Hey guys. I am hoping you can help me out with a problem I have been having. I have a 2000 Max, 5 speed. Previously I was getting more and more freeplay in the clutch, and was not getting any pressure until 1/2 way to the floor, then finally, the clutch lost all pressure, and the pedal was sticking on the floor. The car was unmoveable. I took it to a local shop that I've been dealing with for years, and they bled the the system a bunch of times. They were able to get the clutch to enguage enough to move the car around, but that is all. They determined that my master cylinder was leaking slightly, but that I might also have a slave cylinder issue. I had them change the master cylinder, and it was still not great, so I also changed the slave cylinder. The car is now driveable, but not great at all. I still have 1/2 of the pedal as "free play", with no pressure whatsoever, then I have pressure, and it is enguaging fairly low, and fairly abruptly. There is not alot of clutch play.

I bought this car with 95K miles on it, and it is now sitting at about 120K miles. I am sure that it has the origional clutch, and maybe it is time for a new clutch. I just don't understand why I have 1/2 the pedal movement with no pressure whatsoever. The clutch still enguages hard, and does not slip abnormally, even when crawling up onto a hoist. Any ideas? I sure would appreciate the help.

 

It sounds like, based on the mileage you have and years in operation, if this is the original clutch, it is time to change the clutch, pressure plate and the throw out bearing. With normal wear clutch material wears away increasing the point of engagement. As that is going on, the fingers on the pressure plate wear out also. This also increases the point of engagement. Whenever you replace the the clutch it is always a good idea to replace the throw out bearing while you're inside the transmission.

You should also make sure there aren't any oil leaks from the rear main seal or any other part of the engine that may be contributing to your problem.

But based on the mileage you have and years of service, replacement of the above items is over due in my opinion regardless if your car was only driven on the highway or not.

 

I know it would be getting close for a clutch change. Ok then, I now have a question for the clutch guru's.

Is it worth going to a stage 1 clutch, or should I stick with OEM for daily driving? Is there alot more pedal pressure with a stage 1?

 

Don't do anything until you rebleed the system first. It can be really difficult to get all the air out of the system particularly if whoever installed the master didn't prebleed it first. 95K is not that high for a clutch that hasn't been abused. If the clutch is not slipping or chattering there is nothing wrong with it. The only other thing would be that whoever changed the master didn't screw up the pushrod length adjustment.

 

1. He says the car has 120k on it NOT 95k. And at 95k that's a long life for a clutch.
2. He has no idea how the car has been driven for the first 95k.
3. He states the shop he has worked with for years has bled the system several times.
4. It is ABSOLUTELY AND COMPLETELY INCORRECT to state that there is nothing wrong with a clutch if it isn't making any noise and is not slipping.

 

Listen: You re read the post.......his multiple bleeding comments were for bleeding prior to the master and slave replacement. His original issue was caused more than likely by an ever worsening bypassing of fluid (and the leak?) in the slave or master, and they were both subsequently replaced. He had no other issues AND that's not unusual. It's more usual and normal that the first indication of a "failing" clutch is slipping under high loads caused by the normal friction material wear associated with normal clutch usage over whatever miles, whether it be 50k, 95k, 120k or 160k. It's who's operating the clutch, not the mileage that determines how long the clutch will last before the first indications of slipping. Clutches are dead simple and it ain't rocket science. In troubleshooting unless you're damn sure it's something else, you go for the simplest, easiest item first. He still has excessive freeplay and "early" engagement. He hasn't mentioned any other issues. Worn release fingers to the extent to cause this issue.......NO. Chattering by the way is not the sound, but is "rough", "grabby" or a "pulsing" engagement of the clutch. A failing release bearing.......NO. This sounds like a classic case of insufficient travel of the slave unit caused by air still in the system and the first thing to do is to rebleed the system.

 

i added a stage one on mine 200 max and its about the same as the oem imo still aint hit the 500 mile break in so aint get a chance to take it to the track and test it out

 

i had this same prob w my 2000 5spd i thought it was the clutch but turns out it was only the slave cyl an master cyl bone dry resov.. scared the s**t outa me