Urgent help needed please!

[pushrod]

Honestly it does sound like there is an expensive problem with the clutch (unless the smell is a coolant smell or something else totally unrelated to the clutch system).

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

Yes this is my first winter with the car. So I need to maybe change the transmission fluid?

Well, you don't need to, I think what ol Tcoat is meaning is that some folks that have changed their transmission oil (to a non OEM brand) have found that the transmission shifts easier, especially when it's cold.


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

Thanks again for all of your help.

So update: their was a smell of something burning last night after driving but I had the A/C on in the car for the first time in a while and didn’t know if this would have caused the smell somehow. The fluid reservoir is full and the fluid is a yellowish see through color so it’s not dark or anything.

I took a picture of the Slave Cylinder just now and I am going to post it. I believe the rubber boot is not on correctly and this may be my issue but I am not sure.

So, what did the odor smell like ..??

* oil - smells like ..... burning oil

* anti-freeze - smells sort of sweetish

* clutch disk - smells like nothing else, except clutch disk

* bad TOB - usually makes more noise than smell


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

I seen a vid on youtube where the throw out bearing gets too hot or something. The video showed the bearing and it looked melted. This could be the smell maybe?

So if it is the throwout bearing, could that be something that is intermittent? I apologize I am asking so many questions but I truly appreciate your time and advice, I love my 86 and want to take care of it so I am trying to find the issue so I can fix it asap. Also hoping it doesn't cost me a kidney and a leg though lol.

Yes, a frozen/dry TOB could smell, but usually not enough to notice before it flies apart or has a melt down.

Usually a bad TOB will squeal at you before it freezes up. Since the bearing is running all the time, a bad one can make one "squeal" sound, then when you push in on the clutch to make it work, the sound may be different ..... more of a howl than a squeal.


humfrz

[Swoldier86]

There hasn’t been any sound that would indicate the TOB is bad.

The smell sort of smelt like brake pass, I just changed my pads all the way around a few weeks ago but I don’t think that is where the smell came from. I am going to see if the car smells after driving it to work tomorrow.

My girlfriend just tested the clutch while I watched the slave cylinder move and she said it was sort of getting stuck at the bottom (which hasn’t happened to me yet).

This may be a stupid question but does the brake fluid have anything to do with my clutch fluid, I ask because I changed brake pads but did not bleed the system. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to.

I just checked and my coolant reservoir is extremely low, slightly below the low line.

Checked the car a few minutes ago and it started and went into gear just fine multiple times right upon starting from cold.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

There hasn’t been any sound that would indicate the TOB is bad.

The smell sort of smelt like brake pass, I just changed my pads all the way around a few weeks ago but I don’t think that is where the smell came from. I am going to see if the car smells after driving it to work tomorrow.

My girlfriend just tested the clutch while I watched the slave cylinder move and she said it was sort of getting stuck at the bottom (which hasn’t happened to me yet).

This may be a stupid question but does the brake fluid have anything to do with my clutch fluid, I ask because I changed brake pads but did not bleed the system. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to.

I just checked and my coolant reservoir is extremely low, slightly below the low line.

Checked the car a few minutes ago and it started and went into gear just fine multiple times right upon starting from cold.

So, if the TOB isn't talking to you, it's most likely OK.

Did you change the brake pads or did someone change them for you .. ??

As far as your GF feeling the clutch sticks at the bottom, that just may be her feeling.

On this car, the brake fluid system is separate from the clutch fluid system.

As far as bleeding the brakes, it's a good idea to do so after the pads are changed. However, if no air was allowed in, it wouldn't be necessary. As long as the brakes don't feel "spongy", you're OK.

When the car is cold, the coolant level is supposed to be about half way between the full and low marks. If it's just a bit low (like a cup or two) it would be OK just to add distilled or demineralized water. NOT tap water.

Let us know how it's running after work tomorrow ......


humfrz

[alan.chalkley]

If manual cars are parked for some time in a cold/wet/snow/icy environment.
Then the clutch plate can bind to a rusty flywheel and be difficult to engage first gear from a cold start.
Rev matching can help to engage first gear.

[ermax]

Try jacking both rear wheels off the ground and then start the car while in neutral. Push the clutch all the way to the floor and then push towards 1st while having someone watch the rear wheels. If the clutch isn’t fully disengaging then it will be hard to put in gear and it will make the rear wheels turn. That will rule out if it is clutch related or simply a cold temp problem.

The rear wheels should never turn while the clutch pedal is too the floor. If they do then you have a hydronic problem (which I doubt because the mechanic ruled that out) or the pressure plate is messed up. I suspect the mechanic is on the right track here. Just because a clutch isn’t slipping doesn’t mean it isn’t bad. The drive straps in the pressure plate can break causing it to not line up correctly which causes it to not fully disengage correctly. You also said you smelled what smelled like brake pads. Well a slipping clutch smells exactly like hot brake pads. Normally a bad pressure plate will make the engine vibrate like crazy.

Could also be a bent release fork. I guess that is a common problem on this car. The intermittent part makes my lean towards the pressure plate more than anything.

Edit: Don’t drag the problem out too long. If it’s hard to put in gear because of a clutch related problem then you are putting unnecessary wear on your syncros and the clutch is dramatically cheaper than rebuilding a tranny.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

I seen a vid on youtube where the throw out bearing gets too hot or something. The video showed the bearing and it looked melted. This could be the smell maybe?

So if it is the throwout bearing, could that be something that is intermittent? I apologize I am asking so many questions but I truly appreciate your time and advice, I love my 86 and want to take care of it so I am trying to find the issue so I can fix it asap. Also hoping it doesn't cost me a kidney and a leg though lol.

The throw out bearing will smell and if it gets bad enough to let the clutch stick a little it will smell.
Yet it can be intermittent until it finally just lets go completely then the car won'move at all.
The fact it smells leads me to back to the TOB. Odd it didn't squeal first though.

[Swoldier86]

Update: Just got in the car a few minutes ago to head to pickup my girlfriends Christmas present before I go to work. Initial start up and it didn’t not want to go in gear I let go of the clutch pressed it back in and still nothing. Took my foot underneath the clutch and pulled up and it came up toward me (almost felt like it was stuck, not easy like free play but not extremely hard) I then pressed the clutch into gear and it went in fine. Currently driving right now with no issues and no noise.

[ermax]

My money is on the TOB which is binding and not letting the clutch fully disengage or engage. The TOB is only $17 but the labor isn’t cheap. You are out of warranty but not by much. There is a TSB on the TOB, maybe you could convince the dealer to do it for you. Probably not though.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

Update: Just got in the car a few minutes ago to head to pickup my girlfriends Christmas present before I go to work. Initial start up and it didn’t not want to go in gear I let go of the clutch pressed it back in and still nothing. Took my foot underneath the clutch and pulled up and it came up toward me (almost felt like it was stuck, not easy like free play but not extremely hard) I then pressed the clutch into gear and it went in fine. Currently driving right now with no issues and no noise.

That is the TOB. That is exactly what mine did shortly before catastrophic failure. I had an appointment booked for it since it was noisy but it didn't make it to that date. YES ULTRA I AM AWARE I SHOULD KNOW BETTER. Don't trust it to last much longer and the more you wait the bigger the damage done to the clutch and flywheel. The TOB repair is reasonably inexpensive. If it takes out the clutch it is very costly.

[Swoldier86]

So how positive are you that is the TOB?


If it is the TOB I might as well upgrade the clutch and everything while they have everything taken apart since labor will be the most expensive part of this job. If I had a lift and stuff I would rather do it myself but I don't so I will paying a lot im sure.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Swoldier86

So how positive are you that is the TOB?


If it is the TOB I might as well upgrade the clutch and everything while they have everything taken apart since labor will be the most expensive part of this job. If I had a lift and stuff I would rather do it myself but I don't so I will paying a lot im sure.

From what you have said and what I experienced I am 98% sure that is your issue. The only reason I give the 2% doubt is that it didn't make noise before it went like most do.