Clutch slipping

Tiny
PLAINMAN98
  • MEMBER
  • TOYOTA PICKUP
I have a 1984 Toyota 2WD pickup with 165k miles.

I replaced the clutch in January because it was slipping pretty bad. I put in a kit including pilot bearing, pressure plate and clutch. Bearings were replaced, flywheel was resurfaced, and everthing went back together without too much trouble.
Also, the master and slave clutch cylinders have been replaced in the last 6 months.

Since replacement, when the weather is cool (below 50 degrees) and the engine is cold, the clutch functions as it should. It passes the stall test in 4th gear (hold the brake, let out the clutch, engine dies in less than 5 seconds). Once the engine warms up the clutch begins to slip typically on the way home from work. I can floor it in second gear and have the clutch slip. Let of the gas and it will jerk a little and reengage. The next morning when it is again cold, I can drive it to work and it functions fine, but on the way home, it slips again.

I am unsure if it is a lubrication issue with the clutch plate or what one person suggested: the plate may be in backwards. I fix this thing myself because I enjoy getting my hands dirty. My quesiton is this: When I take it apart again next weekend, what are the telltale signs I should look for and is there something else that has not been considered? Any suggestions or expertise would be greatly appreciated.

-R
Friday, March 17th, 2006 AT 1:47 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Try adjusting the free play and pedal height before you tear it down

BTW did you bleed the slave?
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Saturday, March 18th, 2006 AT 3:34 AM
Tiny
PLAINMAN98
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thanks for taking time to respond.

I bled the slave when I replaced it 6 months ago, but did not crack the hydraulic system when I dropped the gearbox. I simply unbolted the slave cylinder from the transmission and let it hang. I have not adjusted the pedal in the cab because it works fine when the system is cold.

What does it look like when there is grease or oil on the clutch disk? How hard is cleaning lube off of the clutch disk Is it worth the trouble, or should I just replace the stupid thing.

I'm thinking that perhaps I overlubed the transmission spline and it dropped a glob of grease in there during installation or the first use. Depending on the temperature, the grease may melt and then harden up after use. It is a possible explaination to my slip/no slip situation.

I'm trying to get to the zen state of mechanic work, where I just enjoy tinkering whether it works or not. Not there yet. I need this thing to run right.

Any suggestions, observations or tips would be greatly appreciated.
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Saturday, March 18th, 2006 AT 10:11 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
You better make sure its your Glob that's in between the disc and cover because if its not one of these is your problem you have a bad rear seal or the input shaft front seal is gone on the tranny.

Bleed and adjust it before u tear it down and check what happens. Maybe you get lucky 7
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Sunday, March 19th, 2006 AT 5:13 AM
Tiny
FISHERMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 937 POSTS
Spray some degreaser on the pressure disc and try to reach the clutch also.
(take off the starter and do it from there. Try a brake cleaner that should clean the grease if that its the problem)
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Sunday, March 19th, 2006 AT 10:00 PM
Tiny
PLAINMAN98
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
After reading your post about the master and slave cylinders and visiting with a friend at work, last night I checked it out. His suggestion was that perhaps water in the hydraulic line was heating and expanding, causing the clutch to remain partially engaged. That made sense because it only slips when it gets hot.

The plan was to bleed the hydraulic line, but before I started, I decided to look in the cab. The clutch pedal linkage was set to the maximum throw and had zero travel. After a very simple adjustment (as suggested by the first response to my question), I went for a test drive to work and back - a 15-20 minute drive at 40-60 MPH. Normally on the way back it will slip, especially up the last hill to my home. It did not slip at all. I drove in this morning, fine. Acts like a new clutch. Imagine that. Makes me wonder if I really needed a new clutch afterall.

I just wanted to say thanks to razmataz and fisherman for taking time to think about my question and post a response. The true test will be over the next week or so, but I think it will work out.

During this whole clutch thing, the window broke, so now I have to fix the driver side window mechanism. What would be the fun in this truck if there was nothing to fix?

Thanks again for your suggestions!
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Friday, March 24th, 2006 AT 8:30 AM

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