Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

I got in my car this morning and the clutch felt pretty weird.
It was just a little squishy.
Also, it would not go in gear.
I immediately thought about my brother's slave cylinder going out one time in his VW and it acting just like this.

Here are the symptoms:
1. clutch is squishy
2. clutch does not seem to want to come all the way out sometimes
3. will not go into gear(obviously) because of the clutch.
4. clutch engages almost at the floorboard where before, it would engage when it was almost all the way out.

Do we have Hydrolic clutches or mechanical?(I am almost positive it is hydrolic because of the fluid resevoir under the hood....which is full, BTW.

What do you think is wrong based on the symptoms?

Any other things to look out for?



**If it is the slave cylinder, I think my brother and I can do that pretty quickly. I guess at this point, I am kind of hoping that is what it is.

Thanks for any help.

SPiG

iTrader: (7)

We have hydraulic. Check your clutch fluid. It is in the small master cylinder near the right (facing the car) side of the firewall. If it is empty then you probably have a leak.

It is most likely the rubber line connected to the slave cylinder. I just used a SS line from a GD and bought a new slave cylinder just in case.

http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/802
GD for SS line:http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=338081

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Cold? Better when warm? That fluid is probably 4.5 years old now.
1) Check the slave for leaks. If none...
2) Flush/rebleed the line

Problem solved.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the help, spig.

Bump....

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Why the bump?

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

It is a little better when it is warm.
Not that much.

I just talked to the guy at the dealership. He said if the resevior got too low for some reason, it would have sucked air in. If I bleed it, it might just be solved.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Jeff....what all do I need to do to check the slave for leaks?(as stated above by you)

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

A decent pair of eyeballs and a lick of common sense.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

HYDRAULIC Seams to be right up there along with breaks on this forum.

Spelling 101.

See if there is any air in the line by bleeding the system first. Usually the slave cylinder doesn't just fail, it starts to leak. At that point you wind up with the condition you have after the reserve runs out and you suck in air.

If you bleed the system and you still don't have enough pressure to release the clutch, the clutch master cylinder might be at fault.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Oh, you mean just look for a leak under there?
Didn't know if there was more involved to it.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, njmaxseltd. I appreciate the advise(as well as others).
Sorry about the spelling errors. ha ha. I will try to keep up with that better from now on....esp when talking about my hydraulic clutch. ha ha.

When you say that the Master cylinder "might" be at fault, do you think it is the most likely scenario? Or could it still be the slave cylinder as the culprit?

Thanks,

1MAX2NV

iTrader: (5)

I would just replace both if you want to get it over with. But cheaper way would be replacing the cheaper slave cylinder first and then the master cylinder.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, I know it would be better to just do it all while I am under there with everything apart, but I just really don't want to replace anything if it does not need it....ie the master cylinder. That thing is not that expensive, but by the time I got the hoses and both cylinders, it would be like $200.
Just trying to keep from having to do that.

I guess if worse comes to worse, I can do that.

It is still not that bad for maintenance.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Well, I just ordered a Slave cylinder from NAPA.
Nobody but the dealership stock it in town, so it will not be here until tomorrow.

I will go home tonight and bleed the lines for the slave, and probably the master cylinder to see if that cures what is ailing my baby. If that does the trick, I guess I will tell NAPA to just keep the slave cylinder.

Any of you ever tried this clutch bleeding with a power/speed bleeder.
My brother has one and we have done his clutch and brakes. We will probably try that tonight. It is so fast and easy.

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

Also doesnt hydraulic fluid accumilate air over time?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

If no leaks, no. Much more likely to accumulate water over time

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Any experience with how long it takes to leak down if the slave hose is "sweating" the fluid out typically? I just don't know how long I need to test this.

1MAX2NV

iTrader: (5)

hydroscopic....water.

1MAX2NV

iTrader: (5)

Bleeding the clutch system is much easier than brake system. The line is much much shorter so a few good pumps will do it.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Cool....good to know.
I know the brakes can take a while to do.
That is why we got that power, speed bleeder.

NISMOPower

iTrader: (2)

I'm having this problem but I just finished my 5spd conversion recently. I just bought the slave and master cylinder from JerryRome Nissan for like $127 Shipped. I have a straight hydraulic line from master to slave cylinder. I also had used cylinders.

Few Questions out there.....
I had someone that told me to use Dot3 Fluid for Clutch Systems..any Input....
Does anyone know how to gravity bleed a line. From what I know is that you flip a new bottle of brake fluid into the resiouvor and open up the bleeder and wait all day long.........


Chris

MaximA StyLeZ

iTrader: (11)

i had the same syptoms, and it was my throwout bearing. Got a brand new clutch, really sucked ! $500

njmodi

iTrader: (4)

Actually hygroscopic ...

exit10

You mean "seems"

njmodi

iTrader: (4)

ouch!

dentalstud

Hahaha....pwned!!!!

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

owned by the "newbie" lol

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

ha ha ha.
That is funny.


Dentalstud, I have not seen you on here in a while.
I don't know if you remember, but I think I tried to buy a maxima from you back at the beginning of last year?


______________________________________________

update:

Looks like the air in the line was the culprit....I hope.
I bled the line and it seems to be back to normal again.
I just hope that is all there was too it, and it is not one of the cylinders.
The resevoir had aparently gotten just low enough that a heavy turn probably sloshed the fluid around and got some air in there.

All clutch pressure appears to be back and functional.

Will update though.
(thanks for help all)

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Well if the fluid is low, there's probably a leak in the mc/lines/slave.

Batxel

iTrader: (1)

When I bled my clutch I used DOT3 Brake fluid. While I was at pepboys I saw what they called clutch fluid which was like 3x as much (like $3.00 for a cup of it). Is this so called clutch fluid better? or worth it?

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

I think brake fluid is supposed to just be used.
That is what I have always heard.

Jeff92se, Thanks for all the help, man.
I am going to keep an eye on the resevior and see what is going on with all that.
So far, through the weekend, nothing has happened. I will keep you posted.