Clutch slip on DSM, clutch or master cylinder?

[Catnip]

I recently got this 97 GST and it has a slipping clutch.
The pedal is spongy feeling and I noticed clutch fluid around the dead pedal and coming from the master cylinder on the inside. Not to mention the carpet is black now from it.

The clutch will start to try to grab around 5000 rpms, but still slips bad. That's in any gear (1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 5000rpms in 4th is a little fast).

Does this sound like the actual clutch disc wear or master cylinder is just crap? Or both?

[h22ek]

master cylinders are cheap and easy to put in,( just bleeding the clutch takes forever) mine was leaking fluid before i replaced it and it wouldnt slip but would wait a sec before it even tried to catch. slippage is probably your clutch but if your pedal has fluid all over it from the Master cylinder i would replace that too.

[green91]

Master cylinder wont make the clutch slip unless the rod-length is adjusted wrong, and is highly unlikely. you need a clutch. a fluid leak wont cause the clutch to slip

[Catnip]

I was thinking so, just wanted to make sure before we rip it apart and find a perfect clutch like my buddy with a swapped civic. Thanks guys

[MIKE.P]

yeah thats clutch slippage

[KPowerEP3]

I don't agree. It totally depends on how much fluid you've lost. My buddy bought a BMW with a clutch so bad that you didn't even need to depress it to go into gear. Lo and behold, it just needed fluid and a bleeding and it grabbed perfectly.

[Catnip]

I don't agree. It totally depends on how much fluid you've lost. My buddy bought a BMW with a clutch so bad that you didn't even need to depress it to go into gear. Lo and behold, it just needed fluid and a bleeding and it grabbed perfectly.

well it was full when I picked it up and a little low yesterday, hasnt ran out since I got it. And if I pump the clutch up it doesn't feel different in the pedal or driving.

[blaknoize]

Just gravity bleed it and see what happens, if no effect then everyone elses answers govern.

[green91]

I don't agree. It totally depends on how much fluid you've lost. My buddy bought a BMW with a clutch so bad that you didn't even need to depress it to go into gear. Lo and behold, it just needed fluid and a bleeding and it grabbed perfectly.

A clutch can only slip because the pressure plate cant apply sufficient pressure against the clutch disc & flywheel. So the only ways it can slip are because the clutch disc is to thin, the pressure plate isnt applying enough pressure or because something is applying pressure to the pressure plate. low fluid cannot cause any of these conditions.

[d16_turbo]

it's the clutch

[speedminded]

A clutch can only slip because the pressure plate cant apply sufficient pressure against the clutch disc & flywheel. So the only ways it can slip are because the clutch disc is to thin, the pressure plate isnt applying enough pressure or because something is applying pressure to the pressure plate. low fluid cannot cause any of these conditions.Exactly.


The clutch fluid only enables you to disengage the clutch, it has NOTHING to do how much pressure is being applied to the clutch disc. You can physically remove the clutch pedal, master cylinder, hydraulic lines, slave cylinder, etc. and the pressure plate will still be doing it's job. You won't be able to disengage it or shift gears but it still won't slip unless...

It's one of these 3 things:
1) The clutch disc surface is gone.
2) The sprung part of the clutch disc is broken and sticking up preventing the pressure plate from making full contact against the clutch disc. (ask me how i know)
3) The pressure plate/fingers are so worn out it can't apply full pressure against the clutch disc.


*edit*
Also, if it's not grinding gears during shifts or hard to shift and the pedal isn't sticking to the floor then the master cylinder is probably fine. These are both symptons of low fluid or a leaking master cylinder. If you hold the clutch to the floor for say 30 seconds or so and it doesn't come back up on it's own when you release the pedal then the fluid is leaking from around the plunger inside the cylinder. If you have fluid on the inside of the firewall then i'd recommend replacing the master cylinder anyways.

[Catnip]

I'll get pics of the disc and pressure plate tomorrow, it was horrible. I don't know how it still moved!

[blaknoize]

But... assuming its a stock clutch/pressure plate setup, wouldnt that only apply if the clutch was to "heavy?"

[green91]

Go ahead and replace the master & slave and the clutch all at the same time.