But I think more people tend to read this section of the board, and with swaps and all.... well, I figured I could get help here. I posted this in the Integra section:

hi everyone.. i need your help please!!!! my girl's LS is acting VERY weird this past couple days.. (94 LS w/108k miles)
first the clutch is feeling a lot softer lately.. very easy to push in compared to before, and it grabs a LOT sooner that before.. very close to the floor. AND, gears are VERY difficult to get into now... most of the time. Most of the time I can't even downshift to second. a lot of the time it is almost impossible to get into certain gears. Also, I don't know if this might pertain to it or not, but reverse has ALWAYS been a bitch to get into gear.

any positive input appreciated.. THANKS!

thanks guys.

 

clutch

 

Check the clutch master cylinder first... leaks etc..

 

see if you or a friend can bleed the clutch hydraulic system first to rule that out.... it is very similar to bleeding brakes.




[Modified by owen_the_soyboy, 4:57 PM 9/17/2002]

 

that simple? bad clutch?

 

clutch slave or master is leaking.

Peel back the rubber boot on the transmission where the slave cylinder goes in, you will be able to see rod and it's boot around it, check it to see if fluid is around the shaft, that is the first place to check.

Afterwards, just look obvious places, master cylinder, etc.

 

cool.. i'll check that out.. thanks guys.

peaces.

 

To check the clutch master cylinder simply foloow the clutch pedal up to the top of the pedal assembly - if you feel grimy muck on the pedal arm then congradulations! You need a new clutch master cylinder!

 

thanks.. you gys are dope in the EG forum.. I posted this 20 minutes earlier in the integra forum, and not one reply..

peaces.

 

My friends integ currently has the same problem. We bled the clutch. No change.

Common sense tells us it isnt the clutch disc, but the preassure plate springs. They are toast.

If the disc was bad, the clutch would slip.

The lever and throwout bearing press on the springs, which act to pull the preassure plate away from the disc. When the springs are bad, they dont pull the plate far enough off the disc and the clutch is still engaged, making it HARD to go into gear. This would also explain the soft pedal.

So, even though your clutch disc may still be good, replace the entire clutch and have the flywheel inspected and resurfaced if necessary.

 

damn, really? all that???? that sucks.. just got the car 2 months ago..

peaces.

 

Check clutch master cylinder first.

But, I have a bet:

Broken sprung hub on the clutch disc. My GSR clutch was very hard to get into gear and started grinding when my hub disc broke. It could be the pressure plate like Tonyxcom said, and if either of these are true you're going to be replacing the whole clutch anyway.

You might want to replace the clutch master cylinder as a matter of practicality. You won't be able to distincly exclude it from your symptoms without replacing it (unless you're beefy enough to depress the release fork yourself under the hood while the car is moving).

Unfortunately, the hydraulic master cylinders in Honda's have a much higher failure rate than any other component I've ever seen on any other Honda. (Given, 100,000 miles and ten years is longer than other manufacturers can even dream of, but the number of people with clutch master cylinder failures in the 92-95 civic's is unreal. Mine started leaking INSIDE the car after ten years). Not a Honda bash, but I've NEVER heard of a Honda brake master cylinder failure, but clutch master failures are common.

Shawn


[Modified by shawnhayes, 5:32 PM 9/17/2002]

 

ok, now a question... would getting a different clutch master cylinder be any good? like GSR, or Type-R? correct me if I'm wrong, but they're different from the LS, right?

 

You know, I go against conventional wisdom on this for my own cars (I don't recommend other people do it).

I NEVER have the flywheel resurfaced. NEVER. Unless it's gouged or scored, I cannot see that resurfacing serves any purpose. Every reasonable mechanic I've known has told me that I should, that it seats the clutch better and it performs better. I just don't think its worth the machine time and labor, personally. I could be wrong here, but I only do this on my ride. Everyone else who asks me, I tell them what all the good mecahnics I know say.

Shawn

 

I don't know if they're different. I would replace it with the stock one. I have a GSR motor in my civic, and I replaced my master cylinder with the stock 92-95 civic master. They're all the same along the civic line. I don't have access to LS, GSR, type-R master cylinder part numbers, but I bet they're the same, but I cannot say for sure.

Shawn

 

I can see where you are coming from. If you have the clutch out, taking the flywheel off isn't much more work (assuming you have the correct tools). And according to a price list in front of me, my machinest charges 45 to surface a Honda Flywheel.

I agree that resuing an unscored flywheel with a new clutch isn't usually a problem. But $45 can go a long way towards peice of mind

 

I agree, but on the ghetto budget I'm occassionally on, $45 and time to take the freakin' thing to the machinist and go get it after its done can add up quickly. There's also the 12 point bolts (the reference to the proper tools you made), and heck, if you got it out, might as well replace the pilot bearing too.

I only make this shortcut on my stuff. I haven't seen trouble yet. But, clutches last a LOOOOOONNNNNGGG time.

Shawn

 

thanks for all the input guys.. I didn't see any leaks, so I guess next step is bleeding it.. then probably, and most likely I'll have to replace the whole clutch.. damn.

thanks again..
peaces.

 

If I remember correctly. The Clutch bolts were either a 10 or 12mm standard 12 point socket. The flywheel was a 17mm standard 12 point socket.

 

OK, up one more time... nothing has changed on the car...

today at a stoplight it would NOT go into gear... it also stalled at another light when I went into neutral... it feels really bad, and I'm gonna fix it this weekend.. I just need your confirmations... new clutch? anything else? Please let me know what you think I need .. EVERYTHING.. and I'll go buy it.. also, you'll probably say get it at the Acura dealership... should I really, or is a place like kragen/pep boys/etc. ok?

thanks guys.

peaces.

 

PLEASE!?!?!?!!

Acura closes soon, and I'm gonna run down there after I get a reply.

THANKS!

 

its been said before, its either the clutch that needs to be blead, or clutch master cylinder needing to be replaced. I doubt that the clutch is bad, you may need to replace synchros if you are having trouble getting the car in reverse.
BTW, check your tranny fluid. May need to be changed or added to, of course this will have nothing to do with the point at which the clutch engages, but this may be a reason why some gears are hard to get into.

 

I bled the clutch, and the fluid has been replaced.... you think it may be the master cylinder?/?? I kinda find that hard to believe....

tonyxcom's response seems really on point.. anyone?

 

just replace the clutch.....having the new clutch on there will last on that car another 50-60,000 miles (if you drive nicely )

and from what i read that should be the anwser to your problems

 

ok, I'm convinced... thanks!

peaces.