I was driving and everything was fine. I then downshifted exiting a turn and my pedal stuck to the floor. I lifted it with my toe and it now comes back to the top, but there's no pressure and it's hard to get into gear. It doesn't feel like it's slipping, the clutch cylinder is full and I don't appear to be spraying fluid out of any lines. Should I just bleed it and if so what's the proper way? Open bleeder, clutch in, close bleeder, lift clutch, repeat?

 

The clutch master cylinder is bad... Check under the dash and see if it's leaking inside the cabin where the MC comes through the firewall. Most likely the rubber seals inside of the cylinder are bad and not holding pressure.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NineTwoSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The clutch master cylinder is bad... Check under the dash and see if it's leaking inside the cabin where the MC comes through the firewall. Most likely the rubber seals inside of the cylinder are bad and not holding pressure.</TD></TR></TABLE>

bingo. same thing happened to my 98 GSR. I replaced the master cylinder and everything was fine and dandy.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NineTwoSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The clutch master cylinder is bad... Check under the dash and see if it's leaking inside the cabin where the MC comes through the firewall. Most likely the rubber seals inside of the cylinder are bad and not holding pressure.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I just checked. Keep in mind I made probably 15-20 shifts after this happened/before posting this. There's no fluid coming through, but the grease on the rubber boot under the dash feels more fluidy than greasy. Do you still feel the same about your statement?

 

Absolutely. I have had many MC woes. Even if the fluid is not leaking into the cabin doesn't mean that the seals inside aren't bad. Also pull the rubber boot back that covers the area where clutch slave cylinder goes into the tranny and check for leaks from there as well. It could be leaking into the bell housing. You might not find any leaks at all but that doesn't mean the MC isn't bad. I've just completely disassembled both of my clutch slave cylinder and master to see all the inner workings and it is far more likely that the master is bad.

 

If it were leaking into the bell housing, wouldn't that cause slippage? How hard of a job is the MC replacement? Hours for doing it for the first time?

 

What parts from this list?

http://www.hondaautomotivepart...INDER

 

If it was leaking into the bell housing it would just run down into the bottom and leak out of the various holes down by the flywheel cover plate. It wouldn't necessarily even get onto the clutch and/or flywheel, so to answer your question, no it probably wouldn't cause slippage. Now, granted it will take slightly longer the first time you do an MC it doesn't take that long. I can seriously have mine out and a new one in in less than a half hour. It two bolts inside the cabin that hold the MC to the firewall and then the two lines that connect to it inside the engine compartment. There is one cotter pin you will have to remove that connects the MC to the clutch pedal so make sure you have a new one to replace that with. Even if you completely take your time it shouldn't take you more than maybe 1 - 1 1/2 hours.


Modified by NineTwoSi at 10:37 AM 6/2/2006