tedhodges

Hey guys,

I was driving home from work today, and my clutch started acting really weird. At first when you pressed on the pedal the clutch didn't engage all of the way (it slipped), and now the pedal feels stiffer than it should (almost like something is blocking it from going in), but pressing on it does nothing at all.

And, as if that weren't enough, some kids ran in front of me, so I hit the brakes, and they went to the floor. Now the brakes sink ever so slowly to the floor. Could it be that both my brake and clutch master cylinders both went at the same time? Something else? PLEASE HELP!

Thanks,
Ted

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l4zy415

Hows the fluid in the reserve tanks?

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18" Limited 341 Chrome Rims/\Matador Red Paint/\Weapon R - Secret Weapon Intake/\LED Bright White Dash Lights/Floor/\Kenwood KDC-X590 Excelon Mp3 Deck/\Ford Taurus Coin/Cup Holder/\2 12" Kickers/\1200 Watt Sony XM-2200GTX 2-Channel Xplod Amp/\2 Rockford Fosgate Capacitors/\Power Acoustic Capacitor/\Clear Rear Turn Signal/\Reverse Glow Gauges/\Swapped 88' Headlights to 89'-90'/\JDM Rear Chrome Trim/\Stromung Muffler/
Soon To Come: Rebuild Motor and 5-MT Swap

tedhodges

Fluid in the clutch looked low. I filled it up and now it is worse. Brakes were low but now low enough to make the brake warning light come on

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l4zy415

Do you see any leakage anywhere?

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18" Limited 341 Chrome Rims/\Matador Red Paint/\Weapon R - Secret Weapon Intake/\LED Bright White Dash Lights/Floor/\Kenwood KDC-X590 Excelon Mp3 Deck/\Ford Taurus Coin/Cup Holder/\2 12" Kickers/\1200 Watt Sony XM-2200GTX 2-Channel Xplod Amp/\2 Rockford Fosgate Capacitors/\Power Acoustic Capacitor/\Clear Rear Turn Signal/\Reverse Glow Gauges/\Swapped 88' Headlights to 89'-90'/\JDM Rear Chrome Trim/\Stromung Muffler/
Soon To Come: Rebuild Motor and 5-MT Swap

tedhodges

brakes yes, looks like maybe a brake line blew. clutch no

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l4zy415

If you see brake fluid coming out, you better replace it before it gets worse. Believe me, I know. For the clutch, can't really tell ya cause I have an Auto....for now. Maybe your not getting enough pressure for the clutch.

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18" Limited 341 Chrome Rims/\Matador Red Paint/\Weapon R - Secret Weapon Intake/\LED Bright White Dash Lights/Floor/\Kenwood KDC-X590 Excelon Mp3 Deck/\Ford Taurus Coin/Cup Holder/\2 12" Kickers/\1200 Watt Sony XM-2200GTX 2-Channel Xplod Amp/\2 Rockford Fosgate Capacitors/\Power Acoustic Capacitor/\Clear Rear Turn Signal/\Reverse Glow Gauges/\Swapped 88' Headlights to 89'-90'/\JDM Rear Chrome Trim/\Stromung Muffler/
Soon To Come: Rebuild Motor and 5-MT Swap

tedhodges

The clutch almost feels stiffer than it did (maybe it is just me), but pressing on it does almost nothing now. I need some answers quick!

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stephen

For the brakes, you need to replace the hoses and bleed the brakes. The pedal should move very little with the engine off and go down at most 1" with the engine running. If it sinks slowly with constant pedal pressure after you fix the leaks, the master cylinder may need to be replaced.

The clutch being stiffer than usual sounds like a damaged pressure plate, but you might try bleeding the hydraulics as well. Usually if there was air in the clutch hydraulics the clutch pedal would go down without doing anything, which isn't what you are seeing.

pnoye2

Most likely the root cause of your current issue(s)... replace line/top-up hydraulic fluid reservoir/bleed and you should be good to go.

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tedhodges

Yeah it is a blown brake line. As for the clutch, again there is pressure at the pedal, but it only engages a little bit, just enough to keep the engine from stalling when the car is stopped, but not enought to get it in/out of gears.

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pnoye2

Bleed your clutch as well Ted

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customLegend91

damn my 89 started the same s**T this week i am thinking it could be a bad slave cylinder, or master i dont know yet but im going to see my clutch tomorrow cuz im getting a new 5spd from H.A.P tomorrow with a new slave cyinder i will post up my results, and by the way i have bled the clutch already , no go... as 4 the brake lines dude i poped mine in a similar instance they get old and just pop, replace both side and save yourself 2x the work trust me....

stephen

I believe there is a terminology issue. When you say engage I believe you mean release, i.e. the engine is disconnected from the transmission allowing changing of gears. Failure of the clutch to release could be a hydraulic problem, and that seems likely since the problem happened suddenly. If the hydraulics are OK and the clutch still doesn't release it is probably a worn clutch causing the problem.

stephen

Just wanted to add that you can diagnose the clutch issue by having someone push the pedal down while you watch the release lever. If it moves a normal distance (I would say at least a few inches), then the hydraulics are probably OK.