Broken down (clutch problem)

[Medikerik]

I was driving down the highway, and everything seemed perfectly fine. Traffic was starting to speed up, so I pushed the clutch in to shift. I try shifting, the gear shifter won't shift and makes a grinding noise. I figured I hadn't pushed the clutch in enough, but it was down all the way. I figure "ok, I'll try again" so I take my foot off the clutch... and the clutch stays pressed to the floor. Thankfully I had enough momentum to get to an exit ramp. I called my friend, he told me to shut the car off, shift it into second, then start it (and it worked) so I managed to limp back to the office building I work at. Thankfully I'm in a building with lights, power, etc., so I'm okay for the moment, but I need to figure out what's wrong with my car. I'm not going to ask anyone to drive up here to get me when the temp is dropping to 28 or lower and the roads are starting to ice, and if worse comes to worse I can always take an ambulance out to get food and what not, but I'd like to figure out if there might be anything I can do short of getting it towed as I'll be stuck at work for a while. I can manually pull the pedal out, but as soon as I let go it just sinks all the way back to the floor. Any ideas?

PS I'm about to just sell this car... *sigh*. I love it but it's just been one problem after another.

[jacobuchanan140]

this happened to my friend and it was his slave cylinder

[jhnyct]

It is something in the hydraulics. Clutch master or clutch slave. Look under the dash to see if the clutch master is leaking at the firewall. Then look at the slave cylinder down on the front of the trans. The leak should be obvious. I like to relace them both at the same time anyways.

[Medikerik]

CB7 doesn't have a clutch reservoir, right? Because the cap said brake fluid and it was low so thats what I put in it... It was the smaller reservoir next to the larger one on the driver side of the car.

[Otto]

Its that smaller one and is attached to the Master cylinder, which is in turn attached to the clutch pedal. It is for the clutch hydrolics, and uses brake fluid. SO yes, you most likely have a leak.
If it is small leak, you can add fluid and then pump the pedal by hand till pressure builds (push it down and then pull it back up a buncha times then check the fluid level again), and you may be able to limp around, adding fluid and pumping the clutch every so often.

You can follow that small resivour and the lines and try to find the leak.

It not uncommon for the original cylinders to need replacement at least one after many years and mile. Luckly mine had been done by the previous owner

[ncoutlaw]

itg could well be an leak in your line . this has happen to me i replaced both the master and the slave . iv been bleeding for 3days . the only thing i can come up with is the line . rplace what you can ,and lets us know

[Medikerik]

Well there probably is a leak somewhere. I pumped the pedal with my hand a few times, and the fluid level in the reservoir dropped, no pressure built up, and a leak ended up with a puddle under the passenger side of the car (can't seem to trace it to its source). *sigh*.

[Otto]

Passenger side huh?
He can't trace it, I wonder, can the slave master leak INTO the bell housing and drip down from there?

[Medikerik]

There's two bars I was able to trace the puddle up to, including one right behind the fan... kinda wondering what's going on. *sigh*.

[slick]

sounds like a line too me. make sure you hydraulics are working properly though. if hey are fine a leak is probably in the` hard lines or maybe that stupid rubber line its on the passengers side. go check to see if its on the top of the tranny and let us know

[Medikerik]

If I recall that line was fine... the car's 30 miles away from me so until I get it towed don't know if I'll be back out there... I'll see what I can do. Blah.

[Medikerik]

While I'm replacing the slave, should I replace the master too? I'm trying to make this her last unscheduled stop for a while. Timing belt, plug wires, plugs, and water pump are replaced. Trying to figure out what else a car with 176k on it might need done (haynes manual didn't list any clutch items)

[ncoutlaw]

for the clutch i just had this problem i bleed it for 3days drummersteve tried to help . w came to the conclusion it was the line . so i mad one outta brake line . and 5 minutes after that i was done . post pix later

[h22sparkle]

Its too fuckin cold to do anything now . Its fuckin 28 degrees out here with the windchill of 18 shyiiiiiit.

[tear2wo]

Replace the slave n master cylinder @ the same time Just so you know u won't have any problems in the future. The same thing happened to me. I replaced them both and the clutch worked for about a month. Then it happened again. I replaced the master cylinder again and still no pressure. Turened out to be the clutch hose was clogged or something.