the Clarkson Principal. Hit the lever arm with a hammer (id go with deadblow rubber mallet) and see if it reseats?

Stocker

The clutch system was last touched like 60,000 miles ago. If the bearing popped out, my guess is something broke and let it pop out.



At any rate, when I get in there, I plan to have a fresh clutch/pp/TOB standing by in case they are needed. Wouldn't it just be spiffy to get in there with one part and have needed the other?



In related news, the dealership wants as much for a throwout bearing as you can get a whole clutch kit for, from eBay. Part of this hassle is price shopping. The local dealer says:

Bearing: $85

Clutch disk: $190

Pressure plate: $141

(= clutch kit for $416 for STOCK parts. Not a push conversion to hold 300HP. Wow.)



eBay says: $92 including shipping, no taxes. If you can wait a week.

i8acobra

Whether it's the TOB or pressure plate, it's definitely an internal component. So, with 60K on the clutch, I'd just buy a set and pull the tranny.

Stocker

Did buy, plan on pulling tomorrow AM. No choice but to pull the tranny to see WTH is going on in there It took a couple days to make a car-sized hole in the stuff in the garage.

Stocker

From about 08:30 or so, with (at various times) up to 4 helper buddies to help, until midnight. Wasted a couple of hours because the transaxle was crooked and caught in a bind and wouldn't come off the engine. Then my dad showed up and he shook that engine/trans. assembly like a baby that won't stop crying and it came apart much easier.



The throwout bearing had popped out and its retaining clip was rusted and worn-through. Popping it back in wouldn't have worked. New clutch/PP/TOB and finally at 23:52 I pulled the cars next to each other in the driveway after a celebratory lap around the block in my car. The new clutch grabs harder than the old, which is nice. I need to adjust the pedal but it disengages with travel to spare so it can wait.



Thank GOD for an impact wrench, and people willing to drop everything and come help.

WytchDctr

Glad its back together and had you used the Clarkson method it may have helped with stress... not so much with going again.