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Car and Truck Clutch Questions and Answers

This category contains featured questions as examples. They relate to most vehicles.

Question: 1965 Chevelle Malibu SS 350 mileage: 132,000. I have a weird problem and can not figure out what is happening. My Chevelle gets stuck in gear at high RPMs. I have to back off on the gas and get the car almost to a stop to get it out of gear. This mostly happens in 2nd Gear. It has happened in 3rd also but usually in second. I have taken the transmission out and looked at the gears. It looks fine with no wear, none missing or nicked teeth in the gears. I have a Corvette Fly wear (15 lbs). I looked at the Clutch in the bell housing and all looks fine. I am lost, for it only happens when there is a lot of torque on the trans. Specifications are, 350 - 4 bolt, Saginaw 4 speed transmission and Hurst Competition shifter.

Answer: Your problem sounds like the clutch pressure plate is not fully releasing at high RPMs. You may have a style of pressure plate that has centrifugal weight that helps apply pressure. These weights are located on each of the three arms. If so, this type of clutch is notorious for the problems you described. In addition, check the transmission input shaft where the clutch disc rides for nicks or burrs which would keep it from sliding smoothly.

Question: 2002 Chevrolet S10 mileage: 86,000. I am trying to replace the clutch. It has a NV1500 tranny. I have bought a new GM pressure plate, throw-out bearing, clutch disk, slave cylinder, and clutch master cylinder. The problem I have is that with all this new stuff installed, the clutch will not disengage. You can crank the truck, have pedal pressure, but when you push the clutch pedal in and try to put it in gear, it won't go. The flywheel was resurfaced and with all the new parts, there should not be any problems unless the new slave cylinder is bad. I don't know. The mechanic and I are stuck as to what the problem is. The clutch worked fine before it went in the shop. It had a slight vibration because of the flywheel. I just wanted to replace it because of all the miles and before something major went wrong.

Answer: You may have put the clutch disc in backwards. It must be removed to check to see if it was installed correctly.

Question: 1999 Saturn SL2 1.9 DOHC mileage: 110,000. I have a car problem that's just about to drive me nuts and I'm hoping you can help. I've found similar questions in your archives, but none that help. Recently my clutch pedal began losing resistance. It slowly worsened until eventually I couldn't even change gears while the car was running. Mistakenly thinking it was the clutch, I pulled the motor and trans and installed a new clutch kit--disc, pressure plate, and throw out bearing (even though the old assembly appeared to be in good shape). I reinstalled everything only to find the pedal still didn't have pressure. After rereading the appropriate chapter in my manual, I attempted to bleed the master and slave cylinders. Still getting no result, I bought the new hydraulic assembly from Saturn-all the pieces, lines, etc.

Now I have great pressure, but I still can't get the car into any gear while it's running. If it's off, however, I can get it into any gear and turn the car on; when I turn the car on, it immediately begins driving slowly (like it normally would with the clutch half-depressed, similar to when you ride a clutch at a red light on a hill). When I let out on the clutch, it takes off like it normally would, but I can't get it out of gear--I have to turn the car off. I've looked for adjustments, but there are none. I took the motor back out to see that everything had been assembled properly (clutch facing proper side, etc.), and it had. It seems that if the push rod off the slave cylinder was a bit longer it would work fine, but I've examined it side by side with the original, and both rods are the same length. Please help me--I'm running out of answers (as have all the parts store people and Saturn technicians I've talked to!)! Cory

Answer: Your problem may be a bent clutch disk. It is easy to do when reinstalling a transmission. Remove clutch to replace with new unit.

Question: 1994 GMC Sonoma SLS 4 cyl mileage: 53,000.  Recently, when I engage gears, several problems are experienced.  1) The truck does not have the same pick up and go that it used to, it definitely lags.  2) The gears seem to rattle and sound garbled until I get up to a certain speed at each gear I shift up to.  3) The automatic shift indicator lights up immediately after up shifting and much to soon for the next gear.  4) The automatic gear shifter lights up even after shifting to 5th.  5) The gears grind sometimes even after putting the clutch all the way to the floor.   Any ideas as to the nature and ballpark expense of the repair?  Thank you!

Answer:   The problems you are experiencing would point to a clutch replacement.

Question: 1999 Honda Prelude mileage: 105,000.  My son's Honda Prelude, 5-speed transmission, will shift through all the gears while the car is turned off, but if we attempt to start the car with the car in first gear and the clutch pushed in, the car acts if the clutch is engaged.  I tried bleeding the hydraulic line but it seemed fine (no air was in the line).  When the clutch is pushed in the clutch lever on the outside of the clutch housing moves about an inch and a half.  Is there a way to adjust the clutch?

Answer:   There is no adjustment for the clutch linkage.   Your problem may be that the clutch itself is starting to deteriorate.

Question: 1998 Isuzu rodeo mileage: 107,000.  I recently took the transmission with the transfer case out to change the clutch in my wife’s rodeo.  I put a new pilot bearing in, rear main, had the two-step flywheel turned, put in the new clutch, pressure plate-with attached throw out bearing, lined the clutch with an alignment tool and then was ready to put in the transmission and transfer case assembly.  The problem is that I could not get the transmission-transfer case to go back where it came.  I do not own a transmission jack and used two jacks to support it.  I had the transmission only an inch away but cannot seem to get it into place.   I tried putting it in gear and turning the spline hoping it would slide in or line up with the top pins where the motor is but I could not get the friggin thing to do what I wanted it to.  I have never experienced such a pain in the butt job as this one.   I even made sure the pilot bearing fit on the shaft before putting it in.  I also tried lifting and lowering the motor but the transmission transfer case would not go in!  One of the problems is that it is so lop sided--and heavy that you cannot shift it easy to where you want it. I would be forever grateful if you could give me some avenues to work with and or some tricks or methods I could try to get this thing back together!  I could have changed my motor twice in the time I have been working on this.  You guys were recommended as the ones that may be able to give me some advice. Thank you for considering my question.

Answer:   Make sure the splines are correct, remove the transfer case from the transmission.  With the transfer case separated from the transmission, the reinstallation of the transmission will be much easier.  Once the transmission is close to being installed, use extra-long bell housing bolts to aid in the alignment of the transmission.  Do not use the bolts to draw the transmission into place.  After the transmission is bolted up securely, reattach the transfer case.

Question: 1999 Chevy Pick-up 350 mileage: 180,000.  After changing out the clutch, master cylinder, slave cylinder, the plastic fluid holder and hose, bled the clutch as described in manual.  Feels like plenty of clutch!  However, clutch will not engage!  Pulled transmission down, checked clutch plate, throw out bearing, and clutch pad.  I changed only the pad.  Would this hinder proper operation of the clutch?  Did I need to change the whole thing out?  I forgot to mention, it is a 3-speed transmission.  Everything looks O.K.  What should I do?

Answer:   The clutch pressure plate may be faulty.  It is normally a good practice to replace the clutch pressure plate, clutch disk and throw-out bearing all at the same time.

Question: 2004 Toyota MR2 4AGE 1.6L 4 cyl mileage: 133,800.  About 4 months ago I was driving normally and suddenly the friction point on the clutch changed.  It used to be right in the middle of the clutch pedal travel, and very narrow.  When it changed, it moved noticeably further up the pedal travel and became broader.  I eventually adjusted to this change and was not concerned about it.  Lately, in the last few weeks, when the car is cold there is a bucking as I let out the clutch from a stop.  This is even in warm weather.  It feels as if my foot is shaking on the clutch pedal as I let it out (but it's not).  This goes away after about 5 minutes of driving the car.  Yesterday while working under the dash, I noticed a brownish-gray fluid all over the firewall behind the clutch pedal.  It seems to be coming from where the clutch pedal rod goes through the firewall to (I assume) the clutch master cylinder.  I do not know how long this stuff has been dripping but there is a fairly wide stream going down the firewall and underneath the carpet.  I have all the maintenance records from the previous owners of the car, and the clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing were replaced at 90,000 miles.  There is no record to indicate the clutch master cylinder has been replaced.  What is wrong with this car?  What could have caused the sudden change in the friction point?  I long for the old friction point again... 

Answer:  It appears, from what you have described, that your clutch master cylinder has failed.  If the clutch slave cylinder has not been recently replaced, it would be a good idea to replace both of them at the same time.

Question: 1990 Pontiac Grand Am 2.5L mileage: 116,000.  Something wrong with the clutch.  Wife driving said hard to get in gear for 2 or 3 red lights; then went dead at red light.  Did not have any resistance on pedal.  Engine was idling and went dead when clutch pedal was depressed and would not restart.  Engine is now locked-up; will not turn with starter.  Have installed new master cylinder and slave cylinder for hydraulic clutch.  That did not do the trick.  I think something broke inside bell housing and locked up the engine.  From what I have described what do you think happened and how much to fix?

Answer:  Sounds like something has come apart inside the clutch assembly.   Remove the transmission, inspect, and replace any damaged parts as necessary.  The cost will depend upon what is broken.

Answer:   Open bleeder on the clutch slave cylinder and bleed the system.

Question:   2001 Ford Ranger V6 mileage: 86,000.  Three years ago, I had to have the transmission replaced (manual 5) due to a leak in the transmission case.  Then this past July I was having problems again and needed some gears replaced.  At this time I had the clutch replaced (3 years previously they had said about 50% was left) Occasionally I was still hearing grinding going into fifth.   The shop replaced a bearing.  Two days after picking it up I got stuck not being able to shift and when driving it would start moving even with the clutch off and lurching with the break on.  They replaced the slave cylinder (originally replaced with the clutch although with two defective parts).  I again picked up my truck and in less than 24 hours, the same thing happened.  Now they say it is not the slave but the master cylinder.  Does this sound right?  Any ideas why I am having so much trouble?  Time to get rid of the truck?

Answer:   The problem you describe with the clutch could have been either the master or the slave.  Replacing the clutch master cylinder should fix the problem.  It was probably a good idea to replace the slave anyway.
 

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